Like a Child

PAUSE

Think back on your childhood. Try to remember How people took care of you and provided for you. Ask God to help you see how He provides for you also.

“When Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’” —Mark 10:14-15

Read Mark 10:13-16 in your Bible.

Childlike frailty and dependence can be seen as a burden or weakness. Jesus saw this group of children as worthy recipients of His time, as well as a perfect illustration for the disciples. They still hadn’t grasped that the only way to share in His blessings would be to confess total weakness and dependence upon Him.

• How would you compare your faith in Christ to the dependence of a child?

• What would it take for you to have childlike faith, remaining completely dependent on Him?

• Why is it important that Christians realize that redemption isn’t dependent upon them keeping rules or being good, instead they must totally rely on Jesus?

RESPOND

• Do you remember when you first realized your need for Jesus? Journal about your experience.

• In your journal, list a few areas of your life you struggle to give over to Jesus. Pray and ask God to show you how to live completely dependent upon Him.

• For further study on dependence on God read Proverbs 3:5; Jeremiah 17:7-8; and Philippians 4:19.

BEHIND THE STORY

In Jesus’ time, parents often took their children to see the Rabbi so he could lay his hands on the children and bless them. However, children were often seen as insignificant, so it is possible
that the disciples were trying to protect Jesus’ time when they turned the children away.

THE POINT

We must come to Christ like children, knowing we are utterly dependent upon Him for salvation.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

If I would’ve been a camper

I came to camp the day after I graduated from High School as a JET (Jr. Counselor). I remember earlier in my Senior year of High School I was trying to figure out what I wanted to study in college and where I wanted to go. I had two strong desires. One was to be a Marine Mammal Biologist. I seriously wanted to go to school on the beach somewhere and study marine mammals, like manatees, dolphins, whales, etc. As I was looking at schools, I realized that’s not the direction the Lord wanted me to go. My other desire was to work in camping ministry. I loved volunteering with my youth group and I loved the mountains and the outdoors. I had one problem though. I had never worked at a summer camp. So I started googling my options. I knew I wanted to be close to Greenville, SC, my home. Asheville seemed like the best location. I applied to The Cove Camp because of a connection there but they had already filled their positions. Then I found Camp Crestridge. I eventually was hired and made the trek up to camp after graduation.

What some of you don’t know is that this was COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone. I had never left home and gone to a place where I knew almost no one. I had never spent that much time away from home in a place I had never been to. I was very nervous. I was shy, I had a hard time putting myself out there and meeting new people. But thankfully the camp staff saw beyond that and gave me a chance. Something else you probably don’t know about me is that as I was growing up, if I left my parents for more than a couple days, I would literally make myself sick because I missed them. I wanted to be in the safety of my own home. So going to camp my first summer was a HUGE step for me. It was the best thing to prepare me for college and the rest of my life. The Lord knew what He was doing!

That was a life-changing summer. I worked with the Choctaw campers. We had some fun times in Choctaw 4, lots of laughter, times to talk about Jesus, dance parties, etc. I also worked with an amazing group of staff. We supported and loved each other and wanted to lead our campers well. Thankfully, the Lord allowed me to be fully present and not focus on missing home!

I’ve always thought, “What would I have been like as a camper? Would I have been able to handle it? Would I have enjoyed it?” I do think I would have struggled with missing home. I think I would have been visiting the Infirmary quite a bit saying I didn’t feel well and needed to go home. I would have tried to say I came down with a stomach bug. But I would have loved all the activities. I would have loved making new friends from places I had never been before. I would have loved having counselors who wanted to spend time with me and loved me.

Campers are brave! It takes a lot of courage to come to camp. But those who make that decision probably don’t realize the incredible impact it will have on their future. They may not see how it’s instilling confidence and independence. They may not see how it’s allowing them to try new things, to see if they like a hobby that could turn into a future career. They may not see how much growth comes from pushing themselves to complete a challenge. It would have been very hard for me to stay at camp, away from my family, but I wonder how it would have shaped me. Thankfully the Lord used other experiences to grow me into the woman I am today. He used and is using my time on staff to continue to draw me closer to Him and impact lives for His glory. I’m thankful that God has placed me at such a special place called Camp Crestridge!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Activities, Brave, Campers, Confidence, counselors, Home, Independence | Leave a reply

Faithfully Follow

PAUSE

Stop and think about your schedule for this week. What do you want to prioritize? Keep your priorities in mind as you study today’s passage.

