No Sanity Required
No Sanity Required is a weekly podcast hosted by Brody Holloway and Snowbird Outfitters. Each week, we engage culture and personal stories with a Gospel-driven perspective. Our mission is to equip the Church to pierce the darkness with the light of Christ by sharing the vision, ideas, and passions God has used to carry us through 26 years of student ministry. Find more content at swoutfitters.com.
No Sanity Required
Voices of SWO25 | Staff Interviews
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the SWO staff prepares for the summer! JB chats with new and returning staff members—about why they’re giving their summer to serve. They share real stories about challenges, growth, and what it's like to be part of a gospel-centered community.
In this episode, you’ll hear from former campers stepping into leadership, first-time staff facing fears, and seasoned staff taking on new responsibilities. This is a deep dive into what makes Snowbird tick—intentional training, authentic relationships, and a shared desire to see lives changed by the Gospel. Whether you're a parent, past camper, or simply curious, this episode gives you a front-row seat to the heart behind the mission.
Please continue to pray for our staff as they’re getting adjusted, learning how to lead recreation, and enjoying fellowship with one another.
- Staff Interviews And The Core Values of Snowbird | SWO24 Kickoff
- Insights from Students on Staying Faithful in College
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Click here to get our Colossians Bible study.
Introduction to Summer Staff Training
Speaker 1Hey everyone, jb here and this episode is a little bit different, but it's super similar to the episode I did where I interviewed a few college students a few months back but I just was able to sit down and interview a bunch of our new staff summer staff each summer, and so some are brand new, some are returners, some are former element, some are interns, so you get to hear from quite a bunch of people. Brody hops in for a second but he just got back from a two week trip to Uganda where he got to spend some good time with Greg and Kilby and Alma. So super grateful that he's back safe, but super grateful he was able to go spend some time with them before summer gets crazy. But yeah, we just kicked off our two weeks of staff training where we just spent super intentional time just prepping the summer staff with camp talks and core values and our mission statement and pretty much everything under the sun. We spend most of the mornings just having talks from a lot of our full-time, just about everything, and then the afternoons are spent training rec. Camp is super great about being very intentional and very diligent, just training the staff well, about rec and about spending time with students, so super grateful for this time. But yeah, we are full speed ahead.
Speaker 1We kicked things off last night and I'm recording this on Tuesday evening, so today was our first full day. Y'all I'm whooped but I am so excited for this summer. It's going to be awesome and just interviewing everyone everyone is so excited and it just brought me so much joy and encouragement and excitement. So I hope that this episode is encouraging for you guys and hopefully it gives you guys a little bit of kind of a behind the curtain look behind the scenes, look of what this time of preparation looks for us, looks like for us. And, yeah, I hope you guys enjoy. Welcome to no Sanity Required.
Speaker 2Welcome to no Sanity Required from the Ministry of Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters. A podcast about the Bible, culture and stories from around the globe.
Speaker 1Okay, everyone, I'm here with Allison Yates, the best roommate ever. Yes, hello, allison, you are going on your third summer.
Speaker 3Yes.
Speaker 1Okay, so your first summer is 23. Yes, 23. And you're from where?
Speaker 4Plant City.
Speaker 1Florida Okay, plant City, florida. Allison has been an intern for the past two years, yes, and will be staying with us in the fall too.
Speaker 4Yep, super excited, okay, allison what are you most excited for this summer? Just getting to hang around and get to know new people.
Speaker 1Um, I'll be supervising rec and so I can just bounce around and talk to all the people, and I'm excited about that okay, and since you're a returner, a veteran slow staffer, what do you think will be the biggest difference this summer versus your previous summers?
Speaker 4um, just, I guess people just kind of look up to you a little bit, which is intimidating, uh, but they ask you questions a lot, right and uh, I don't know. So I guess, just being open to new staff, um so not only are you like just encouraging your students, but you're also kind of like leading staff, whether you realize it or not.
Speaker 1Um, so, just being cautious of that, um and yeah, sweet allison is one of our lovely community group leaders this summer. How are you feeling about that?
Speaker 4uh, pretty good. I have three great fire team leaders in it, so annabelle and sadie and michaela, so I'm not really extremely nervous because they're my fire team leaders and they're some of the best Elite team. Exactly so. I'll just have to not stress too hard, because I know that they're super capable.
Speaker 1Well, sweet, thanks for hopping on. Oh, thank you for having me. All right, everyone, I'm here with Marco Gonzalez. Hello, marco, tell us a little bit about yourself, how you found camp, how long you've worked here.
Speaker 5So my name is Marco, as you've heard, marco Gonzalez. I'm from Guatemala. I moved to New Jersey when I was young and then grew up in Lynchburg, virginia. So go Flames, fan the flame. I found camp through a friend. He kind of pestered me to go. I was not following the Lord at this time and he was just like, hey, you should come to this camp. I was like no, I don't want to, absolutely not. And then he just kept pestering me and then I eventually found my way here and then now that wasn't 22. Now, in 23, I came back because Marco then is now following the Lord.
Speaker 2Still now.
Speaker 5And then I have my counselor. His name is Sam Merman. Shout out to Sam Merman. Sam Merman, he's great. He told me about the high school program that they have called Element. So any high schoolers out there look at Element. It's great, come on now Yep, and I did Element the year of 24, slow, 24. And now I'm here. I did the institute for the whole year and now I'm here SWO25. It's exciting, I'm so excited.
