Camp Winter Reunion

Between Christmas and New Years every year a crew from Ridgecrest Summer Camps comes together for a few days in the mountains. We don’t plan mutch, but we do eat a lot, tell camp stories, stay up too late, and just enjoy being back at camp…even for just a few days! Groups like this one is one reason so many people return to camp summer after summer…the friendships seem to last forever…

Posted in News | Tagged Reunion, Staff | Leave a reply

The Porch

The Spilman Porch is underway! You can see the log limbers supporting the floor system for the porch stretching the length of the building. The logs are beautiful, and the deck is a whopping 11 feet wide…the widest deck anywhere in camp! The porch floors will be finished soon, and the logs being used upstairs in the dining hall will be ariving tomorrow. More pictures soon… (If you have yet to subscribe to this post, just click on the bottom right to make it easy to see updates!)

Posted in News | Tagged construction, New Cabins, spilman addition | Leave a reply

The Return

Read This Passage: Revelation 19:11-16
Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. —Revelation 19:11

Right before the start of a football game, the team runs through a banner ripping the paper in two. The crowd cheers as the team runs onto the field.

When Christ returns, He will rip through the sky for all to see. People may have overlooked and missed His seemingly insignificant birth, but they won’t miss His second coming. When Christ returns there won’t be any -questions about who He is. This time, He won’t come as a baby in a manger, but as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Scripture describes Christ as a warrior on a white horse. He will engage in battle against the forces of evil, and the armies of heaven will accompany Him. Christ will return in spectacular fashion, the symbol of faithfulness, truth, justice, and righteousness. He will judge the world, and He will fight the final battle. And He’ll win.

Someday, we don’t know exactly when, Jesus Christ is coming back. And no one will be able to ignore His return. Are you prepared?

Pray
God, I’m looking forward to Jesus’ return. Help me to always live in readiness.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged Revelation, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Ridgecrest’s “Best of” Video Clips

All right fellas, each week for your viewing pleasure a couple video clips will be posted that’ll make you bust a gut.  Okay, so maybe many of you won’t laugh quite that hard, but all of you will get a kick out of the footage.  These clips were compiled from stuff shot over the summer.  Some might be familiar to you, but mostly it’ll be things that didn’t make the session videos for one reason or another.  Check back each week to see the newest picks!

So, without further ado, turn the lights down, grab the popcorn and watch the clips below to enjoy some of the craziness that is Camp Ridgecrest!

Posted in News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Ridgecrest funny videos, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Spilman Timbers

Look at the size of these logs! These are the timbers that will support the new addition to Spilman! Using Chainsaws, nails, and hammers, the men muscled these hefty supports into place. They look impressive already…only making us more excited to see the finished product! More pictures soon…

Posted in News, Uncategorized | Tagged construction, New Cabins, New Dining Hall | Leave a reply

Taking a Stand

Read This Passage: Ephesians 6:10-17
This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. —Ephesians 6:13

I’ve gone to London a few times. Every time I go, I visit the Tower of London. It’s a fascinating place full of history and stories. It houses the crown -jewels and is known for the “beefeaters” who guard it every day of the year.

The Tower also houses an incredible armor display that dates back over a thousand years. The museum is full of armor for horses and warriors. I am always fascinated that those warriors (and horses!) were even able to walk around wearing that much armor, much less fight on the battlefield.

Wearing that armor must have been constraining, but those warriors knew the armor was designed to protect them from their enemies. Failure to wear every piece could leave them vulnerable to attack. The armor gave the warrior confidence to stand strong against his enemy.

All this armor talk has a purpose; today’s key verse commands believers to put on the full armor of God. Paul wasn’t talking about the kind of armor that’s on display at the Tower of London. He was talking about spiritual armor, designed specifically for us to wear every day as we walk into the battles life throws at us. It is an armor that God Himself designed so that we could stand strong against the Devil.

The point is God has given us the tools to deal with the persecution and hard times that come our way. But like those warriors of old, we have to choose to put on each piece. Take a stand for Christ today, but dress yourself with the armor He’s already supplied. Don’t go it alone!

Real Choices
How is fighting the battle going for you? God has given you resources to face persecution and rough times. Are you choosing to use those resources? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Look in a concordance for the word armor and battle. Read through Scripture to see just how important the armor is and what battles people faced. How did their armor protect them each time? How could God’s armor protect you in similar situations?

Pray
Ask God to give you the ability to wear His armor every day and to be able to stand strong against the attacks of the Devil.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ephesians, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Taking a Stand

Read This Passage: Ephesians 6:10-17
This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. —Ephesians 6:13

I’ve gone to London a few times. Every time I go, I visit the Tower of London. It’s a fascinating place full of history and stories. It houses the crown -jewels and is known for the “beefeaters” who guard it every day of the year.

The Tower also houses an incredible armor display that dates back over a thousand years. The museum is full of armor for horses and warriors. I am always fascinated that those warriors (and horses!) were even able to walk around wearing that much armor, much less fight on the battlefield.

Wearing that armor must have been constraining, but those warriors knew the armor was designed to protect them from their enemies. Failure to wear every piece could leave them vulnerable to attack. The armor gave the warrior confidence to stand strong against his enemy.

All this armor talk has a purpose; today’s key verse commands believers to put on the full armor of God. Paul wasn’t talking about the kind of armor that’s on display at the Tower of London. He was talking about spiritual armor, designed specifically for us to wear every day as we walk into the battles life throws at us. It is an armor that God Himself designed so that we could stand strong against the Devil.

The point is God has given us the tools to deal with the persecution and hard times that come our way. But like those warriors of old, we have to choose to put on each piece. Take a stand for Christ today, but dress yourself with the armor He’s already supplied. Don’t go it alone!

Real Choices
How is fighting the battle going for you? God has given you resources to face persecution and rough times. Are you choosing to use those resources? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Look in a concordance for the word armor and battle. Read through Scripture to see just how important the armor is and what battles people faced. How did their armor protect them each time? How could God’s armor protect you in similar situations?

Pray
Ask God to give you the ability to wear His armor every day and to be able to stand strong against the attacks of the Devil.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged Ephesians, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Spilman Progress

The historic Spilman Lodge is growing! After waiting for the weather to cooperate, the carpenters began their work…or at least the work we could see. You can now see the outline of the new floor system. This part will move somewhat slowly, but once the foundation is secure, they will be done in only a few weeks. I found it interesting that the builders are choosing to not use many power tools. They are swinging hammers, rather than shooting nail guns. Although slower, I find this to be fitting considering they are working on a building built with no plans back in 1942. They are doing everything possible to make the addition blend and seem as if it was a part of the original structure. I’ll post more pictures very soon…

Posted in News | Tagged construction, New Cabins, spilman addition | Leave a reply

A Roof Over Our Head

Not only is there a roof up, but the covered porch is there as well. This is the part of the Cabin Restoration Project that I am most excited about…the Covered Porches! More details soon….

Posted in News | Tagged construction, New Cabins | Leave a reply

Predictions

Read This Passage: John 15:18-22
“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”
—John 15:20b

People today are always making predictions about what’s going to happen in the future. They try to predict which way the stock market and the housing market will go. Meteorologists try to predict what weather patterns will emerge. Pundits make predictions about who will win political races, commentators try to pick the winners in the biggest sporting events, and entertainment reporters spend a lot of time trying to predict the year’s best movie, actor, and song. At camp, many of you try to make predictions about what the SockWar theme will be, or what activity you will play that evening.

But predictions aren’t really new. Today’s key verse involves a prediction Jesus made to His followers about the future. Unlike our present-day -predictions about movies, sports, weather, and markets, Jesus’ prediction had to do with how the world would treat those who chose to follow Him wholeheartedly.
Jesus knew that really living out our faith wasn’t going to be easy. He knew that people would take notice when they saw real live faith, and many of them wouldn’t like it. And the truth is, there are people all around the world facing persecution because they are choosing to follow Christ. The Bible says that we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens because, after all, they persecuted Jesus. Is there any reason to believe that we will have it better than the Son of God?

While most predictions don’t change the way we choose to live, this prediction helps us gain the necessary strength to keep pressing on. The real question is, what will you do as a result of Jesus’ prediction? What do you think your counselor would do? Would they stand up for Jesus? Will you choose to quit following Christ or will you choose to draw even closer to Him? Follow Christ and draw closer to Him every day.

Real Choices
Write down the ways you believe you have been persecuted for following Christ. Think back to those times and ask yourself if you walked away stronger or more defeated in your faith because of the way you handled the situation.

Digging Deeper
Check out www.imb.org or www.releaseinternational.org to gain a better understanding of how Christians are being persecuted. What can you do to help minister to those who are suffering today?

Pray
Praise God today for the times you face persecution. Thank Him for the opportunity to grow stronger in your faith. Pray for those around the globe that are facing persecution today.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged John, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply