Cedarville University

Wow! I can’t believe it’s already the end of the second week of HeartSong tour. It’s crazy how fast it goes by, but I can confidently say that no time has been wasted. We couldn’t have asked for a better first week of tour leading Worship Camp at Cedarville University. Not only did we get to spend the week with another HeartSong team who were leaders as well, but we also got to connect with kids and worship alongside them all week. This past week, we had the opportunity to minister with NewSong Fellowship Church in Lancaster, PA, at Camp Strive. This was no ordinary camp. The camp actually took place at the church where we got to lead two worship sets everyday—one in the morning and evening. Chuck Beckler spoke every morning with the theme of “No Return,” learning how to serve without expecting anything in return while being aware of people’s different needs. On Monday, we went with the campers to an organization called Gain. This Christian volunteer organization packs and sends clothes, food and other supplies to countries in need around the world. It was awesome to spend an entire afternoon taking part in serving people in need. It really makes one aware of not only how blessed we are, but also how far a little help goes. On Tuesday, we went street evangelizing with the campers. At first, I really wasn’t sure how this was going to go. But, after stepping back with my group of campers and just asking God for His help and guidance, it ended up being an amazing afternoon! It was so encouraging to see these junior and senior high campers walk up to strangers and share the gospel. That’s something God has really been teaching me lately. My faith in God requires action and boldness, and I can’t be reminded of that enough. Camp Strive really challenged our HeartSong team to be intentional in serving others; not just physical needs but being aware of others’ spiritual and emotional needs as well. As believers, it can be a tendency to get caught up in ourselves and in our own lives so much that we often miss the needs of others.

After we spent the week at NewSong, we made our way to Paden City, West Virginia, where we got to play an outdoor concert! This was an incredible night of worship with the community where we got to share our hearts through music.

God has been teaching us so much already! I can’t imagine what else He has in store for us over the next 8 weeks. Right now, we’re in the van on the way to Scioto Hills Camp in southern Ohio. I am SO excited for this senior high week at “Revolution” camp. This is my home camp that I grew up going to every summer since elementary school, and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to go back! We can’t wait to make more lasting relationships with students as we seek God this next week. Thanks for all your continued prayers!

Then

A little over four years ago, I was sitting in the airport in Seville, Spain, waiting to come home from my summer study abroad program that I did through Cedarville. I had just gone through one of the most transforming experiences of my life to that point, and I had fallen in love with God. I checked my facebook, and I had a message from a kid that I met at WinterBlast at Scioto Hills when I was in middle school. Hayden Browning was asking me advice on how to make a Heartsong team. I never thought I could make a team, but even if I could, I wasn’t sure whether I would ever want to do Heartsong because I didn’t want to spend all my time playing music. I wanted to get involved in other stuff, or so I thought. Regardless of my opinion of Heartsong, I still answered his question to the best of my ability. Hayden said that his mom and girlfriend wanted him to tryout because they knew how much he loved music, but he too thought there was no way he would ever make it.

Long story short, I came home from Spain and interacted with the Heartsong team that was at LIFT camp in Cedarville, and my opinion of the ministry changed drastically. I saw that what they did was so much more than music, and I really wanted to be a part of it. That was the end of July, and auditions were going to be held at the end of August. I practiced everyday for a couple of hours and did everything I could to prepare for my audition.  Hayden ended up making the team that traveled with LiFT student ministries that year, and I was placed on the another team. We quickly became really good friends, and always hung out at Heartsong events. I would stay in his room regularly and we would listen to music and talk about our mutual love for sports. During the summer, we would talk regularly on the phone about what we were learning both about God and about ministry in churches.

When auditions came around for our sophomore year, Hayden and I tried out together in hopes that maybe our directors would put us on the same team. We both played acoustic guitar on a team our freshman year, so there was really no realistic chance that we would be able to travel together, but we wanted to try just in case.

Here we are two years later, and Hayden and I are traveling together on the same team. We will both be serving with LiFT student ministries. Two ironies about this are that I’m traveling with the exact Heartsong team that sparked my interest in the first place, and I’m traveling with one of my best friends who I thought I would never get to travel with. This summer, I won’t be calling Hayden to see how he’s doing in his Bible reading, prayer life, and thought life; I can just ask him in person.

Heartsong has been such a huge part of both Hayden’s and my own Cedarville experience. We have both now traveled for four full years, and we have learned so much. It has been an incredible journey of learning for both of us. We have learned so much about ourselves, God, relating to and ministering with different pastors (youth, music, and senior), hanging out with kids, coordinating music sets with camp speakers and pastors, and the list could go on. We are so thankful for everything we have been able to experience and be a part of. Our journey this summer has just begun, with yet another summer tour full of crazy stories yet to unfold. The only difference is, we won’t be reminiscing about our summers during our out briefing sessions this year, because we’re going to be experiencing it all together this time! For that, I am extremely thankful!

Now

We hit the ground running and haven’t looked back. Our first stop was Westbridge Church in Danville, Indiana. This year marks the third year in a row that HeartSong has had the opportunity  to lead worship and enjoy fellowship with the congregation. At the church picnic we were able to gather with various members of the congregation and had a great time talking, and eating at a good old fashioned carry-in-dinner. Our goodbye after the picnic represented the closing of an encouraging weekend and the beginning of a extremely fun and full week at Spring Hill Camp in Seymour, Indiana.

Upon arrival at Spring Hill we were greeted by several counselors and staff members. We picked up Drew, the camp Productions Manager, and some Freeze Pop’s and continued on our way to the Cafeteria where we would be playing for the duration of the week. We didn’t anticipate leading two sets of music that night, but we were greeted by the most enthusiastic, and high energy kids, who proved that they loved to sing (at the top of their lungs) and gladly participated in all the motions!!!

Campers who rock!

We met Bri and Paige, two counselors in charge of seventh grade girls. We decided to hangout with them all week and do everything that they did. That meant that in the morning we headed out to cheer them on as they overcame their fear of the zip line, the high ropes course, the euro jump and other intense activities. Our afternoons were generally spent in the lake with the water toys, and the gusher, but it quickly became apparent that the new Party Barge (with the blob, water zip line and the trapeze) was a favorite!

The group of girls we’ve been trailing this week have really made us laugh and given us plenty of hugs! Their eagerness to imitate our every move has been humbling. It’s a great reminder that what we say and what we do does make an impact. In the main session there has been an ongoing drama about the effects of sin on your heart. The drama has expressed how home situations can translate into bigger issues that cause bitterness, anger, jealousy, and blame. These different sins can ultimately harden our hearts against God and the love he is constantly extending even if we choose not to receive it. Just talking to some of the girls has made us aware of how pertinent these issues are. Our prayer is that as this week of camp ends and the busyness of normal life resumes, God would become a permanent fixture and source of stability in the face of present and future troubles.

It will be sad to leave Spring Hill, but we are encouraged by what God is doing at this awesome camp! We can’t wait for HeartSong to make their next stop here!

Much Love,
Francesca and Jak