Speaker 5I'm just really excited just for the work rec to be with my students and just be able to grow closer to the other SWO staff as well and also the Element guys okay, so talk about the biggest difference you've seen so far, from like the intern year already to the summer, like how does that look different?
Speaker 1I know we're only like one day in, but well, there's a lot more people here.
Speaker 5I'll say that, like a lot more people, everyone's super friendly, not saying the institute wasn't friendly at all.
Speaker 3Everyone was great yeah.
Speaker 5We all got along, so we all got off in the summer. But big difference.
Speaker 1I feel like difference in pace.
Speaker 5Definitely pace.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's go go, go for three months.
Speaker 5Also, everyone's just extremely like, just excited to be here.
Speaker 1excited to be here. Like I've not met someone who's been like well yeah, I don't want to really like.
Speaker 5Yeah, like the Institute. No one's really like that as well, but it's definitely a higher intensity.
Speaker 1The Institute is just more like mundane, like day to day. Absolutely, you know in summer it's like we're going, we're here, we're here.
Speaker 5I want to just break the scale and say 11. Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 3I'm so excited.
Speaker 1I'll take your word.
Speaker 5for it, Some would say S'wo excited, s'wo excited, love it.
Speaker 1Okay, sweet Thanks, marco.
Speaker 6Absolutely.
Speaker 1Okay, everyone, I just met Manny like five seconds ago and now I'm interviewing him.
Speaker 8Yeah.
Speaker 1So let's go, Manny, tell me about yourself.
Speaker 8So I'm from Florida, new Perici area. Okay, I came last year during the summer as a camper, really loved it. What church did you come with? First Baptist, new Perici, florida.
Speaker 1Okay, sweet.
Speaker 8Yeah, so applied got in super stoked. It's going to be a great summer Sweet Really looking forward to getting to know the campers.
Speaker 1Yeah, was last year, your only year as a camper.
Speaker 8Yeah, that was my first time.
Speaker 1Dang. Do you remember who your counselor was? Yeah, will Harris. Oh Will, it's crazy. He's from my area too. Oh, that's crazy.
Speaker 8Yeah, he works at one of the cafes I go to all the time. No way, yeah. And did you know him before or no?
Speaker 3Nah, it was just like that's go live this week, okay are you nervous?
Speaker 1are you scared of heights?
Speaker 8I hope not a little bit, a little bit. You know, I'm just trying to get over it. You know it'll be good, though it'll be good for me sweet, okay.
Speaker 1So this is your very first summer working. Are you nervous a? Little bit okay I feel like it's good to be nervous a little bit of nervousness. What are you most excited about?
Speaker 8I just really want to talk about the share groups. So I'm really excited to get those talks with those kids. I remember how much it meant to me last summer. Sure Really brought me out of my shell because I'm I used to not really talk a lot to people and not go out more. I feel like after that it really let me come out of my shell.
Speaker 11Yeah.
Speaker 8So I'm looking forward to that, that's awesome.
Speaker 6Yeah.
Speaker 1Also for me my first summer it was so growing for me to lead other like high school and middle school, like it just held me to a higher standard which has helped me grow exponentially in my walk with the Lord. So, yeah, it's going to be awesome.
Speaker 8Yeah.
Speaker 1Okay, on a scale of one to 10, rank your excitement level 11.
Speaker 8That's what Marco just said. Okay.
Speaker 1Well, that's awesome. I'm glad it's 11. Well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 8Manny. Yeah, Manny is that short for something. Emmanuel. Okay, that's why I go by my middle name.
Speaker 1Right Sweet.
Speaker 8All right. Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, manny. Pleasure to meet you too. See you later, awesome.
Speaker 1Okay, everyone, super special guest we have on today. You guys are probably super unfamiliar with this guy, um, but we have Brody Holloway.
Speaker 12Hello everybody, I'm a little nervous Brody is rusty. He's been in Uganda for two weeks. Yeah, I'm not nervous, but I am jet lagged.
Speaker 1Oh, I bet.
Speaker 12Actually it's not bad. It's not too bad. I got back, so we're recording this. On Tuesday Tuesday. I got back Thursday night stateside, but I didn't get back here until.
Speaker 1Right, you were in Jacksonville right.
Speaker 12Savannah, get back here to right. You were in jacksonville, right, savannah savannah?
Speaker 1yeah, I had to go down there got to go down there to speak at a marriage, marriage conference. So, uh, yeah, it's so. I got back here as staff training was started, yep, and then tuck had a graduation party, right, yep, and so it's been go, go.
Speaker 12We're full, full speed ahead yeahuck's graduating, but he still has two years of ball.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 12Because it's like Lely.
Speaker 1Did he get a COVID year?
Speaker 12Nope, he didn't get a COVID year, but it's just, people now go into college with so many credits. So then you either then pursue a master's or he's going to do a second major. Okay, nice, so he'll have two bachelor's degrees. So it's it's great, it's awesome yeah but it was kind of weird.
Speaker 12I'm like wait, we're having a graduation party and you're going to going to be a junior football player? Yeah, but like I think laylee will finish, yeah, like that yeah sure two years and done yeah yeah, so it's all it's here, it's all right I'm I'm glad it's here.
Speaker 1The anticipation was killing me. I'm glad that everyone's here. Everyone's moved in first full day today yeah, started kicked off last night.
