CATEGORY ARCHIVES: Girls

Fully Forgiven

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Find a quiet place—go outside if the weather is nice. Read “The Point” of today’s devotion and meditate on this truth before you begin reading.

As you have seen through your devotions this month, the Pharisees often tried to trap Jesus into blaspheming God. This Scripture is yet another account of the Pharisees asking questions related to the law in hopes of finding a way to accuse Jesus of breaking God’s law.

“When Jesus stood up, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, Lord,’ she answered. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus. ‘Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.’” —John 8:10-11

Read John 8:1-11 in your Bible

This encounter confirms two things about the Gospel. First, no sinner is beyond Jesus’ power to forgive. Second, Jesus wants us to remember our own need for His mercy when we are tempted to judge those who have not yet trusted Him.

• How does Jesus’ response disarm the woman’s accusers?

• Have you ever seen a Christian show love to someone most people would rather not associate with? What happened? How did that experience affect you? Explain.

• Read Romans 3:10-12, 23. How does Jesus’ treatment of this woman demonstrate the truths in these verses? How should you treat those who don’t know Jesus and live differently?

The woman was caught in sin and she deserved the punishment outlined in the law. Jesus is the only One who can claim true perfection, yet He extended grace and forgiveness to the woman while urging her to stop her sinful behaviors. He does the same for us today.

RESPOND

No one is beyond Jesus’ power to redeem and forgive. As Christ-followers, knowing that we are repentant, forgiven sinners we must reach out with compassion and mercy to those living in sin.

• How do you respond to people living sinful lifestyles? Do you tend to lean toward grace or judgment? Talk to God about it honestly and ask Him to help you to view others the way He intended.

• For further study on forgiveness, read Romans 3:9-24.

BEHIND THE STORY

According to Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24, anyone who committed adultery was condemned to death by stoning. In their attempts to trap Jesus, the Sanhedrin made a spectacle of this woman in public with what they believed was an air-tight case. They were intentionally trying to catch Jesus publicly denouncing Mosaic Law.

BLASPHEMY (n) = any irreverent speech or action directed toward God.

THE POINT

No one is too sinful to experience Jesus’ forgiveness. Instead of standing in judgment, we should respond with grace and mercy to those who don’t know Him.


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Good News Travels

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Ask God to help you evaluate your response to what He has done in your life. Review last week’s devotion before you read today’s Scripture.

“They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’” —John 4:42

Read John 4:39-42.

This woman wouldn’t even draw water at the same time as the other women in her town. Her shame kept her isolated. After encountering Jesus, she entered town and shared her testimony with anyone who would listen.

• In today’s Scripture, we see a drastic change in the woman’s life. What was the reason for her change? How does this show the way people should respond to God’s gift of salvation? Explain.

• What was the town’s reaction to the woman’s testimony? Why is it important that they believed her?

• What did the town’s people do when they heard her testimony? Do people respond this way today when they hear of Jesus changing someone’s life? Why or why not?

RESPOND

• If you are a Christian, imagine how your life would be different if you never trusted Jesus. How has your encounter with Jesus given you confidence to face your culture? Journal your response.

• Remember only God can save people— we can’t. Still, people can come to know who He is by your testimony. Find time this week to share with someone the story of Jesus and how you came to know Him. Trust the results to God.

• For further study, see Isaiah 55:11; Acts 1:6-8; and Hebrews 4:12.

BEHIND THE STORY

The Samaritan woman couldn’t contain the good news Jesus gave her. The cultural climate surrounding Jesus’ earthly ministry was hostile toward Christianity. This only intensified shortly after His resurrection. Yet, even in the face of extreme danger, those who encountered the truth of Christ were compelled to spread the Word. In John 16:33, Jesus warned that His followers would face
trials and pain, but He also gave hope by saying, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”

THE POINT

When Jesus changes our lives, we must be faithful to tell others about Him.


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Living Water

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Contemplate what it feels like to be hungry or thirsty. Ask God to help you understand how He satisfies your spiritual hunger and thirst.

“Jesus said, ‘Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.’” —John 4:13-14

Read John 4:1-26 in your Bible. Use the questions below to help you study.

• Jesus called Himself “the gift of God” (v. 10). How does this reveal God’s character? His love for you?

• Highlight the phrase “living water” in verse 10. What does this mean? Explain the concept in your own words.

• What does it mean to thirst for Jesus? How does He quench this thirst? Jesus’ ministry was characterized by meeting physical needs in order to illustrate spiritual truths. This encounter was no different.

• What does Jesus’ conversation with this woman teach you about salvation? About eternal life?

RESPOND

Just as Jesus offered this woman living water, He offers us the same gift.

