Countdown to Advent with Crestridge!

Posted by Karah

Have you ever done one of those fun Christmas countdown things where you open a little door on a calendar and you see a cool picture leading up to Christmas or sometimes if you’re lucky the little doors even have a little piece of chocolate behind them!?

Well, we thought it would be fun to make our way to Christmas WITH YOU this year! We hope you’ll join us! Stay tuned for your very own insert in the Bear Tracks coming soon, AND on social media! We’ll post the verse or thought of EACH day for you to follow along with.

We’ll go from the VERY Beginning of time as we know it, up to when Jesus was born to get a big picture of why Christmas day is so beautiful to us! So, “Come let us adore Him” together this Christmas season!

We even added a sneak peak for any one who is checking this out advent-calendar!

Posted in Girls | Tagged advent, calendar, Christmas, count down, Crestridge, family, sneak peak | Leave a reply

Remembering Past Thanksgivings

Posted by Sharon

We love celebrating holidays around here. And we love making videos to share with our camp family! Take a look at our past Thanksgiving videos and let us know which one was your favorite!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Norman Rockwell, Thanksgiving, Turkey, Turkey Bowl | Leave a reply

Lasting Treasure

Posted by Karah

Pause

Before you dive in to your quiet time, ponder this quote from Francis Chan:

“Our greatest fear should not be of failing, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

We live in a culture that is all about getting as much as you can get, so we whine, work, and devote our hearts to going after what the world says we need in order to have value and worth. Read Matthew 6:19-24 in your Bible. Focus on what Jesus said believers should devote their hearts to.

“Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.”

—Matthew 6:19-20

Ask yourself:

-What is the difference between an earthly treasure and a heavenly treasure? Explain.

-You can determine where your treasure is by the ways you spend your time, money, and what you think about most often. What does that reveal about the treasures of your heart? Explain.

-Jesus uses the analogy of a master and a slave. How does money and earthly treasures enslave us?

-What does it look like when someone’s life is completely controlled by Jesus?

Respond

Either your heart belongs to Jesus completely or it belongs to something or someone else. Evaluate yourself. What does the way you spend your time, money, and what occupies your thoughts most reveal about where your treasure lies? If this evaluation reveals anything that takes your focus and heart away from God and His work, confess it now. Ask Jesus for a heart that’s completely focused on Him.

In your journal, draw two hearts. In the first heart the earthly treasures you struggle with. In the second heart, list things that you can do to store up eternal treasures. Ask God to give you a heart that is totally devoted to Him.

For further study on money, read Ecclesiastes 5:10 and Hebrews 13:10.

Behind the Story

In the society in which Jesus was ministering, masters rarely shared a slave. But if they did, naturally one slave would prefer one master over the other. Jesus warned believers to that if they loved possessions and made them the most important things in their lives, they would wind up hating God. Is that still true in today’s world? Why or why not?

The Point

We must devote our lives to things with eternal value.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Where the Magic Happens

Posted by Karah

Ever wonder what the Crestridge office looks like during the school year? Here’s a little sneak peek! Can you guess which desks belong to which person (Amanda, Grace, Katie, Sharon, Scout)?

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A Model Prayer

Posted by Karah

Pause

Spend five minutes sitting before God in silence. Focus on all the ways that God has blessed your life and thank Him for those blessings.

Imagine what it would be like if you were invited to speak to a great king or important authority figure. Would you know what to say? Would you know the proper protocol? Wouldn’t you be glad if someone, who knew the king well, could coach you in what to say? Record a few thoughts in your journal.

Jesus did exactly that when He modeled for believers how to talk to God. As you read Matthew 6:9-15 in your Bible, focus on what this prayer teaches you about who God is and the kind of relationship He wants to have with you.

“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”—Matthew 6:9-10

Examine Jesus’ prayer and consider what it teaches about God’s character. Under the headings below, jot down which parts of the prayer teach you about those topics. Then, journal a few reasons you know those statements are true.

 

He is trustworthy.

 

He provides for me.

 

He wants me to be honest.

 

I must submit to Him.

 

Respond

In your journal, write out a prayer using Jesus’ model:

-Acknowledge God for who He is, expressing your trust in and submission to Him.

-Pray about your needs and requests. This isn’t a time to tell God what to do, but to ask Him to work in your life and trust Him to do so.