Speaker 12What do you think?
Speaker 1you got a good feel yeah, man, I'm excited, I'm excited. It's been rainy. Last summer it rained what? Twice.
Speaker 12So I think this summer it might, it might not rain a lot in staff training.
Speaker 1Last year no, I think maybe it rained like once or twice in total last summer and so this summer I think we're making up for lost rain?
Speaker 12Yes, raining every day.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 12But that used to be like that, I feel like most Mays, most years, in May it rains a lot. It's good for our staff, because if you can learn to do this stuff, in the rain you're suffering all afternoon.
Speaker 1That's what I was telling somebody about the river. I said, well, at least it's the coldest it'll ever be like temperature wise now. So then all the rest of the summer it'll be warming up.
Speaker 12Yes. Sweet I don't have a good feel for the staff because I've yeah, only met a couple of them, yeah I met uh, I've met maybe three people this morning because it's the first full day yeah, sure, and I didn't meet anybody yesterday because I got home so late sunday and I was preparing yesterday's to teach to share with the staff last night yeah so I didn't meet anybody yeah coming in, so I'm having fun today yeah, for sure a lot of familiar faces yeah, a few of my campers are working this summer, so that's really cool Full circle moment.
Speaker 1That is very cool yeah.
Speaker 12And even more full circle moment you have like the twins.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 12Were your campers.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 12Now they're second year staff yes, interned, and they're leaders yeah, your staff yes, interned, and their leaders yeah, that's wow, which is crazy. That's a real full circle.
Speaker 1Yes for real. For real, even like last year. I worked with element, so we have a ton of returning element who are now on summer staff and even that, I'm like wait, I feel like I need to be like telling you to go wipe something down, but you're like but you're not. Yeah, you're not your job yeah, so we have a few element trickling in already, but yeah good to hear Excited.
Speaker 12We still need to do an episode on Element We'll do that soon yeah. Y'all can watch for that. We'll have an episode mid-summer where we talk about Element Sure. That'd be good.
Speaker 1Sweet.
Speaker 12All right?
Speaker 1Well, they're all pouring in, so I'm gonna go and uh you got any?
Speaker 12do you know who you're interviewing next?
Speaker 1no, I'm just grabbing random people. I love it all right sweet okay hello, my name is maddie. Welch okay y'all. I have maddie, my twin sister. Just kidding, she's not actually my twin, but all last summer we got accused of being sisters or confused for each other and we wore the same outfit this morning on accident on accident.
Speaker 1Let the record show maddie copied me. Oh, I woke up first. No, okay, anyways, maddie, tell us about yourself. Tell us how you found swill. Uh, what this summer is gonna look like. What are you most excited about?
Speaker 14tell us everything okay, um, I came with my church when I was in sixth grade. My mom actually came in like in like 2004, something like that, yes, and so she brought. She came with bobby lane, which is like a missionary, yeah, that we know and then she brought my church hillcrest and we came for like two or three years but they stopped going and then I worked on element last summer, so fun it was so great.
Speaker 1Wait, give. Give the listeners a quick promo about Element.
Speaker 14Element's the best thing I've ever done in my entire life, because you also get to work with campers every other week and you just get to see how share groups are run. But then also the discipleship is fantastic, because there's JB, morgan and Nikki and now Lana, which is exciting, and then, all the girls are like I've just never had like 20 great friends.
Speaker 14They're just like striving with me, so it's really great right now so you can learn how to work hard, because you wake up early in the morning and you don't always want to load the salad bar or whatever but you do, yep, so that's fun. And then now I'm on staff, which is hype, because I worked all the retreats, yes, and so it got me really excited. Yep, and I'm on SMO, which is like our community outreach thing.
Speaker 1Snowbird Missions Outreach Yep.
Speaker 14Super exciting. I think that's what I'm probably most excited for, because the team is so stacked it is it's a stacked team.
Speaker 1Yes, Wait but talk about that because you came as a camper for SMO, so you've always had like a love and a heart for missions for SMO and now you're working it missions for SMO and now you're working it.
Speaker 14Yeah, that's pretty cool. Yes, I did it every single year and it was so fun and it's changed so much, like because now we have, like, the bathrooms and everything.
Speaker 1Oh yeah wait, maddie, can you please tell your story? Okay, actually okay wait. So basically, smo is kind of in like a corner of camp, it's kind of their own little section and within like what, the past like four years, we've built a bathhouse out there, um, but before that we had a porta palace, a porta palace, so it's like a trailer. I'm sure you guys have seen this if you've been to like a concert or something. It's like a trailer of porta potties, so go on yeah, so we it.
Speaker 14Like the trailer broke down halfway through the week and I was there, so they had to get two new girls porta potties and two new boys. And so I sixth grade Maddie had never seen like a brand new porta potty, they'd never even peed in before, so I decided I was gonna pee in every single one of them. So I peed in the first two and then, like the two girls ones at the time I didn't know it was girls and boys, I just thought they were colored for fun. And so then I go into like the boys and then I pee a little bit and then I'm in the last one, like I'm done, like I'm, like I'm genuinely. I'm about to open the door and then I feel the porta potty be lifted into the air by sean and clay or whoever it was, and I was like just standing there in the bathroom and then they set it down and I ran out and I didn't tell him for like four years that is when maddie told me that that's actually the funniest thing ever.
