Trying the Hard Activity at Camp: Philippians 4:13 for the Kid Whose Turn Is Next
The strength a kid needs for the hard activity at camp is not theirs, it is loaned. Through Philippians 4:13, the verse Paul wrote from a prison cell, kids learn that God hands them what they need in the exact moment they need it, plus three real moves for when the rock wall, the lake jump, or the talent show is their turn.
For Parents
Your kid is going to stand in line at camp this summer, watch the kid in front of them go, and feel their stomach drop because they know they're next. This episode walks them through Philippians 4:13, the verse Paul wrote from prison, and gives them three small moves for the moment the hard activity is their turn: whisper the verse, look only at the next step, and thank God after. You don't have to coach them through it. Just ask them tonight about one hard thing they tried.
The One Thing for the Ride
“You don't have to be strong, you just have to keep going.”
Scripture
Philippians 4:13
CSB
Key Takeaways
- You don't have to be strong, you just have to keep going.
- Paul wrote Philippians 4:13 from a prison cell while tired, hungry, and beaten up.
- The strength you need is not yours, it's loaned, and God hands it to you the moment you need it.
- When the fear hits, whisper the verse and just take the next step.
- Thanking God when you barely made it is a different kind of move than high-fiving yourself after a win.
Try This Week
- The verse-whisper move: when the fear hits, whisper Philippians 4:13, 'I can do this through Christ who strengthens me,' then take one step.
- The next-step-only move: don't look at the whole wall or the whole race, just look at the next handhold, the next breath, the next foot down.
- The thank-God-after move: when you finish, even if you didn't crush it, stop and say, 'God, thank You for handing me what I needed right then.'
Talk It Over
What's one hard thing you tried recently, and what did it feel like when you finished?
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Questions Kids Ask
How can my kid be brave enough to try the scary activity at camp?
You do not have to be strong, you just have to keep going and take the next step. Philippians 4:13 says, I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13), and Paul wrote that from prison, so the strength is loaned from God right when you need it. Do not stare at the whole rock wall, just whisper the verse and look at the next handhold.