-Repent and confess any sin.

-End by once again praising God and resting in His authority and goodness.

-For further study of prayer, read Jesus’ prayer for believers in John 17.

Behind the Story

Some of the phrases in the Model Prayer can be a little confusing. Let these explanations deepen your understanding.

–“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven“ Acknowledges the sovereignty to God

–“Give us our daily bread” Asking God for what we need daily and trusting He will provide it.

–“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” Confessing our sins to God and forgiving those who have hurt us.

The Point

Christians will pray in a way that reflects their trust in God as the One who knows best and will fulfill their needs.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Meet the Interns!

Posted by Karah

Hi, my name is Grace Arant! I’m a native Nebraskan and, now, an honorary North Carolinian.

I came to Camp Crestridge as a counselor two summers ago, then returned this past summer as Waterfront Director. I love this summer camp so much that I wanted to be here summer, fall, winter AND spring. So, I decided to stay as one of the resident interns! And with that, you could say I’m a happy camper. 🙂

Following this year, I will return to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I am studying Advertising & Public Relations and Entrepreneurship & Leadership.

I’m a little dorky, super corny (much thanks to my Midwest upbringing) and I just love the Lord a lot.

 

 

 

HEYYOOO! My name is Amanda Rymer, and I am currently one of the hiring and recruiting interns at Camp Crestridge. I have attended Gardner-Webb University for the past two years and will return to finish my degree in Psychology next Fall! I started coming to Crestridge when I was eleven and knew I wanted to make this place my home one day. I was a camper for six years, served in the SALT program, was a counselor for two summers, and was the Catawba Village Director last summer. My favorite moments of last summer were when I got to go to the Catawba cabins at night, hang out and be silly with the campers, and then get serious and talk about God’s word. Because of the Lord’s faithfulness and guidance through the past ten years, I am now living in a place I love and am working for a ministry that has impacted my life greatly. One of the greatest things about Crestridge is how it shapes and molds girls to become the women God has created them to be while also having a blast in God’s creation. Our camp motto is, “With my feet on the ground and my heart attune I shall reach for the stars.” Crestridge has really shown me how to build my foundation and place my hope in the Lord as I live boldly for Him, trusting He will do far more in me than I could ever ask or imagine. There is nothing quite like the eternal impact of true discipleship and adventure amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I can’t wait to see what all God has in store for this next summer!

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“Real” Prayer

Posted by Karah

Pause

Read Psalm 63:1-2 aloud. Make this your personal prayer as you begin your quiet time today.

As you read Matthew 6:5-8 in your Bible, notice that Jesus was once again challenging the genuineness of a believer’s actions. Prayer is supposed to be an intimate conversation with the Father rather than an opportunity to promote our own good works.

“But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” —Matthew 6:6

Thoughtfully answer the following questions:

-How are we not to pray? Jot down some ideas about what that looks like.

-Circle a phrase you use frequently in your prayers.

In Jesus’ name

Be with me today

Bless this food

Other: _____________

It’s easy to get into the habit of repeating “prayer” phrases without giving much thought to what we’re saying. Jesus also cautions us against praying so that others will see how “spiritual” we are. Worrying about what others think of us when we pray aloud turns our focus away from God. When you pray aloud, who are you impressing?

-What kind of prayer honors God?

-Prayer is about being intimate with God, holding nothing back. He wants you to be real with Him. Does that describe your prayer life? Why or why not?

Respond

-Before you pray, pause to think about the One to whom you’re praying. Meditate on God in all His glory, majesty, and power.

-Have a conversation with God. Thank Him, honor Him, confess, and offer your requests, but in all of it, be honest with God. Really focus on what you’re saying and don’t just go through the motions. Record your prayer in your journal if writing helps you to focus.

-Examine your prayers. Are you repeating phrases or truly seeking to align your heart with God’s? Are your prayers more about telling God what to do or asking Him to work in your life and reveal His ways to you?

For further study read Psalm 88 and pay attention to how real David’s prayer was.

Behind the Story

The word “hypocrite” used in today’s Scripture passage comes from the Greek word hypokritai which means stage actors. It refers to one who wears a mask and puts on a show for an audience, but when the audience is gone, the mask comes off and his or her true self shows.

The Point

Prayer is an intimate conversation, not an opportunity to show off our own righteousness.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply