Staff Profile: Lexi “Sacaga-pee-a” Lanier

Lexi has worked for Pine Cove for the past seven summers and is currently one of our retreat specialists in East Texas. We had the chance to ask her a few questions about her job and Pine Cove experiences, and we think you’ll love what she has to say!

How did you end up at Pine Cove?

Growing up I had the opportunity to serve with my church at a camp a few weeks of each summer through middle and high school. The summer after my freshman year of college, I searched for Christian camps to work for and came across Pine Cove. I really loved the idea that I could go for most of my summer rather than a few random weeks.

I got to begin my Pine Cove adventure in the summer of 2013 with Base Camps, now Pine Cove City. I served on Team Boulder with Melanie Langemeier leading the pack! I then had the privilege of serving a total of five summers on summer staff and one as an Associate Site Director. During week 11 of my final summer, I got the call from Justin Halferty that I had the opportunity to move back to Texas to be an East Texas Retreat Specialist, and I am now in the midst of my second year!

What is your favorite part about working retreats?

When I thought of Pine Cove before this role, I would think of the impact the Lord makes over a summer, which I’ve experienced and also witnessed over my past six summers at camp. Yet our God is using this place year-round for his goodness and glory and I get to be a part of it. I’ve been entrusted with the Gospel, which I get to live out through service and hospitality within retreats. This opportunity has allowed me to strive to serve the way Jesus served, joyfully without grumbling, and equip the different groups with what they need for a weekend. I enjoy the sweet conversations that I find myself having in the midst of a fast weekend.

How did you get your camp name, “Sacaga-pee-a”?

When I came to orientation back in 2013, I was driving alone, had no idea where I was going, and of course had no cell reception. After much navigation and a three-hour delay, I finally made it to camp at about two in the morning. So like Sacagawea, I found my way. The good ol’ “pee” portion got thrown in from my embarrassing story from the seventh grade when I peed on myself at a friends house! My City staff like to call me “Momma Peea” or “Queen Pee,” which makes me laugh!

What is your favorite camp memory?

Wow, so many memories come to mind. One in particular is how our Sovereign God is in the midst of every detail! One time we were checking in campers at a church in Louisiana. A mom walked in a little late with her son who was so excited to come to camp. Through conversation I learned that someone else had paid for him to be at camp, and two other siblings were back at home because they couldn’t afford camp. My heart immediately broke and once the mom left, I immediately began to pray that the Lord would make a way for them to be at camp next year, whether through scholarships or a different way. Little did I know, the Lord wasn’t going to wait a whole year! An hour later, she walked in the door with another son and daughter in hand! The Lord provided the money for them to come, and they got to be at camp that week! We were able to put Bibles in their hands, and the Spirit moved as two of the kids were receptive to the Gospel, allowing them to give their lives to the Lord! This was just another testimony that God’s timing is absolutely perfect in every circumstance even if we don’t see it immediately. But that was actually our final summer to partner with that church, so again the Lord knew!

What is your most embarrassing camp moment?

Oh, the joy of skits! I love all things camp, but I am not that funny. I break character too easily on stage by laughing! One summer, I went up for the skit with my dear friends Bus and Bonko, but I had NOT practiced the accent of my character! So when it came time for me to speak, I was terrified that the wrong accent was going to surface, so I just stood there silent! Of course Bus was poking fun at my character the whole time and I just couldn’t get anything out!

What did you want to be when you younger?

So I totally wanted to be a famous actress! I would look up casting calls ALL the time as a little girl. But being in West Texas I was nowhere near the filming cities—until I was an adult in the great state of South Carolina and only two and half hours from Atlanta, one of the largest cities for filming! So, after 24 years, my childhood dream became a reality and I got to be an extra in “Pitch Perfect 3.”

What is your favorite Bible verse/passage?

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

This verse is what I have been clinging to since the start of the new year. It has truly opened my eyes and heart to the powerful work that Christ is doing in the here and now within His gospel. I know what Christ did to forgive us, I have an understanding of our salvation future, yet He is reminding me that He didn’t just die for things of the past or future, but for everything I am going through right now and ultimately my life as I’m here on earth. I have been seeking how the “nowism” of the Gospel should affect my daily walk. This scripture allows me to dwell on the present tense of the Gospel.

What does Pine Cove mean to you?

Pine Cove has been a strong place of community for me. It’s a picture of unity among fellow believers and has strengthened my unity with Christ. It has been a sweet glimpse of what our true home will look like one day, being alongside others with the same mission, heartbeat, and goal as we share a strong common bond. Pine Cove is a place that God uses to impact and transform many lives, including my own.