Tuesday, September 8, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARRIOR CAMP: 8 YEARS TODAY!

Date: September 8, 2015 AD
From: Nampa, Idaho

Hello Warrior Nation!

I hope you're doing well and that you had a great Labor Day Weekend!

I wanted to reach out and share that on this special day, September 8, 2015, WARRIOR CAMP celebrates it's 8th Birthday!  It's been a crazy, fun, God-soaked ride, and, God willing, we'll continue every year to launch the most epic games we can dream up, and more importantly, boldly point boys and youth to the Ultimate Warrior, Jesus Christ, who defeated sin and death and rose victorious from the grave, for you and me, and who calls and shepherds us to be men after His own heart.

Thank you so much for all your prayers, donations, support, and encouragement over these last several years.  You are Warrior Nation, and thank you so much for praying for us!  It's an honor and joy to be a part of what God is up to in this generation of boys and youth now, just as it was when God opened up a surprise-door and ignited our 1st Warrior Camp on that crazy, amazing day in the Fall of 2007.

For this special 8th Birthday of Warrior Camp, we're mixing it up!  First, we're announcing the 2016 Warrior T-Shirt Contest.  Whoever designs the coolest 2016 Warrior Camp T-shirt will get a custom, new Warrior Camp Weapon and New Ammo, born in the fires of the "Official Warrior Camp Laboratory of Epic-ness", and sent to them free of charge.  Don't wait!  Email me your design @ warriorcamp1@yahoo.com or text me a pic @ 208-866-0743.  Contest starts now!  :)

2nd, I have asked our 2014-2015-> Warrior Camp Rally (i.e. Chapel) Speaker Sam Antosh to share his heart in this special Anniversary update to you of Warrior Nation.  Sam is the man, and I'm thrilled to encourage you to check out what he shares below!  (And below this, I've included some cool links.  Check it all out :)

Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement!  God is on the move, and is opening some new, exciting doors we haven't even shared yet, but we will keep you posted!  And so, without further delay, I'll pass the mike and we'll talk more soon.  Here is our 2015 Warrior Camp Rally Speaker, Sam Antosh...(thunderous applause!)  :)

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Warrior Camp Reflection
From Sam Antosh to Warrior Nation
September 2015

In the Fall of 2013, when Derek first contacted me about becoming the discipleship speaker for Warrior Camp, I had no idea what Warrior Camp was, or what sort of team I was becoming a part of. Two years later, I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of something so incredible and impacting as Warrior Camp. Having finished my second season on the team, I can truly say this camp has left an indelible impact on my life, and changed the way I look at Christian masculinity.
Warrior Camp is all about capturing a vision. A vision of what young boys can become as Christian men. A vision of a life of adventure, rugged service to the gospel, and good old fashioned manly fun.  I think now more than ever we need something like warrior camp. Something that encourages guys to be guys, to have fun, to break things, to experience intense physical activity, and to see the warrior heart of God through His Word. Exodus 15 tells us the Lord is a “warrior.” Amazing, isn’t it? The God of the universe identifies himself as a masculine warrior. In a world that encourages boys (and even many adults I know) to be lazy, self-centered, and passive, Warrior Camp points to the Word of God which teaches boys to be active, selfless, and courageous. 
I truly believe God has blessed Warrior Camp and marked it for His Kingdom. This year, we were able to go through the story of David and Goliath and encourage the boys to defy the culture in God’s name, to stand up for His honor, and to be men of the cross and warriors of the kingdom. There are times when I feel humbled to be a part of God’s business, and Warrior Camp is one of those times. Looking at the boys making commitments to become warriors of God’s Kingdom, and watching in particular a young man named “Jay” who had some pretty big physical limitations, participate in everything, reminds me that it doesn’t matter where we are in life, what age, what sort of physical limitations we have, what background we come from, or even where we are right now in our life journey. It only matters where we go from here. It matters if we let God make us into something for His Kingdom, if we let the Lion get His claws in our lives and change us. It doesn’t matter where we’ve been, but where we let God take us. Warrior Camp is taking boys into some powerful places for His Kingdom. I am so blessed to be along for the ride…

In His Service,

Sam



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Thank you for sharing your heart Sam, and for letting God use you to impact this generation of boys for Jesus Christ!  We're so blessed to have you on the team.


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WARRIOR CAMP 8 Year Anniversary Video and Pictures:









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God bless you all, and we'll talk more later!

For Jesus' Fame,

Derek
Joshua 1:9