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
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.
Hey 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 1:We 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 2:Welcome to no Sanity Required from the Ministry of Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters. A podcast about the Bible, culture and stories from around the globe.
Speaker 1:Okay, everyone, I'm here with Allison Yates, the best roommate ever. Yes, hello, allison, you are going on your third summer.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Okay, so your first summer is 23. Yes, 23. And you're from where?
Speaker 4:Plant City.
Speaker 1:Florida 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 4:Yep, super excited, okay, allison what are you most excited for this summer? Just getting to hang around and get to know new people.
Speaker 1:Um, 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 4:um, 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 1:Um, 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 4:uh, 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 1:Well, 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 5:So 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 2:Still now.
Speaker 5:And 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 5:I'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 1:I know we're only like one day in, but well, there's a lot more people here.
Speaker 5:I'll say that, like a lot more people, everyone's super friendly, not saying the institute wasn't friendly at all.
Speaker 3:Everyone was great yeah.
Speaker 5:We all got along, so we all got off in the summer. But big difference.
Speaker 1:I feel like difference in pace.
Speaker 5:Definitely pace.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's go go, go for three months.
Speaker 5:Also, everyone's just extremely like, just excited to be here.
Speaker 1:excited to be here. Like I've not met someone who's been like well yeah, I don't want to really like.
Speaker 5:Yeah, like the Institute. No one's really like that as well, but it's definitely a higher intensity.
Speaker 1:The 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 5:I want to just break the scale and say 11. Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 3:I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:I'll take your word.
Speaker 5:for it, Some would say S'wo excited, s'wo excited, love it.
Speaker 1:Okay, sweet Thanks, marco.
Speaker 6:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Okay, everyone, I just met Manny like five seconds ago and now I'm interviewing him.
Speaker 8:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So let's go, Manny, tell me about yourself.
Speaker 8:So 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 1:Okay, sweet.
Speaker 8:Yeah, 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 1:Yeah, was last year, your only year as a camper.
Speaker 8:Yeah, that was my first time.
Speaker 1:Dang. 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 8:Yeah, 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 3:Nah, it was just like that's go live this week, okay are you nervous?
Speaker 1:are you scared of heights?
Speaker 8:I 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 1:So 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 8:I 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 11:Yeah.
Speaker 8:So I'm looking forward to that, that's awesome.
Speaker 6:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Also 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 8:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, on a scale of one to 10, rank your excitement level 11.
Speaker 8:That's what Marco just said. Okay.
Speaker 1:Well, that's awesome. I'm glad it's 11. Well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 8:Manny. Yeah, Manny is that short for something. Emmanuel. Okay, that's why I go by my middle name.
Speaker 1:Right Sweet.
Speaker 8:All right. Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, manny. Pleasure to meet you too. See you later, awesome.
Speaker 1:Okay, everyone, super special guest we have on today. You guys are probably super unfamiliar with this guy, um, but we have Brody Holloway.
Speaker 12:Hello 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 1:Oh, I bet.
Speaker 12:Actually 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 1:Right, you were in Jacksonville right.
Speaker 12:Savannah, get back here to right. You were in jacksonville, right, savannah savannah?
Speaker 1:yeah, 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 12:We're full, full speed ahead yeahuck's graduating, but he still has two years of ball.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 12:Because it's like Lely.
Speaker 1:Did he get a COVID year?
Speaker 12:Nope, 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 12:I'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 1:The 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 12:What do you think?
Speaker 1:you got a good feel yeah, man, I'm excited, I'm excited. It's been rainy. Last summer it rained what? Twice.
Speaker 12:So I think this summer it might, it might not rain a lot in staff training.
Speaker 1:Last 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 12:Yes, raining every day.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 12:But 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 1:That'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 12:Yes. 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 1:That is very cool yeah.
Speaker 12:And even more full circle moment you have like the twins.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 12:Were your campers.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 12:Now 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 1:Yes 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 12:We 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 1:Sweet.
Speaker 12:All right?
Speaker 1:Well, they're all pouring in, so I'm gonna go and uh you got any?
Speaker 12:do you know who you're interviewing next?
Speaker 1:no, 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 1:Let 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 14:tell 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 1:Wait, give. Give the listeners a quick promo about Element.
Speaker 14:Element'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 14:They'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 1:Snowbird Missions Outreach Yep.
Speaker 14:Super 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 1:Yes, 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 14:Yeah, 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 1:Oh 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 14:Like 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 1:Yeah, she literally is lifted mid-air as she's sitting on the toilet, but it was like at what? Like 6 am too.
Speaker 14:You 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 1:oh, no, smoe, but you'll take kids down the river every Friday. How are you feeling?
Speaker 14:So 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 1:Yes, it's going to be awesome.
Speaker 14:I'm a little nervous just to learn how to do it, because I don't want to fall out.