Speaker 1Yeah, she literally is lifted mid-air as she's sitting on the toilet, but it was like at what? Like 6 am too.
Speaker 14You said it was in the morning oh, I don't know what's going on that is funny um what wreck are you on?
Speaker 1oh, no, smoe, but you'll take kids down the river every Friday. How are you feeling?
Speaker 14So excited. It's going to be so fun. I'm going to have a great time and I can't wait to take my cameras down.
Speaker 1Yes, it's going to be awesome.
Speaker 14I'm a little nervous just to learn how to do it, because I don't want to fall out.
Speaker 1Okay, I've been asking everyone this On a scale of one to ten tell me your excitement level for this summer.
Speaker 14I'm not going to lie. Ten, I've been pretty high for a week, oh everyone else has said eleven oh okay, twelve, actually twelve and a half.
Speaker 1Okay, twelve and a half. Alright, new high Twelve and a half.
Speaker 13Because I'm just so hyped for everything wanting to intern.
Speaker 1Right, I really do so. Hopefully you guys will be hearing more from maddie throughout the year. But, yeah, sweet, yes, okay, bye, maddie, bye, okay, y'all. Callie, are you nervous? Yes, callie was my camper. Not that I have favorites, but if I did, callie, was one of my favorite campers ever.
Speaker 14I am her favorite. Don't even play.
Speaker 1And now she's working this summer. Yes, I'm so excited.
Speaker 14First full day. How are you feeling? I'm feeling good, A little nervous, but everyone's been literally so nice Like I'm just really happy to be here. That's good to hear.
Speaker 1That's good to hear. What rec are you on Pool, okay, here, what rec are you on pool, okay? So tell me this what is the biggest difference you've seen coming as a camper? For how many? Years like four, four, yeah, four years as a camper to now being on staff. What's the biggest difference that you've seen?
Meeting First-Time Staff Members
Speaker 14um, I have to think about probably just like as soon as I got here, like as a counselor now it's like the community is so quick, like I feel like I've made probably like 30 friends in like the span of a day, yeah, and definitely just like feeling how strong the like, how strong everyone is, like working together, which I like didn't see that side as a camper, like obviously you see, like with your, like with you as my leader, like I saw how strong your faith was, but like seeing everybody work together like with the same goal and the same faith has just been like really cool yeah, that's good.
Speaker 1That's good to hear. Um. What are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 14um, I guess like to do the same thing for campers that you did for me because like that's why I want to work here. But yeah, that's so flattering no, that's awesome.
Speaker 1I'm so excited that callie's here all summer with cow. Pal callie, you go to college yes, where you go to college, at georgia college in milledge. Okay, what's your major? Psychology. Okay, sweet, turn me up.
Speaker 14Turn her up, all right.
Speaker 1What are you most nervous for this summer?
Speaker 14Probably like how busy it's going to be Right and like less sleep than I'm used to.
Speaker 1Yep Definitely an adjustment for sure, but I'll get used to it. But for some reason I have more energy than I ever have during the summer.
Speaker 14It's from the Lord yes, literally, Thank you.
Speaker 1Lord for sustaining me. Yes for sure. Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10, rate your excitement level 10.
Speaker 14Okay, over 10.
Speaker 11Let's just turn it up 100.
Speaker 14100 out of 10. Yeah, okay, I am very excited.
Speaker 1The highest we had before was 12 and a half, so now oh, so I beat the record she's the
Speaker 3new record holder. Okay sweet and callie's.
Speaker 1Did I already ask you callie's on the pool? Yes, I'm on pool, callie's a pool girl. So if you guys come, you got to come say hi to callie on the water slide tell me you heard me on the podcast okay, callie, thanks for coming. Thanks, okay, everyone, I'm here with chase. Um, okay, chase, where are you from?
Speaker 6I'm from camden county Georgia. I currently go to UGA, though.
Speaker 1Okay, and guys, let me just tell you this about Chase the first time I met him he said I go to UGA. Naturally I'm like go Dawgs, I start barking and then he goes. I'm not even a Georgia fan, I'm a.
Speaker 6Florida fan. Yeah, I'm a big Florida fan.
Speaker 1I'm disgusted, but we'll let it slide this time around.
Speaker 6Okay, okay.
Speaker 1Okay, Chase, what rec are you on this summer?
Speaker 6I'm working river luckily. Oh, let's go. I'm very excited.
Speaker 1yes, Best rec, if I might say yes, I think I've said that to like every single person that I've interviewed.
Speaker 6Oh, so you're like, you're lying, you're being fake? No, but.
Speaker 1I'm being serious. River is the best rec I worked ever. Okay, what are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 6Chase All the people I'm going to be able to meet and grow connections with.
Speaker 1Yes, good answer, good answer. What are you most nervous about this summer?
Speaker 6Honestly working the river because, that's so dangerous, and I've never led kids.
Speaker 1I feel like which. I was in the same boat as you. I was very nervous, but after two summers I feel like you're like oh wait, it's not that bad. If you hit a rock.
Speaker 6you hit a rock, you hit a rock, it falls in.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's fine, just pick them back up Put it in the boat. It's great. Okay, on a scale of one to ten, rate your excitement 8.4. Oh wow, has been saying like 11. 11. Why 8.4?
Speaker 6Why 8.4?
Speaker 11I don't know, honestly, I love the honesty.
Speaker 6Maybe I'm just a pessimistic guy, I don't know. He's a realist. 8.4 is still good. Yeah, above average yeah, it's a high GPA.
