Being vulnerable before God – no drama, right?

Recently, I was one of the leaders at the youth and children’s camp at Phillip Island in Victoria.

I led the drama stream for both the children and young people, something I had never done before. In one of my previous articles, I mentioned how God has really impressed on my heart: practise something new. 

My husband was coordinating the camp, and I had initially agreed to lead the art stream. That’s well within my comfort zone, with nearly 20 years of teaching experience in various contexts. But when he couldn’t find a drama teacher, and stress levels started to rise, I realised I could probably step in, with plenty of other leaders skilled in art who could take my place.

Well, I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but I don’t like practising something new if it means I might not be good at it! Whether it’s my pride or fear (two sides of the same coin really), my ego does not appreciate trying something different in case I fail.

Well, cue my very first youth drama session, where the class size almost halved as people realised it wasn’t for them. Talk about a blow! Is it me? I couldn’t help but pitiably wonder.

In the children’s group, I had 10 kids (amazing!), and in a moment of bravery or folly, I asked if they wanted to create a play from scratch. I wasn’t ready for their enthusiasm and joy!

I’d never taught children before and honestly felt like I was learning as I went, even as I revelled in their energy.

After three hours of teaching, I took a moment to pray back in my room. “Practice something new?” I thought. “Why doesn’t it feel better then? I feel so out of my depth.”

“How do you think they feel?” I sensed God reply. “Learning for the first time, in a new place, with new people.” That makes sense, I thought.

Children and youth worshipping at the Phillip Island camp.

It reminded me of when I was asked to speak at the NSW Divisional Fellowship in 2020. I was living in New Zealand at the time, and it was a great privilege. My session aimed to focus on spoken word, encouraging people to embrace vulnerability by knowing themselves and being known through that practice.

I prayed for weeks about the message, though. I wanted so badly to bring something meaningful. But the night before rolled around, still praying at 3am, and God had still not spoken. The next morning, I walked into the room of about 350 officers.

“Why haven’t you given me something?” I asked God. He replied, “How can you ask for vulnerability if you won’t live it yourself?”

So, I stepped onto the platform with nothing but the hope that God would speak, and that people would respond to God.

“Sometimes practising something new means walking blindly and fearfully, not knowing what God is doing, but still giving it a go anyway.”

But going back to the youth drama ... we had three young people: Ruby, Daniel and Caitlin. 

Ruby’s flair for the dramatic and enigmatic made her the perfect narrator of the David and Goliath story, reading straight from the Bible. Daniel could switch between characters effortlessly, which made him brilliant as WWE wrestling-style Goliath (and others). Caitlin’s plucky, fox-like energy made her just right for David. Together they brought a warmth and humour to the story I’d never noticed when reading it myself.

And the children? Their two-part play was about a “poison thistle” that a naughty classmate had been “triple dog dared” (I learned a new phrase here) to touch. It required doctors, ambulances, and research scientists (we used a sick bag and some glitter). Seeing them wriggle and giggle while announcing to the rapt crowd of children, it was a “VIC camp original” made me so proud of our children, actors and playwrights.

I extend a heartfelt thank you to our parents, youth leaders, children’s leaders, prayer warriors, bus drivers, caterers, and all organisers. As we shared in prayer and highlights each morning, I kept thinking: this glimpse of the kingdom is being reflected across our nation, families, and corps every day. May God bless this sacred work.

Caitlin, one of the young actors, told me she hopes to use her love of acting to bring Bible stories to life. With TikTok and Reels now the primary way of sharing content among this generation, raising young video evangelists feels more important than ever.

This is what drama and camps can achieve!

For me, it was a reminder that faith is being “sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. For who hopes for what they already have?” (Romans 8:24-25)

Practising something new and stepping out in faith isn’t just about being cautious; it’s about being brave. Sometimes practising something new means walking blindly and fearfully, not knowing what God is doing, but still giving it a go anyway.

Are we prepared to look foolish? To fail? To be just as vulnerable as those we are trying to teach?

My dream whenever I teach or lead is the verse in Jeremiah 31:34: “No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord.”

Thank God for that. Bring it on!