Speaker 1:Okay, I've been asking everyone this On a scale of one to ten tell me your excitement level for this summer.
Speaker 14:I'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 1:Okay, twelve and a half. Alright, new high Twelve and a half.
Speaker 13:Because I'm just so hyped for everything wanting to intern.
Speaker 1:Right, 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 14:I am her favorite. Don't even play.
Speaker 1:And now she's working this summer. Yes, I'm so excited.
Speaker 14:First 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 1:That'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?
Speaker 14:um, 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 1:That's good to hear. Um. What are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 14:um, 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 1:I'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 14:Turn her up, all right.
Speaker 1:What are you most nervous for this summer?
Speaker 14:Probably like how busy it's going to be Right and like less sleep than I'm used to.
Speaker 1:Yep 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 14:It's from the Lord yes, literally, Thank you.
Speaker 1:Lord for sustaining me. Yes for sure. Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10, rate your excitement level 10.
Speaker 14:Okay, over 10.
Speaker 11:Let's just turn it up 100.
Speaker 14:100 out of 10. Yeah, okay, I am very excited.
Speaker 1:The highest we had before was 12 and a half, so now oh, so I beat the record she's the
Speaker 3:new record holder. Okay sweet and callie's.
Speaker 1:Did 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 6:I'm from camden county Georgia. I currently go to UGA, though.
Speaker 1:Okay, 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 6:Florida fan. Yeah, I'm a big Florida fan.
Speaker 1:I'm disgusted, but we'll let it slide this time around.
Speaker 6:Okay, okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, Chase, what rec are you on this summer?
Speaker 6:I'm working river luckily. Oh, let's go. I'm very excited.
Speaker 1:yes, Best rec, if I might say yes, I think I've said that to like every single person that I've interviewed.
Speaker 6:Oh, so you're like, you're lying, you're being fake? No, but.
Speaker 1:I'm being serious. River is the best rec I worked ever. Okay, what are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 6:Chase All the people I'm going to be able to meet and grow connections with.
Speaker 1:Yes, good answer, good answer. What are you most nervous about this summer?
Speaker 6:Honestly working the river because, that's so dangerous, and I've never led kids.
Speaker 1:I 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 6:you hit a rock, you hit a rock, it falls in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 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 6:Why 8.4?
Speaker 11:I don't know, honestly, I love the honesty.
Speaker 6:Maybe 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 1:A GPA is like 4.0. Exactly you can't get an 8.4 GPA.
Speaker 6:If you try really hard, if you're really excited.
Speaker 1:Guys, please forgive him. He's a Florida fan. He just doesn't know what he's talking about.
Speaker 6:I'm just kidding. 2025 national champions.
Speaker 5:Whoa Florida, yeah for basketball.
Speaker 1:Oh, 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 6:I'm so excited. I've already met a good bit of people and I really like them already yep, yeah, I'm excited.
Speaker 1:And how did you hear of camp? Did you come as a camper?
Speaker 6:I 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 1:So now I'm here, I love the commitment. We're glad you're here, chase. We're super excited. Any parting words?
Speaker 6:Hasta luego.
Speaker 1:I love that. What does that mean?
Speaker 6:It means goodbye in Spanish. I just finished Spanish.
Speaker 1:Oh, 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 1:Yeah, 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 2:Yep Same thing.
Speaker 1:I'm excited that Lana's helping out.
Speaker 2:I can't wait, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:Honestly, we got the dream team, if I do say so myself.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Okay, what are you most looking forward to this summer?
Speaker 9:Okay, 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 9:I 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 13:No, literally.
Speaker 9:And 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 1:Yeah, 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 9:I can't wait. Yeah, I think it's going to be so good yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's see. What are you most nervous about?
Speaker 9:Most 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 9:like 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 1:Yeah, 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 9:I'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 3:My cheeks hurt just from smiling.
Speaker 8:Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be awesome yeah well sweet thanks for helping out, hey, thank you okay, everyone once again.
Speaker 1:I 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 7:I'm from Tallahassee. Our church goes to Snowbird every year.
Speaker 1:What church?
Speaker 7:They're from Redemption Hill in Tallahassee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, sweet, they've been coming for a while, I feel.
Speaker 7:Yeah, for a while, I feel yeah for a while.
Speaker 1:That's sweet, yeah, but I moved from uh from.
Speaker 7:Washington 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 1:Yeah, 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 7:Yep, he was on element last year and sweet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, what are you most excited for this summer?
Speaker 7:I'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 1:It's awesome. Um what's your rec?
Speaker 7:um, I'm doing archery tag. Okay, sweet yeah.
Speaker 1:Archery tag is a slept on rec.
Speaker 7:Is it?
Speaker 1:It's a good one, it's so much fun. And then, what are you most nervous about this summer?