“’I have kept all these,’ the young man told Him. ‘What do I still lack?’ ‘If you want to be perfect,’ Jesus said to him, ‘go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.’” —Matthew 19:20-21

Read Matthew 19:16-22.

The young man seemed to know he lacked something. He assumed he could do more to earn salvation, but salvation can’t be earned.

• Jesus told the young man, “there is only One who is good”(v. 17). What did He mean?

• Jesus said the young man had to keep the commandments to enter eternal life—but Jesus was the only one able to do that perfectly. Why did Jesus direct the man to examine his obedience to the ten commandments?

This ruler thought he was doing all the right things, but Jesus proved otherwise. Still, Jesus gave the ruler a chance to reveal his heart and follow Him. When faced with his own insincere motives, the man walked away from this encounter disappointed.

• Read verse 21 and Matthew 6:19-21. Using the chart below, list some things you treasure under the correct heading.
Worldly Treasures                                                 Treasures in Heaven

RESPOND

The man allowed his earthly wealth to get in the way of knowing Jesus. Sometimes we do the same.

• What things in your life do you choose to prioritize over spending time with Jesus? What evidence in your life reveals your priorities? Journal your response.

• Using the headlines below, list obstacles to your relationship with Jesus and ways to overcome them.
Obstacles                                                                       Solutions

BEHIND THE STORY

Many passages in Scripture focus on the fact that salvation is obtained by grace through faith, yet many Jewish people in Jesus’ day could not let go of their legalistic traditions. Keeping the law had become a prideful pursuit that separated “good” Jews from “bad” Jews. They completely missed the point: God desires hearts dedicated to Him, not sinful hearts dedicated to following rules.

MEMORY VERSE

Spend time this week memorizing Matthew 6:19-21. Write it somewhere that you can see it every day, like a mirror in your room.

THE POINT

Nothing should stand in the way of our relationship with Jesus.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Coffee and Convo with SCOUT

Scout: Well, I love to run around and chase my friends! Camp is so big and there are so many places to explore and find good sticks! I’M A VERY LUCKY DOG!

Me: Where is your favorite place to play at Crestridge?

Scout: THE LAKE! I have so much fun jumping in and cooling off and hanging out with all the campers! I also love sleeping in my mommy’s office chair…it’s a good spot.

Me: What is your favorite campfire song?

Scout: I’m not usually at campfire because I get really tired after dinner and all the rocks distract me, but the times I have been there I really like that sheep song! “I just want to be a sheep BARK BARK BARK BARK!”

Me: How do you feel that people can buy a sticker of your face?

Scout: YOU CAN BUY A STICKER OF ME?! WHAT AN HONOR!

Me: What is your favorite thing to get at store?

Scout: My mom won’t let me eat store but I love creating new friendships with campers! OR PLAY TETHERBALL.

Me: What is your favorite part about camp?

Scout: That my mommy is there!! She’s the coolest person you’ll ever meet!

Me: What is your guilty pleasure?

Scout: I like fighting with rocks…but my mommy doesn’t like it…

Me: If you could only choose to play one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Scout: “Who Let the Dogs Out!” by Baha Men, it’s my jam!

Me: What is your Indian name?

Scout: TERRIFIC TERRIER. JUST KIDDING. I just like being called SCOUT, sometimes people call me Scoot, I answer to either.

Me: If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?

Scout: Run a marathon! Become a famous Instagramer! Star in movies! Become the next dog superhero! Go to Disney World! Meet Snoopy or Pluto, they seem like cool guys! Rule the World! Mwahahahaha! Just kidding, I haven’t thought of that plan yet…

Me: What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

Scout: Watch TV on my mommy’s comfy coach! My favorite TV shows are Scooby Doo Where Are You, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Wishbone. I also like movies, some of my favorite are Secret Life of Pets, Air Bud, Beethoven, Bolt, Homeward Bound, Milo & Otis, 101 Dalmatians, Benji, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Fox and the Hound, and Lady & the Tramp (for the times I’m feeling romantic).

Me: If you had to have a job what would it be?

Scout: I HAVE THE BEST JOB OUT THERE, BEING A CAMP DOG! I GET TO HANGOUT WITH ALL MY FRIENDS ALL THE TIME! I GET TO EXPLORE AND SPEND TIME WITH MY MOMMY! But I guess if I have to do something I’d want to be a Petrologists…they study rocks…

Me: What is your favorite skill to do at camp!

Scout: RUNNING SKILL! I LOVE CHASING ALL THE CAMPERS AROUND! I apologize to anyone I accidentally trip…

Me: Do you have an Instagram account?

