Watch Your Attitude

Pause

Ponder this question: Do others see me as being more loving or more judgmental? Invite God to help you examine your heart as you read today’s Scripture.

Jesus addressed judgmental attitudes toward others. Well aware of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy, Jesus didn’t want His followers to follow their example. Read Matthew 7:1-6 in your Bible.

“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” —Matthew 7:4-5

Dig deeper with these questions:

-What is the difference between being judgmental and judging? Explain.

-Jesus wasn’t saying that His disciples would never have to make moral judgments or exercise discernment, but that they shouldn’t be characterized by an overly critical and fault-finding attitude. Why is it so easy to be critical or find faults?

-Jesus challenged His followers to first examine their own lives and deal with their own sin, recognizing that they were no better than anyone else. Why is that an important part of living out your faith? Explain.

Respond

-It’s easy to go through life pointing out others’ faults, but never dealing with the sin in our own lives. Today, ask God to examine your life and heart and reveal any sin that you need to confess. Repent today.

-Who are the people in your life you most often find yourself being judgmental or critical of? Write their names in your journal and pray over each relationship. Ask God to remind you of the grace He has shown you and pray that He would change your heart toward those people.

-Maybe there is someone in your life who is incredibly critical of you and always ready to point out your flaws and sins. Instead of getting angry, pray that God would empower you to love that person and respond in a way that gives all the glory and attention to Him.

-For further study, on how to respond to another Christian struggling with sin, read Matthew 18:15-17 and Galatians 6:1-4.

Behind the Story

While a harsh, critical attitude should not characterize believers, we should practice discernment. Dogs and pigs (v. 6) were both considered unclean animals in the Jewish culture and probably refer to people who were openly resistant to or active enemies of the gospel message. According to Stuart Weber, “Jesus was teaching his people to use discernment when sharing the truth with others. To persist in sharing with a resistant person wastes time and energy. It can also destroy a relationship that might prove fruitful later.”(1)

The Point

Followers of Christ are not to be characterized by judgmental attitudes or critical spirits.

(1)Stuart Weber, Holman New Testament Commentary: Matthew, ed. Max Anders, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “Matthew 7–The King Speaks His Heart (Part III)”.

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

Disney Round 2!!

Disney ROUND 2!!!! Come hang with us!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Jan. 14th…we’re going to Disney World again! We’ll be starting off the day at Animal Kingdom at 9am. For anyone who wants to join, you can meet us at the Tree of Life between 9:00-9:15am. We’ll spend the morning at Animal Kingdom. We will then go to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day. We’ll meet up with anyone who would like to join us there between 2:30-2:45 at the Walt Disney and Mickey Statue in front of the Castle. We (Grace, Amanda, Katie, and Sharon) can’t wait to see you and enjoy the 2nd most amazing place with you for the day (unfortunately Scout can’t make it on this trip due to prior commitments, but he will send his love)!  If you have questions or need to get in touch with us on the day we are in the park, please email sharon.aylestock@lifeway.com.

Very Important, PLEASE READ:
We want to be clear in what our plans are for the day. We will not be supervising campers. We would love to see campers, spend time with them and go on rides with them, but we cannot be responsible for them and keeping track of them throughout the day.  If a camper is dropped off at the park, we cannot be held responsible for any injured or missing campers.  This is not an officially sponsored Camp Crestridge event. Those who come will be responsible for transportation to and from home, covering the cost of their own ticket along with meals while they are in the park. We are so excited to enjoy the park and we hope to see you there!

Posted in Girls, Uncategorized | Tagged Camp family, cc4g, Disney, Florida Trip, Recruiting | Leave a reply

What’s Your Focus?

Pause

Ponder this quote from R.H. Mounce: “Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.”

What things do you worry about most? List a few ideas.

Worry is a big deal in our relationship with God. Worry displays a lack of faith. Instead of trusting Him to meet those needs or work in that situation, we attempt to take control and find the answer ourselves. With that in mind, read Matthew 6:25-34 in your Bible. Focus on the promises of God outlined in these verses.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

—Matthew 6:33-34

Answer these questions:

-Jesus lovingly explained that the real problem wasn’t anxiety, it was not trusting God. What metaphors did Jesus use to demonstrate how God provides for His creation? Be specific.