• Whom or what do you look to for satisfaction? Do you look to Jesus? Confess your answer to God and ask Him to help you be fully satisfied in Him.

• Think of a few ways Jesus specifically satisfied your spiritual needs. Thank Him for providing for you.

BEHIND THE STORY

When Jesus spoke to this woman, He shattered three cultural barriers at once. First, devout Jews would have avoided even passing through this region due to the intense racism between Jews
and Samaritans. Second, Jewish men did not speak to women casually. Third, this immoral woman was clearly accustomed to being an outcast, as she drew her water in the heat of the day, rather than in the cooler times with the other women.

THE POINT

Only Jesus can satisfy our deepest needs.


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A few of my favorite things about being an intern!

Posted by Karah

WOW! What a year this has been. Being an intern has been full of so much fun, laughter, hard work, challenges and lots of good times with Scout. There are SO many things I could tell you all about being an intern!!!! But here are a few of my favorite things:

1. Traveling! Traveling to different cities to see campers and staff has been such a treat. We were able to go to various universities to recruit new staffers and see previous staffers.  We also got to see campers and meet families. Just imagine hours and hours of jamming to music in the car with Becky Haltiwanger!!! Oh yes, we had a blast for sure.

2. Hiring staff!!!! As an intern, I have had the chance to walk our applicants through the hiring process. Interviewing our applicants has been SO much fun. There were many incredible girls with huge heart’s for Jesus that applied to camp this year. Being able to hear about their desire to spread the Gospel to our campers has been such an encouragement to me throughout this year.

3. THE COMMUNITY! Wow, this community is amazing. Living and working with the other intern, Becky, has been THE BEST!!!!! With her, there has been tons and tons of laughter, video making, traveling, quality conversation, friendship and unity through the Gospel. I am absolutely confident that Sharon and Ashley are the BEST bosses that anyone could ever have. They are endlessly gracious. They are confidently humble. They are selfless, hard working and inspire you to be your best. Working with the Ridgecrest staff has also been such an incredible and important part of this community. Being able to work with and learn from our brothers in Christ has been awesome. And last but not least, I got to hang out with SCOUT every day!!!!!

4. Cleaning the pool!!! I’m not going to lie, scrubbing the pool can be fun! It is so nice to be able to go outside and enjoy the beauty of camp while working on something that is so important to our campers!

5. Individual growth! At camp, we challenge our campers and staffers to grow in four areas: spiritually, mentally, socially, and physically. This year has been full of challenges and growth for me personally! I have grown socially as I have met new staffers and campers and embraced the community in Black Mountain. I have grown mentally as I have learn many new skills, organizational techniques and collaboration. I have grown physically as I have been working out with the Ridgecrest interns (lol). And I have grown spiritually in my walk with the Lord as I have come to understand more of his unconditional love and pursuit of me through my brokenness!

6. Lastly, my very favorite thing about working at camp is being able to facilitate an environment where the Gospel is shared!!!! Sharing the Good News of what Jesus has done for us is the MOST important part of life and camp! I am so grateful that the Lord has given me an opportunity to participate in his Kingdom Work through being an intern. We have hired an incredible staff and we are prayerfully approaching the summer. We pray that each of our campers will get to hear the Good News of Jesus and believe that his sacrifice is sufficient for us!

Being an intern has been such a blessing. I have been so thankful for this opportunity and all of the things that the Lord has allowed me to learn along with way. But, we aren’t finished yet!!!!!!! We are SO excited for this summer!!!!!! WILL YA’LL JUST GET HERE ALREADY!!!!!????


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Religion or Response?

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Take a moment before you begin today and thank God for the amazing gift of salvation.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” —John 3:16-17

Read John 3:1-21.

A Pharisee Nicodemus approached Jesus by night and called him “Rabbi,” which can also mean Master. He was respectful of Jesus, but his questions revealed his uncertainty of Jesus’ claims. Jesus immediately directed the conversation to the fact that religious knowledge doesn’t earn salvation.

• What does Nicodemus’ conversation with Jesus reveal about his understanding of who Jesus was?

• Think about how Jesus’ gospel contradicted the legalistic beliefs of the Pharisees. What are the main differences between religion and a saving faith in Christ?

Religion                                                                                                               Jesus

 

 

• What does this passage reveal about the personal nature of the gospel? Eternal life? God’s love for you? Explain.

RESPOND

• Salvation isn’t free—God sent His own Son to pay the price for your reconciliation. As you go through the rest of the week, meditate on God’s gift to you.

• How would you personally explain what it takes to be saved? Journal the story of when you trusted Jesus as Savior. Then, pray and ask God to help you know how to tell someone else about Him. If you have not placed your faith in Jesus, talk with someone that you trust, like your parent or one of your camp counselors, about the Gospel.