Scout: Yes! It’s wheres_scout, FOLLOW ME AND SEE ALL THE FUN PLACES  I CAN BE FOUND.

Me: What is your…wait, oh no! Scout don’t go chase that squirrel!! Well I guess that’s all we have time for today folks! Thank you for tuning into another Coffee and Convo! Catch Scout this summer hanging out by the BearTrap with his mommy Sharon! He’s pumped to play around with you!!

Scout: “BARK BARK! SEE YOU THEN!”

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Bark, coffee and convo, Crestridge, Lake, Mommy, Rocks, Scout, Sharon, Terrier | Leave a reply

Pleasing Faith

PAUSE

Take a moment in prayer and ask God to help you clearly see His message in today’s passage.

“Then He told her, ‘Because of this reply, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.’” —Mark 7:29

Read Mark 7:24-30. Don’t skim this passage lightly. Look carefully at what this conversation revealed about the motives of both Jesus and the woman.

Think through these questions:

• In verse 26, highlight the word “kept.” The Gentile woman absolutely believed Jesus could do something about the demons possessing her daughter. How did that display the woman’s faith in Jesus?

• Why is it important that the woman recognized Jesus could do something about the evil spirits that possessed her daughter?

It may seem at first that Jesus was callous to this woman’s cry for help, but this exchange actually sheds light on the gospel in a historical context. Jesus came first for the Jews, but ultimately salvation would be available for all.

Jesus told the woman that it was not yet her turn for salvation (v. 27). Her response showed that she understood Jesus’ power had no boundaries (v.28). In this way, her faith surpassed many of the Jews’. Not only did this Gentile woman acknowledge Jesus as her Lord, but she was content with just a crumb of His mercy.

• How did Jesus honor her undaunted trust in Him?

RESPOND

You can’t be a Christ-follower without faith. Salvation can’t be earned and we can’t be saved from sin if we don’t have faith in the God who saves.

• This woman had faith that Jesus could heal her daughter from the demons that possessed her. Think about how you approach Jesus. Would you describe your faith as absolute? Why or why not?

• Can you think of someone who shows this kind of faith? In your journal, list some people who seem to have unshakable faith and the characteristics they have.

• For further study on absolute faith read Hebrews 11:6.

BEHIND THE STORY

One of the most dramatic ways Jesus upset the culture in His day was through interaction with Gentiles. From the beginning, the promised Messiah was believed to be deliverance for the Jews, yet on several occasions Jesus ministered to “outsiders”. In a time of great racism, it was both a religious and a cultural problem for Jesus to even speak with this woman, much less grant her request for healing.

THE POINT

Sincere and persistent faith is what pleases God.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

And Jesus Grew…

Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” Just as Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually and socially; at Crestridge we believe it is important for campers to grow in these areas as well! Throughout the summer, each camper has the opportunity to participate in a challenge. This challenge gives campers practical ways to grow in these four areas. We know that growth is possible even without a checklist and it is by grace alone that we are saved! But we do find value in giving each camper encouragement, accountability and guidance as we strive to grow in the ways that Jesus grew! While we want campers to grow throughout the summer, we also want to encourage them to grow during the year. Here are some ways that you and your family can grow spiritually, physically, mentally and socially this year:

Spiritual:

___Memorize a new Bible verse every week

___Share your favorite Bible verse with your family and why you like it

___Have a daily quiet time

___Keep a prayer journal

___Do a devotion with your family weekly

Physical:

___Go walk your dog outside for 15 mins 3 times a week

___Go play a game of soccer with some friends once a week

___Try a new form of exercise once a week (biking, tennis, running, walking, yoga, dancing, weightlifting, etc.)

___Replace some unhealthy foods with your favorite fruits and veggies

Mental:

___Write down a goal for each of your classes

___Limit time watching TV to 30 mins a day (or less)

___Read a book this month

___Learn how to do something you’ve always wanted to learn (knitting, baking, guitar, etc.)

Social:

___Go sit with someone at lunch who you have never talked to

___Memorize the names of everyone in your class

___Organize a fun family outing

___Write a note of encouragement/ appreciation to someone

___Plan a fun activity with all of your friends

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Challenges, Crestridge, Mental, Physical, Social, Spiritual | Leave a reply

Two Commands

PAUSE

Reflect on your time with Jesus this week. Thank Him for what He has shown you and ask Him to continue to help you learn more about Him today.

“He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’” —Matthew 22:37-39

Now, read Matthew 22:34-40.

• In verse 36, underline the word “greatest.” Phrase the expert’s question in your own words and write it in your journal.

• Verses 37-40 contain Jesus’ response. List the two commands Jesus indicated.

• What does it mean to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind? Why is this the most important command?

When you love God with all our heart, you are compelled to love others. By loving others like this, you show them the love of God.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus addressed the heart of the issue with the Pharisees. The attitude of your heart matters. If we do not have love for God, we become legalistic like the Pharisees—focusing on the laws instead of the God who gave them.

RESPOND

Journal your response to the following questions.

• Is your life characterized by His love?

• List some ways you can live out these commands this week.

• How does living placing importance on loving God and others affect those around you? Think especially about people who don’t know Jesus.

• List some ways you can obey these two commands:

LOVE GOD                                                          LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

BEHIND THE STORY

Leading up to this passage in Matthew 22:1-33 the Pharisees had tried to trap Jesus into answering their questions in a way that would incriminate Him.

THE POINT

Our love for God should cause us to love all others.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Returning Staff 2018

SURPRISE!!! We decided today was a great day to give you a sneak peek of all our returning staff! We are so excited to have each of these lovely ladies back with us this summer! We will be updating the Staff Bio page soon so you can get to know your Summer 2018 staff!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Crestridge Staff, counselors, summer staff, Village Directors | Leave a reply

What Really Matters

PAUSE

Ask the Lord to help you put aside distractions and wholeheartedly focus on what He has to teach you today.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law —justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!” —Matthew 23:23-24

Read Matthew 23:23-24 again. Ask yourself:

• These Pharisees tediously counted out a 10 percent tithe of everything they owned—even garden herbs. List the three things they neglected.

The act of tithing was not bad, God actually commanded us to tithe in Leviticus 27:30. The Pharisee’s issue was that they focused intently on the outward aspects of this command while missing out on important things God’s law revealed.

• How do you see this in the church today? Give a specific example in your journal.

Jesus continually pointed out that the Pharisees followed rules, but did not allow God to transform their hearts. They misjudged what was important to God. You can easily place your entire focus on doing things and fail to recognize the heart behind your actions.

• What are “gnats” in your life that hog your focus? What are the “camels” in your life? Explain.

RESPOND

Evaluate your own life and answer these questions in your journal.

• How can you remain focused on what is truly important to God?

• How can you be a person of justice, mercy and faithfulness to those around you?

For further study on what’s important to God read Micah 6:8.

BEHIND THE STORY

Some Pharisees would strain their drinks through cloth to make sure they didn’t swallow a gnat, the smallest unclean animal. The camel is the largest unclean animal.

THE POINT

We must never lose site of the things that matter most to God.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

From the Inside Out

PAUSE

Ask God to reveal to you any unconfessed sin in your life. Then, repent and ask Him to help you pursue a life of holiness.

“In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” —Matthew 23:28

Read Matthew 23:25-28 and answer the following questions:

• Underline the word hypocrites each time it appears, and look at the definition below. Define the term in your own words.

• Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees were living a life of hypocrisy—they didn’t live for the God they proclaimed to love. Why is this so damaging to the name of God even today?

• When have you heard someone claim to love Jesus, but act in ways that failed to match up with those words? What did you learn from that experience? The Pharisees were overly concerned with their outward appearance and gave little attention to their inner purity. Scripture however tells us that righteousness flows from the inside out and results in Christ-likeness.

• How does knowing Jesus encourage you to pay attention to your inner purity?

• Look at verse 26. How does a person walk in righteousness? Describe this process in your own words.

Hypocrite (n) = a person who claims to obey God, but outwardly shows signs of disobedience

RESPOND

• Evaluate your own life and ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Are you guilty of acting one way at church or camp and another way around your friends at school?

• What changes do you need to make in your life today to get rid of sin and truly live in a way that honors Jesus? In your journal, list the steps you will take to make these changes.

• For further study on purity of heart, read Psalm 51:10; Psalm 119:9; Matthew 5:8; Philippians 4:6-8; and Titus 2:11-14.

BEHIND THE STORY

The reference to cleaning only the outside of the cup and being like whitewashed tombs emphasized the Pharisees’ obsession with ritual cleanliness. However, they disregarded cleanliness of the heart. The Pharisees outward practices masked the internal state of their hearts.

THE POINT

Hypocrisy has no place in the lives of true followers of Christ. We must pursuing inner purity.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply