Most of us have been around friends who don’t believe the same things we do. And we have all experienced criticism about the way we live. And what about the feelings related to those situations? Many times these bring stress, and sometimes feelings of loneliness.

The time I spent at Ambassador Youth Camp this summer was the total opposite! I had the honor of spending two amazing weeks with other teens who are striving to do the same things as I am—live God’s way of life.

God says that it is hard for two people to walk together unless they are in agreement. I’ve learned how true this is, being isolated from other peers in God’s Church. Our friends in the world put pressure on us to follow examples that are not of God’s Way.

We have probably all heard, “That’s weird. Why don’t you celebrate Christmas?” or “What? You don’t believe in Jesus?” People often say things in a negative way to make you feel like you are strange or almost unwelcome. Oftentimes it is difficult to carry on a conversation past “Hello, how are you?” because you don’t have the same mindset.

On the flipside, there are times like AYC. God says that we should strengthen each other, just as iron sharpens iron. Being surrounded with teens who have the same beliefs helped me build confidence and strength.

It was an exciting feeling when I would spend time talking with people about the sermon that week or the latest developments of videocasts. Being around people who face the same situations as I do was comforting, and we learned to encourage each other to keep striving for our goals.

At AYC many of the stressors of the world were not present. It is not every day that you hear people cheering for both teams on the soccer field. The conduct and attitudes of campers and staff made for a great camp. Injuries could not put a dent in the smiles of all.

The two weeks I spent at AYC weren’t focused on defending criticism or being stressed. In fact, they were spent learning to encourage others in hopes of finding strengths from the lessons learned. My time was spent listening to lectures on how to answer difficult questions and being sure that I would remember what I learned after camp—applying it to my life.

Our first day of camp, we were told that our attitudes and outlooks would determine how our camp experience turned out. This also applies to our daily lives. If you choose to take the encouragement and strength gained from camp and apply it to your life, you’ll find that God will bless your efforts.

If you are thinking of applying to AYC next year, but still aren’t sure, remember this: we only have a few opportunities each year to fellowship with those of like mind—think of what AYC can do for you!