Speaker 7:I'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 1:Yeah 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 7:I'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 1:Sounds 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 3:I 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 1:Yeah, 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 3:It's so good, it's going to be awesome, yeah, your excitedness this summer.
Speaker 1:What are you most excited for?
Speaker 3:I'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 1:yeah, 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 3:It'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 1:Yes, they're excited. For sure, yeah's awesome. For sure, yeah, for sure, yeah, full speed ahead, here we go.
Speaker 3:I'm hype, let's do it.
Speaker 1:So 25. Let's get it. Yeah, oh my gosh. Okay, all right. Thanks for hopping on again, jack.
Speaker 3:You're welcome, thank you.
Speaker 13:Hi 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 1:Wait, 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 13:So 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 13:So I've really I enjoyed last summer. I'm excited for this summer.
Speaker 1:And Rachel's engaged.
Speaker 13:I am engaged.
Speaker 1:I actually see my fiance walking right now.
Speaker 13:Oh, 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 1:Oh my gosh. Malachi, malachi is acting a fool.
Speaker 13:Yeah, end of September, super exciting. Woo-hoo, woo-hoo. She's getting married, y'all, we're getting married, we're getting hitched.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 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 10:No, I've never been to camp before, no way, yep.
Speaker 1:Okay, so how'd you hear about?
Speaker 10:camp Taylor Nails and James Cain.
Speaker 1:Okay, Are you? Are you from like their church?
Speaker 10:Yep.
Speaker 1:Okay, sweet, that's awesome. Okay, what record are you on?
Speaker 10:I got rafting oh solid.
Speaker 1:That'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 10:Oh gosh, I don't know. Just the atmosphere of everything here just seems like everything I love, you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 10:Being outdoors playing with people, having sports and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 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 10:Have 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 1:what college do you go to?
Speaker 10:I go to to university of Alabama in Huntsville.
Speaker 1:Okay, 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 14:Okay, yeah, so just small town outside of Tallahassee, no-transcript. I think in 2018 was like my first year, wow.
Speaker 1:So 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 10:Yes, we were actually just talking about that.
Speaker 1:Really. 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 14:Oh, honestly, I love Gaga Ball.
Speaker 1:Yes, good answer, brady. I love Gaga Ball too.
Speaker 14:I'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 10:We don't have any.
Speaker 14:We 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 1:I 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 14:um, 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 1:Annabelle Evans.
Speaker 14:Let's go.
Speaker 1:I was her counselor. Oh wow, that's awesome.
Speaker 14:Wait. So you're like weirdly like my grandmother, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yes, 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?
Speaker 14:Yeah, 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 1:I 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 11:Hello, my name is Aiden Daves. I am staff at Snowbird this year.
Speaker 1:Sorry, okay, I give Aiden such a hard time.
Speaker 11:Yeah, can we keep it professional, please All right y'all.
Speaker 1:This is Aiden Daves. He's on staff this summer and last summer and the summer before right.
Speaker 11:Yes, that is true summer and last summer and the summer before.
Speaker 1:Right, 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 11:I 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 1:It was super fun and who trained you on the tower um, I think it was morgan dickie and I
Speaker 11:said 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 1:She gave you like stickers.
Speaker 11:Oh, rebecca, kind of like helped us out.
Speaker 1:No, not Rebecca, oh it was JV.
Speaker 11:Oh, it was me, it was JV, my fault.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the best tower trainer, some would say.
Speaker 11:Would you say yeah, I'll give her top four that year for sure.
Speaker 1:Top four trainers oh, you're right.
Speaker 11:Okay, I'm done with.
Speaker 1:Aiden. Okay, Aiden, let's talk about this summer. What are you most excited?
Speaker 11:for I'm most excited for my rec. To be honest, oh, yes, I got river tubing.
Speaker 1:We interviewed Jack Rundheiser and he's also on that rec.
Speaker 11:Yes, so excited to be with Jack and Ryan and Corbin. It's going to be a super fun summer.
Speaker 1:And what are you most nervous for this summer?
Speaker 11:Just the responsibility of being a fire team leader.
Speaker 1:Okay, who's in your fire team?
Speaker 11:Me, jaden and Camillo.
Speaker 1:Shout out Jaden and Camillo.
Speaker 11:Yeah, so really hyped to lead them, but want to lead them well.
Speaker 1:Okay For people who don't know what a fire team leader is. Will you explain that?
Speaker 11:So 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 1:Let's hear them.
Speaker 11:Hardworking servant hardened, always positive, relational and gospel driven.
Speaker 1:Bow, bow, bow, bow. Good job, that was a test and you pass.
Speaker 11:Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:You 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 11:Thank you for having me Any parting words Come apply for staff. That's awesome, sweet. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Okay, 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 1:I 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 1:And 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 1:I 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 2:Thanks 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.