Speaker 1A GPA is like 4.0. Exactly you can't get an 8.4 GPA.
Speaker 6If you try really hard, if you're really excited.
Speaker 1Guys, please forgive him. He's a Florida fan. He just doesn't know what he's talking about.
Speaker 6I'm just kidding. 2025 national champions.
Speaker 5Whoa Florida, yeah for basketball.
Speaker 1Oh, get real. Oh wait, you guys were actually. Yeah, get real Okay okay, there's just some tension. We got to squash the beef. Okay, how do you feel about this summer staff? Are you excited to work with these people?
Speaker 6I'm so excited. I've already met a good bit of people and I really like them already yep, yeah, I'm excited.
Speaker 1And how did you hear of camp? Did you come as a camper?
Speaker 6I came as a camper two years ago at once and, like one of my best friends, jared brian, shout out jared brian, shout out jared b. I know he listens to this, but I was supposed to work camp with him last year and then I bailed and then I was like I can't do that again.
Speaker 1So now I'm here, I love the commitment. We're glad you're here, chase. We're super excited. Any parting words?
Speaker 6Hasta luego.
Speaker 1I love that. What does that mean?
Speaker 6It means goodbye in Spanish. I just finished Spanish.
Speaker 1Oh, nice, love that. What does that mean? It means goodbye in spanish. I just I just finished spanish oh nice, yeah, I got a c in it. Oh well, c's get degrees exactly. All right, thanks, chase. All right, y'all lana ray here, hey, hey, okay, lana, tell us how many years you've worked at camp. This is my fourth year fourth summer.
Speaker 1Yeah, so you started on what used to be servant team yes, correct. Now, full circle, lana is helping out with element. I'm so excited. Which used to be Servant Team, right, yes, correct. Now, full circle, lana is helping out with Element. I'm so excited. Which used to be called Servant Team.
Speaker 2Yep Same thing.
Speaker 1I'm excited that Lana's helping out.
Speaker 2I can't wait, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1Honestly, we got the dream team, if I do say so myself.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1Okay, what are you most looking forward to this summer?
Speaker 9Okay, honestly, probably just getting to know the girls. I think I've loved staff. It's been amazing, such a blessing. Best summer was my servant team element year. It was just so sweet. It was so transformative for me. It taught me so many foundational layers about my faith that I didn't know I hadn't had yet Just everything and I felt like it prepared me so well for like once. I left to like I knew how to read the bible and I knew how to talk to people about it and I knew how to like why it was I believe what I believed. And it was like based solely on scripture and not based off what anyone's told me, and I was just like from there, because I knew how to do that.
Speaker 9I could grow like, yes, definitely in community and with people, but I could then continue to grow my own and learning that without needing my hand to be held or anything, and so that was just really sweet. But teaching other girls how to do that in the same way I was, and just I remember being so excited and like every time I learned something, I was like sanctification, what is this?
Speaker 13No, literally.
Speaker 9And but like getting to do that with them and like learning all the cool things about the Bible and showing them like, oh no, this is epic actually, and so doing that, learning that, really I just can't wait to be intentional with them and get to know them and love on them. Well, um, just cause, like you know, so many I'm sure like haven't been discipled yet, yeah, and that's so like monumental in somebody's life and their faith.
Speaker 1Yeah, even, even. For me I feel like, honestly, my first summer at Snowbird was like the first time I really saw like healthy biblical community and was like poured into in such a way that was so growing, like you're saying, and so it's so cool that we get to be part of that and, like other high school girls lives and stuff.
Speaker 9I can't wait. Yeah, I think it's going to be so good yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, let's see. What are you most nervous about?
Speaker 9Most nervous? Oh, yeah, yeah, um, let's see what are you most nervous about most nervous? Oh, my goodness, honestly, just that, like whenever I teach, like I think that's such a heavy thing.
Speaker 9like the bible says, not many of you should be teachers right and so taking that as seriously as I can and understanding that burden that, like I, right here, have in front of me these girls who are like ready to be molded into like what it is that the Lord has for them, like I don't think they'd be here if not, yeah, and so like taking that burden seriously and like studying well and preparing well, um, and so that's just like kind of that sense of urgency that like I think is good to have, but also like it's a little scary just knowing that like I use that well and so yeah, I'd probably say teaching them, um, and just making sure that, like whenever they leave being around me, that they leave more Christ-like and not more flesh and selfish yes, yeah whatever it is that like our flesh has for us and that kind of you know, just the sin of the world.
Speaker 1Yeah, um, but yeah, probably teaching is what I'd say, yeah, we're going through Ephesians yes, yes, yes super and we'll split the teaching between, like me, Nikki Mo and Lena. And yeah, my last summer I was freaked. I'd never like taught a group of girls like that, so I was very freaked out, but it was so growing for me and even this summer I'm like no, literally like I'm always scared I'm going to say something wrong and whatever. But yeah, it's super growing, super, super encouraging, but yeah, we're super excited you're joining the team.
Speaker 9I'm really pumped, I like. I'm so excited. I can't wait for them to get here I've been grinning like all day.
Speaker 3My cheeks hurt just from smiling.
Speaker 8Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be awesome yeah well sweet thanks for helping out, hey, thank you okay, everyone once again.
