Blessed to Be a Blessing

Pause

Think about the last time someone was generous to you. As you start your devotion, thank God for this person’s generosity.

Read Matthew 7:7-12 in your Bible. As you read, underline the words or phrases that describe God’s generosity toward His children.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 7:11-12

Answer these questions:

-What did this passage teach you about God’s generosity? His trustworthiness? Explain.

-This passage points to persistent reliance on God and trust that He will meet our needs. Who is a good example of that in your life? Why?

-God desires to give His children good things, but just because we ask for something, doesn’t mean it is a good gift. The gifts God loves to give are those that will build His kingdom.

-Underline verse 12. Because disciples have experienced God’s generosity, the least we can do is treat others as we would like to be treated. How does doing so display submission to God and a desire to put His purposes before our own?

-God blesses His children so they can be a blessing to others. How can generously giving to someone open the door to the gospel? Explain.

Respond

-In your journal, list of all the ways that God has been generous to you recently and in the past. Thank Him for each one.

-Think about the needs in your church and community. Pray over each one. What steps will you take this week to help meet those needs through the means God has generously provided for you? Jot down two action points in the margin.

-Memorize Matthew 7:12. You will have many opportunities this week to interact with others. How will you put this verse into action?

For further study on generosity, read Acts 4:32-35.

Behind the Story

Matthew 7:12 is often called the Golden Rule. Many parallels to this rule appear in history, but most are stated negatively. Jesus stated the rule positively, instructing His followers to take action on behalf of others. This is not something we can or will want to do in our own power; we can never carry out this command completely in our own power. In stating the command positively, Jesus therefore underscored our need for a relationship with Him.

The Point

Knowing that God has treated us generously, we must treat others the way we would want to be treated.

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

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

Remembering Past Christmas’ at Camp

You may have noticed that we love to make videos here at camp, especially around the holidays! Take a look at our past Christmas videos and let us know which one you enjoyed watching the most!

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Christmas, Elf, Holidays, Norman Rockwell, Training | 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

Remembering Past Thanksgivings

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

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