• For further study on the difference between religious knowledge and salvation, read Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke (Thomas Nelson, 2013).

BEHIND THE STORY

Much debate centers around how a person is saved, but the most important truth to cling to is that God is the initiator of salvation. Redemption was God’s idea, carried out by His Son. We are accountable for our response in either belief or disbelief. A cohesive reading of the Bible concludes, “It is unproductive theological speculation, therefore, to minimize either the role of God or of humanity in the salvation process. The Bible and John 3:16 recognize the roles of both.”¹

THE POINT

Jesus died for you personally. To be saved, you must respond to His gospel.

 

 

¹Gerald L. Borchert, New American Commentary – Volume 25a: John 1-11, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1996), WORDsearchCROSS e-book, 183.


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Seeking to Save

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

As you reflect on your day, ask Jesus to bring to mind one person you can share the gospel with.

The words Jesus said and the deeds He did during His ministry served to prepare people and help them understand what He would soon accomplish on the cross. As you read today’s Scripture, pay attention to how His encounter with Zacchaeus revealed the true purpose of His earthly ministry.

“’Today salvation has come to this house,’ Jesus told him, ‘because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.’” —Luke 19:9-10

Read Luke 19:1-10 in your Bible

• Read verses 3–4 again. Underline the words “running” and “climbed.” These actions were considered undignified for a grown man in that day. How do these actions reveal Zacchaeus’ desperation to see Jesus? Explain.

• Circle the word “must” (v. 5). Now, read verse 10. Why was it so important for Jesus to go to Zacchaeus’ house?

• How was Zacchaeus changed after this personal encounter with Jesus? What evidence do you see of conviction?

• How do the words of verse 9 and 10 reveal the purpose of Jesus’ ministry?

RESPOND

Jesus sought out a tax collector, a notorious sinner and went to His house. Jesus didn’t ask Zaccheus to repent before He stayed with Him. Jesus took the gospel to Zacchaeus. Today Jesus continues to pursue the lost, seeking to win their hearts with the offer of salvation.

• In your journal, draw a line down the middle of the page to create two columns. On one side, record Jesus’ actions in the passage—He sought, invited, lodged with, and brought the gospel. In the other column, list ideas for how you can do these same things to help others see how Jesus loves and pursues them.

BEHIND THE STORY

As a tax collector in Jericho, Zacchaeus would have been labeled as corrupt and a traitor. The Romans had invaded Israel and collected taxes from their new subject nation. Many collectors charged more than necessary to pad their own salaries. As a Jew, Jesus’ interaction with a tax collector would have been considered scandalous.

THE POINT

Jesus came to seek and save the lost—and He’s still doing so today.


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Songs to know before you come to camp!

Posted by Karah

If you’ve been to camp before you probably know that we sing  A LOT of songs and if you have never been to camp well GET READY because we sing A LOT of songs!

So there are many times at camp where we all like to break out in song, kind of like our very own musical! Some songs are more traditional to camp, like the songs we sing at Campfire night or at Council of Progress, but others are classics to everyone and you probably might have heard them at home!

 

Here’s a list of some of our FAVORITE songs we sing and why we sing them!

“A-la-la-la-le- luia”: This is the song we start off every Campfire night with. In this song we get to shake each others hands, scratch each others backs and mess with each others hair! Who wouldn’t want to join in on that!

“I Just Want to be a Sheep”: This is one of our Executive Director, Ron Springs’, favorite songs to sing with campers. It is so much fun getting to ‘ba ba ba ba ba’ with all of your cabin pals and do silly hand motions that go along with it.

“Pharaoh, Pharaoh”: Another classic song with more fun hand motions for campers to dance a long too. You have to remember with this song to sing from your soul and get super into it!

“Lord I Lift Your Name on High”: You might have sung this song growing up in church and it was one of our favorites as well! We sing this song at campfire night to transition into a more reflected part of the evening.

“Sanctuary”: Campers love to echo this song when we sing it to end campfire night. It allows us to settle in for a night of good conversation and discussion around the fire with all of our close camp friends.

“The Mountains Rise”: This is a very traditional part of our Council of Progress night. We sing this song at every CP to help us reflect and remind us of why we come to camp and that is to grow in our relationship with Christ.

“KiYi”: This is the very first song we sing to get the Dinner cheers started. It is a tradition and is the best way to get everyone pumped up for the evening!

“Do Re Mi” from the Sound of Music: This is always a crowd favorite because almost everyone knows this song. Campers love to dance around the dining hall and yell all the words at the top of their lungs.

“Happiness is”: DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE! This song is dedicated to all of the hard work the staff and campers put into every summer. Each person has a different job to do but we all come together united finding happiness together with our camp family.