Speaker 1I just met moxon like five seconds ago, but we're about to get to know each other on NSR and you're about to listen in. Moxon, tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
Speaker 7I'm from Tallahassee. Our church goes to Snowbird every year.
Speaker 1What church?
Speaker 7They're from Redemption Hill in Tallahassee.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, yeah, sweet, they've been coming for a while, I feel.
Speaker 7Yeah, for a while, I feel yeah for a while.
Speaker 1That's sweet, yeah, but I moved from uh from.
Speaker 7Washington state. I moved down here about two years ago. Dang, that's crazy yeah, and I've never been. This is like my first. It's like my first time being here, like, I've never seen anything.
Speaker 1Yeah, really. So you didn't even come as a camper nope, never wow. So what encouraged you to like fill out the application? Uh, josh Granger, actually okay, yeah, he was on element last year.
Speaker 7Yep, he was on element last year and sweet.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, what are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 7I'm most excited to like just hang out and like being like the, the snowbird community, like I've heard so much about it and like even I've only been here for like two days, but it's already like it's awesome yeah, it is.
Speaker 1It's awesome. Um what's your rec?
Speaker 7um, I'm doing archery tag. Okay, sweet yeah.
Speaker 1Archery tag is a slept on rec.
Speaker 7Is it?
Speaker 1It's a good one, it's so much fun. And then, what are you most nervous about this summer?
Campers Turned Counselors Stories
Speaker 7I'm most nervous for like to have like campers for the first time, yeah, for sure. Yeah, because I've never like really led like a group like that.
Speaker 1Yeah for sure For like a group like that. So yeah, for sure, for sure. I've been telling everyone I feel like it's more frightening if you weren't nervous. That's a very daunting task, but you'll be great, I'm sure. And then tell us a little bit about the staff this year, how you feeling about them excited.
Speaker 7I'm like I like them yeah. I'm excited. It's like my first time meeting everybody yeah like, like I said, like I know Josh and like all those element guys, like it's like I'm like being like pushing to their friend group so it's kind of that's awesome. It's like inviting, so it's fun. Yeah, that's good to hear. Sweet thanks, moxon. Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1Sounds good you too y'all already know who it is. Let's go. It's Jack. It's Jack. If you listen to our college podcast a few months ago, jack was on. It did a great job, so I thought you know thank you I'll bring him back on. All right, jack, summer 25, how you feeling?
Speaker 3I feel great. I'm so excited. I feel great. Okay, what are you on river tubing? And might I say, river tubing squad is so good elite, it's the best wreck when I got the assignment, I was sitting in the dmv I was in like the worst place in the world. And then I got the text and I was like this is crazy. I started sweating. Your day was made.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's a great squad. So if you come this summer, you must go river tubing. Yes, just to get a glimpse of this squad, this amazing river tubing wreck.
Speaker 3It's so good, it's going to be awesome, yeah, your excitedness this summer.
Speaker 1What are you most excited for?
Speaker 3I'm excited to see the groups I worked with last summer and see where they've grown and just even to see what's just been happening in their lives just to see like kind of like we talked last year but what have you done in this whole year?
Speaker 1yeah, that is honestly one of the best parts of like working multiple summers is being able to see like campers over and over again and even though you don't see them for a year, it's just so. Oh, it's so good seeing them again, and you know having good conversations with them for sure. So far, thoughts on the staff great, it's a good group.
Speaker 3It's like they're all like hype yes, like I've never been a person that's pretty like. There's like some chiller people, but most people are like they're ready to go.
Speaker 1Yes, they're excited. For sure, yeah's awesome. For sure, yeah, for sure, yeah, full speed ahead, here we go.
Speaker 3I'm hype, let's do it.
Speaker 1So 25. Let's get it. Yeah, oh my gosh. Okay, all right. Thanks for hopping on again, jack.
Speaker 3You're welcome, thank you.
Speaker 13Hi Hi, I'm so happy to be here today, to be here today, and I'm so glad that you're here. Okay, this is Rachel. Hi, rachel, introduce yourself. My name is Rachel. I've worked at Snubberd. This is my sixth summer at Snubberd actually A long haul of summers here.
Speaker 1Wait, what was your first summer? What year? 2020 was my first summer COVID summer, and now you're not just summer staff. Tell the people what you've been doing.
Speaker 13So a lot of my summers most of them have all looked different, but this summer, as well as last summer, I'm on our hospitality crew. So my biggest part of summer honestly is helping with our element program with their cleaning of buildings and bathrooms, just the cleaning side of camp and taking care of just kind of some behind-the-scenes cleaning work. Really that's what I do day-to-day and I also am one of our community group leaders at camp this summer so I get to have 11 girls that I get to meet with a couple times a week and just get to know and connect with yeah pour into a little bit and make connections that way.
Speaker 13So I've really I enjoyed last summer. I'm excited for this summer.
Speaker 1And Rachel's engaged.
Speaker 13I am engaged.
Speaker 1I actually see my fiance walking right now.
Speaker 13Oh, there he is. She's engaged to Snowbird's finest Malachi Fletcher. Malachi Fletcher On the maintenance team. When's the wedding? September 27th.
Speaker 1Oh my gosh. Malachi, malachi is acting a fool.
Speaker 13Yeah, end of September, super exciting. Woo-hoo, woo-hoo. She's getting married, y'all, we're getting married, we're getting hitched.