-How does the way that God cares for the birds and flowers encourage you to trust Him for your needs?

-Jesus said that our focus in life should be about building His kingdom. Is this your focus? If not, what is getting in the way?

Respond

Trusting God to provide for your daily needs, may not be a stretch of faith, but trusting Him enough to give up all of your wants in order to devote your life to building His kingdom may be the bigger issue.

-Ask God to give you a greater desire for Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any desires you are allowing to get in the way of helping to build His kingdom here on earth. List what He reveals in your journal and record specific steps you’ll take to trust Him and invest in His work.

For further study on trusting God, read Proverbs 3.

Behind the Story

Jesus wasn’t telling His followers not to think about or plan for the future in this passage. We can and should plan, but Jesus did prohibit worrying about the future. Instead, He encouraged His followers to focus on the challenges of the present day.

The Point

We can focus on building God’s kingdom because we can trust that He will provide for our personal 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

What Makes Crestridge Special

What makes Crestridge so special? Who remembers the impactful poem Sharon always reads before the silence ban is lifted for the Belles? Ever wondered what that poem means or why we read it? Here is the poem incase you forgot:

Hold high the torch!
You did not light its glow –
‘Twas given you by other hands, you know.
‘Tis yours to keep it burning bright,
Yours to pass on when you no more need light;

For there are other feet that we must guide,
And other forms go marching by our side;
Their eyes are watching every smile and tear
And efforts which we think are not worthwhile,
Are sometimes just the very helps they need,
Actions to which their souls would give most heed;

So that in turn they’ll hold it high and say,
“I watched someone else carry it this way.”
If brighter paths should beckon you to choose,
Would your small gain compare with all you’d lose?

Hold high the torch!
You did not light its glow –
‘Twas given you by other hands, you know.

I think it started down its pathway bright,
The day the Maker said, “Let there be light.”
And He once said, who hung on Calvary’s tree –
“Ye are the light of the world.
Go! Shine – for me.”

This is such a cool poem! And if you look really closely, you will see that Crestridge really lives up to these words. Our mission statement at Crestridge is, “Impacting Lives for God’s Glory through Discipleship and Adventure.” I think we can all think of someone at Crestridge who has impacted us. And those people don’t do it to seek our approval or get our attention, but to give God the glory. It’s not actually about Crestridge at all- it’s about God! Discipleship. Man, this is a really cool thing I have found at Crestridge. The poem says, “Hold high the torch! You did not light its glow- ’twas given you by other hands you know,” and I think this is a lot like the discipleship that happens at Crestridge. Whether you are a camper, counselor, central staffer, director, scout… someone is passing on the “torch” (light of Christ) to you. You don’t come to Crestridge and leave without hearing about Jesus and how much He loves you. Lastly, adventure. Crestridge is FUN! Having a relationship with Jesus is an ADVENTURE! The poem references the Bible and says, “I think it started down its pathway bright, the day the Maker said, “Let there be light.” Jesus said, “let there be light,” and there it was.

What makes Crestridge special is not Crestridge itself. It’s Christ. It’s that at Crestridge we each learn how to carry the torch and adventure with the God who made us. And for that, I am thankful.

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged adventure, Crestridge, discipleship, Fun, God's Glory, hold high the torch, torch | Leave a reply

CC4G S’mores Trail Mix

CC4G S’mores Trail Mix

Missing Campfire Night? Want a little taste of it? Try snacking on some of this trail mix to bring back the sweet memories of camp.

3-4 cups golden graham cereal

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup Reese’s Minis

2 cups mini marshmallows

1/12 cups mini pretzels

*Optional: Drizzle melted chocolate over the top.

Mix together and enjoy! Share this version of your favorite camp treat with friends & family, and share your favorite camp stories, too!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Campfire, campfire night, s'mores, snacks | Leave a reply

Countdown to Advent with Crestridge!

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

Lasting Treasure

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

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

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!

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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