“I Love the Mountains, I Love the Rolling Hills”: A dinner time favorite where we all stand up on our chairs and stomp to the boom-di-ada rhythm that echoes throughout the dining hall. You know it is a great night when we all end on the same stomp!

“Hey Look Me Over”: Make sure your water cup isn’t filled at dinner because it will surely be knocked over during this camp favorite. Get ready for lots of banging on tables and yells in this classic camp tune. The words can get a bit confusing so be sure to look at the words in our song book below!

“Farther Along”: This last song we sing at dinner to close out the evening. It is a combination of KiYi and Farther Along to give it a little Crestridge touch.

“I Want to Linger”: We sing this on the very last night of camp. You can bet tears will be shed, but we also get to be reminded about all the wonderful friendships we made here and all the lessons we have learned that we now get to take home with us. “It’s just goodnight and not good bye.”

“Climb Every Mountain” from the Sound of Music: We sing this song at the end of each session as a farewell to all of our campers. It is a bittersweet time because we come together one last time with our friends and family and reflect on all the awesome memories we made at camp before we have to head back home until the next summer.

 

Other ones to look at to get yourself ready are: Crestridge Reputation Blues, Crestridge Cutie Cutie Pie, Kitty Kitty Wash Wash, Change My Heart O God, Hiya Hiya, Oh You Can’t Get to Heaven, Joy Joy Joy, Boom Boom Gee Whiz

If you would like to learn the words to any of these songs, click on the song sheet below!

Crestridge_Song_Sheet

We can’t wait to sing and shout with you ALL summer! It is going to be grrrrrreat! Get here already!


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Doing vs. Being

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Jot down anything that may distract you from your time in the Word. Ask God to help you set aside other concerns and focus on what He has to say to you today.

“The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
—Luke 10:41-42

Read Luke 10:38-42 in your Bible

• Based on the events recorded, how would you describe Mary and Martha?

Mary                                                                                                                                       Martha

 

 

• If you were Martha, would you have been upset with Mary? Why or why not?

• How did Jesus help Martha see beyond her own priorities to what was truly important? Explain.

Jesus didn’t demean Martha’s desire to serve Him, but He gently reminded her that it was more important to spend time with Him and learn from Him. Sometimes even good things can distract you from connecting with Jesus on a deeper level.

RESPOND

Serving God and doing good things in His name should never take the place of your relationship with Him.

• Think about some of the ways you serve God and jot them down in your journal.

• How might these responsibilities, or commitments become a distraction from spending time learning from Jesus?

• Examine your heart—is Jesus your top priority? Spend some time in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you answer this question.

• Close your eyes and reflect on your day. Would people see Jesus through the way you live? How do you interact with others? React to frustrations? Consider most important? Journal your thoughts.

• For further study on godly priorities, read Exodus 20:3; Matthew 6:33; and Luke 12:34.

BEHIND THE STORY

This was likely Jesus’ first encounter with Mary and Martha. In John 11, Jesus returned to Bethany to raise their brother Lazarus from the dead. John 11:2 mentioned Jesus’ previous connection to
these women, identifying Mary as the one who anointed Jesus with oil and wiped His feet with her hair. This and the use of the phrase “the one You love” (v. 3) indicated a friendship between Jesus and their family.

THE POINT

As believers, seeking Jesus should be our top priority.


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2018 SALTs

Posted by Ashley Genoble

The SALT program is a unique Service And Leadership Training experience for girls completing their junior year in high school. The SALTs serve in a variety of ways around camp including dishes, preparing for campwides, spending time with campers and so much more. We are so excited to have these girls join us this summer!

Session 1 & 2

Session 3 & 4

  


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Did you know?

Posted by Karah

Did you know the height of the rock wall? Did you know how many gallons of water are in the Crestridge pool? Did you know how many hours you will spend at camp this summer? Well now you do!!!!!! Here are 14 fun facts that you should know about Camp Crestridge:

 

1. There will be 46 camper cabins at camp this summer!

2. There are up to 67 different snack options at store

3. During one session, you are at camp for a total of 288 hours

4. Your cabin will be cleaned at least 56 times this summer

5. There are 142,000 gallons of water in the Crestridge pool

6. The blob tower is 23 feet tall from the top of the tower to the bottom of the lake

7. There are 125 steps on the Ridge stairs

8. This summer will be our 64th summer as a camp

9. The laundry staff will do at least 2,400 loads of laundry this summer

10. The rock wall is 30 feet tall

11. The kitchen staff will serve 86,400 meals during camp this summer

12. There are currently 76 fire pits at camp

13. The Choctaw village has won the Crestridge Cup 2 times more than any other village at camp

14. The zipline is 325 feet long


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