Speaker 1Yeah, niched, thanks for having me Of course Anytime, rachel Sweets, are y'all Okay, cooper, I'm JB. Hi, nice to meet you Literally meeting live on NSR. How do you feel? I feel pretty good. Okay, cooper, have you come to camp ever before?
Speaker 10No, I've never been to camp before, no way, yep.
Speaker 1Okay, so how'd you hear about?
Speaker 10camp Taylor Nails and James Cain.
Speaker 1Okay, Are you? Are you from like their church?
Speaker 10Yep.
Speaker 1Okay, sweet, that's awesome. Okay, what record are you on?
Speaker 10I got rafting oh solid.
Speaker 1That's awesome. I just interviewed three river guides in a row. That's sweet. Okay, let's see. Okay, what are you most excited about, cooper?
Speaker 10Oh gosh, I don't know. Just the atmosphere of everything here just seems like everything I love, you know.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 10Being outdoors playing with people, having sports and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1Yeah, I love all that, yeah, so yeah, sweet, looking forward to all of it. Okay, how are you feeling? I know you've only been here for like one day, but let's talk about, like the sessions that you've sat through. Have they been helpful?
Speaker 10Have they been encouraging? What's that? Like I remember we came for the orientation that week I really loved, just like staying focused in this, like last semester of uh, college or not last semester, but you know, final getting ready for summer yeah exactly and so going through that time not just focusing on school and really getting intentional and being intentional and everything so right, yeah, what?
Speaker 1what college do you go to?
Speaker 10I go to to university of Alabama in Huntsville.
Speaker 1Okay, wait, is that where James and sweet, sweet and James is here this summer too. That's good. So at least you know a friendly face. That's sweet, all right, well, thanks. Thanks for hopping on Nice to meet you. See you around. Okay, everyone, I'm here with Brayden. Brayden, tell us a little bit about yourself, how you found SWO, where you're from, oh gosh, I'm from Perry, florida.
Speaker 14Okay, yeah, so just small town outside of Tallahassee, no-transcript. I think in 2018 was like my first year, wow.
Speaker 1So you've been coming for a long time? Yeah, I've been coming for a while. That's crazy. A lot has changed since 2018.
Speaker 10Yes, we were actually just talking about that.
Speaker 1Really. Yeah, I was um. We have a girl on staff, Anna Livingston, and her dad was my old youth pastor and they've been bringing. They used to bring kids like two tents and like a field and stuff, but yeah, that's awesome yeah. What are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 14Oh, honestly, I love Gaga Ball.
Speaker 1Yes, good answer, brady. I love Gaga Ball too.
Speaker 14I'm excited about Gaga Ball. I'm excited about just like being at camp. I know that sounds so like no, I get it, that's so vague, but like just the, the mountains, I mean florida.
Speaker 10We don't have any.
Speaker 14We don't have any hills, we don't have any mountains yeah, but um, so I'm just excited to do that, although that hill's already killing me, oh yeah are you living up the hill?
Speaker 1I am, yeah. Okay, your, your legs will be so strong, though by the end of the summer. Um, okay, one last thing what is the biggest difference that you've seen, like as a camper I know you've only been here for like a couple days, but as a camper coming to SWO now on like the flip side, kind of behind the scenes what's the biggest difference that you see?
Speaker 14um, I would say I get to see like a lot more of like the, the family that is behind SWO, sure, versus like I mean coming as a camper. It's more like the counselors were like this, I don't know, like, like celebrity, like it was like, but like now I'm like seeing the same people that. I was, that were my counselors, and they're like my peers counselor um. I've had, uh, annabelle.
Speaker 1Annabelle Evans.
Speaker 14Let's go.
Speaker 1I was her counselor. Oh wow, that's awesome.
Speaker 14Wait. So you're like weirdly like my grandmother, yeah.
Speaker 1Yes, honestly, in a weird way. Yes, that's awesome, man, that's so good to hear. Okay, how are you feeling about all the sessions you just sat through? I know it's a lot of information, but we kicked off last night about the core values encourage, feeling motivated. What's that like?
Staff Training and Preparation
Speaker 14Yeah, I think it was really cool to kind of hear like I was, I really loved seeing each thing like dove into specifically, like each part of, like our core values. That was really cool, like to see each specific thing and then just like talking about why, why we do what we do, and like even like the recreation, like everything's so intentional, sure, and like everything goes it's everything has its purpose here. So that was really cool to hear like the behind the scenes of that too yeah, for me.
Speaker 1I used to come as a camper. I came for many years and then came to work on staff. It was kind of the same thing of like wait, so much goes into this and as a camper I just kind of saw it as like, oh, this is awesome, so fun, but it's. It's really humbling to see how much intentionality and effort and work goes into, even just like our mission statement and our core values and like what we believe and stuff. So, yeah, it's awesome. Sweet thanks for coming on. Yeah, absolutely, we're.
Speaker 11Hello, my name is Aiden Daves. I am staff at Snowbird this year.
Speaker 1Sorry, okay, I give Aiden such a hard time.
Speaker 11Yeah, can we keep it professional, please All right y'all.
Speaker 1This is Aiden Daves. He's on staff this summer and last summer and the summer before right.
Speaker 11Yes, that is true summer and last summer and the summer before.
Speaker 1Right, yes, that's true, were you on element element 23 oh wow, big time, the very first ever element so yeah, element was, uh, really good.
Speaker 11I got to try it out for the first time work with students two or three weeks got to be under the leadership of very experienced staff, and it was a really good experience. Then last year I got to work on the tower.
Speaker 1It was super fun and who trained you on the tower um, I think it was morgan dickie and I
Speaker 11said it again, oh my gosh, it was morgan, it was morgan fridley and, uh, I can't remember the other one no, there, there was another person right that trained you and they, like, did a really good job training you I wasn't, was it landon, not Landon, it was another girl.
Speaker 1She gave you like stickers.
Speaker 11Oh, rebecca, kind of like helped us out.
Speaker 1No, not Rebecca, oh it was JV.
Speaker 11Oh, it was me, it was JV, my fault.
Speaker 1Yeah, the best tower trainer, some would say.
Speaker 11Would you say yeah, I'll give her top four that year for sure.
Speaker 1Top four trainers oh, you're right.
Speaker 11Okay, I'm done with.
Speaker 1Aiden. Okay, Aiden, let's talk about this summer. What are you most excited?
Speaker 11for I'm most excited for my rec. To be honest, oh, yes, I got river tubing.
Speaker 1We interviewed Jack Rundheiser and he's also on that rec.
Speaker 11Yes, so excited to be with Jack and Ryan and Corbin. It's going to be a super fun summer.
Speaker 1And what are you most nervous for this summer?
Speaker 11Just the responsibility of being a fire team leader.
Speaker 1Okay, who's in your fire team?
Speaker 11Me, jaden and Camillo.
Speaker 1Shout out Jaden and Camillo.
Speaker 11Yeah, so really hyped to lead them, but want to lead them well.
Speaker 1Okay For people who don't know what a fire team leader is. Will you explain that?
Speaker 11So people are broken up into fire teams. At Snowbird there's just a build community. I have myself and two other guys who are under me and I will be meeting with them at least two times a week to kind of disciple them and I'll be under a community group leader. For me it's Chris and Sam Merman. So, it's kind of just like a discipleship structure and I'm going to have to embody the Snowbird. Uh, core values for them, well yeah, it's a big core values.
Speaker 1Let's hear them.
Speaker 11Hardworking servant hardened, always positive, relational and gospel driven.
Speaker 1Bow, bow, bow, bow. Good job, that was a test and you pass.
Speaker 11Thank you so much.
Speaker 1You should pass, cause we've just been listening to what the core values are, so good job, good job, all right, aiden. Thanks for hopping on.
Speaker 11Thank you for having me Any parting words Come apply for staff. That's awesome, sweet. Thank you.
Final Reflections on Summer Ministry
Speaker 1Okay, y'all, that is all I got for this episode. I hope you guys enjoyed. Like I said earlier, I know it was definitely a different feel, definitely was probably more loud than what you're used to, but I just set up right in the middle building, right in the middle during lunch on a trash can. I'll have to link last year's episode. Brody did something super similar. He just set up on a trash can and interviewed staff and I really enjoyed it. So I hope you guys were able to enjoy this and just be encouraged. I also just ask and hope that you guys are in prayer for us this summer. It is so exhausting but it is so worth it, so so worth it and just so encouraging for us and just as hard as it is. It's so growing and, yeah, if you're coming this summer, we're excited to see you. And just as hard as it is, it's so growing and, yeah, if you're coming this summer, we're excited to see you. We're eager for students and we're eager to get the ball rolling with summer camp SWO 25, it's going to be awesome, y'all, we have so many cool things planned. I can't spoil it. You'll have to come see for yourself. But yeah, like I said, I just asked that you guys pray for us.
Speaker 1I had a conversation with one of my good friends earlier this week just about, you know, for some reason I was so anxious for all these new staff coming in and I quickly had to realize that, you know, the devil would love nothing more than to make me anxious and make me stuck in my fear and, you know, disunify this staff. And I kind of had to take a step back and realize there is a hundred people, a hundred young people, coming to serve the Lord and serve his people and proclaim his name and proclaim the gospel, and the devil is wishing that I just, we all stay anxious and we all stay fearful and we all, you know, shrink back and that's not happening. That is not happening. So just super grateful for this community and all the encouragement on the excitement in this episode. But, yeah, I, you know I had to sit down this morning and have a long, long talk with myself and with the Lord of just all the anxiousness I was feeling was just anxiousness about myself and my performance and me, me, me, me, me.
Speaker 1And I quickly had to humble myself and just say this summer is not about me, it is about the Lord and I was just quickly humbled just thinking, man, 600 people, 600 students a week are paying money to come here and hear the gospel, and hear stupid skits that we do and hear girls night and guys night and all that stuff like just so humbling and so encouraging. And, man, I'm so excited to see how the Lord uses the staff this this year and grows the staff and uses me and grows me and just the whole team. You know, super exciting, super encouraging. Yeah, I hope you guys were able to just glean something, even if it's just a smile.
Speaker 1I was, I think I said it, I was grinning the whole time when I was recording just hearing, you know, the zeal and the excitement of these staff members, just so excited to have good community and biblical community and, you know, share the gospel with high school and middle school students. Man, what an honor, what an honor. So, yeah, that's all I got. I hope you guys enjoyed this and we'll see you next week on. No Sanity Required.
Speaker 2Thanks for listening to no Sanity Required. Please take a moment to subscribe and leave a rating. It really helps. Visit us at SWOutfitterscom to see all of our programming and resources, and we'll see you next week on no Sanity Required.
