“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation…” Micah 7:7 NASB Christmas is more than just a day; it’s a season. The celebration of Christ begins early and lasts long. The decorations, music, plays, and special events all build anticipation, and anticipation can be a wonderful thing. The magi (wise men) in the Christmas story understood anticipation. These men were likely members of the priesthood of the Medes who had been led

Sometimes you just need to know that you’re not alone. We can make it through every path that comes our way in life when we remember that God is with us. As David wrote in Psalm 23, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me...” One of our campers last summer experienced this in a powerful way. Kaylee was usually a cheerful camper, so, when her bright smile was replaced by distressed expression after chapel one night, he

I was still wiping the sleep from my eyes as I walked into the cafeteria before breakfast, but I stopped dead in my tracks moments after entering the building. Rather than the enticing aroma of bacon, the frustrating scent of burned-out electronics filled my senses. I looked at the cafeteria staff who confirmed my suspicions that the warming oven had died—again. I wasn’t entirely surprised. The warming oven had quit working several times already this summer. Our facilities ma

“Hey, Steve!” a cheerful voice called out behind me among the towering displays inside Walmart. I turned and saw a bright smile I had not seen in quite some time—one of our former summer campers from over a decade ago. I smiled and greeted her as she approached. The timing was both inconvenient and perfect. I was nine hours into my twelve-hour workday, feeling exhausted, but in a rush because I still had so much to do. Her joy and excitement, however, compelled me to stop an

Last month was an exciting one at South Mountain Christian Camp. After six weeks of searching, we hired a new facilities manager to oversee maintenance on camp. Mark Oettinger has an extensive skill set and a real heart for camp ministry. He and his wife, Jill, will be moving here with their three kids in June—just before summer camp begins. Due to the nature of the job (being on call 24 hours a day when campers are here), we provide staff housing in the form of a three-bedro

We’re stronger when we work together. In Ecclesiastes 4:12, the kingdom of God is compared to a rope, not a chain. With a chain, if the weakest link breaks, it renders the other links useless. But with a three-strand rope, each cord is entwined with the others, making every piece stronger than it could ever be alone. When we as believers work together in our various ministries, callings, and professions, we make each other more effective. This is why my wife Jen and I are act

Sheila experienced something amazing. When she came to camp last summer, she was quiet and withdrawn. She didn’t want to socialize with the other campers and barely spoke. But, when you put a ten-year-old in a cabin group with seven other kids; when they have a loving cabin leader who takes them hiking, swimming, and playing every day; when they eat together, pray together, and worship together; you’ve set the stage for something amazing. Sheila came out of her shell and beca

Camp is different. That’s what makes it special. There is no doubt that our society has changed dramatically over the past generation. Camp has changed too, but I believe there has never been a greater contrast between the daily lives of children and their experiences at Camp. I’m going to throw some numbers at you, but don’t stop reading. You’re part of the good news. In a normal week, the average American youth spends 574 minutes on the phone, 560 minutes playing video game

How many people does it take to operate a summer camp? That’s a big question, and the answer is not simple. Our year-round staff is pretty small. There are just ten of us—three full-time, four part-time, and three volunteers. We lay a lot of the groundwork for summer camp, but we could never pull it off alone. During the summer, our staff grows quickly to include over thirty seasonal employees and another thirty volunteers. These people work hard all summer for these kids. So

October has always been a busy month at South Mountain. In fact, it can be downright dizzying at times. We had over 1,000 guests on camp through our various school programs, weekend retreats, and events. During this time, I had twelve meetings, six speaking engagements, and eight events to attend. If that sounds like too much for one person, you’re right. We have a great staff team here that works hard to bring it all together, including a new program director. Mikel Collins

Bright lights, tinny music, and squeals of delight filled the evening atmosphere while the scent of funnel cakes and roasted corn drifted through the crowd at the Colfax Free Fair in nearby Ellenboro. I smiled as I maneuvered through the throng. I wasn’t here for the rides, the food, or the games. I was here for the people. I spoke with campers from last summer, local politicians running for re-election, and business people who support our ministry. A young man in his mid-twe

“It just seems like a waste of time,” Nate stated matter-of-factly. He didn’t mean any offense, but when his cabin director, Taylor, asked him why he didn’t really want to be at camp, Nate gave a straightforward answer. Taylor admired his honesty and was determined to show Nate that camp can be an amazing experience. Later that week, Taylor grabbed a devotional book from our resource center before leading his boys up to the cabin for bed. There, he led a discussion and encour

The battle between good and evil took center stage at our annual open house and banquet last month. Our Star-Wars-inspired theme included decorations, stage props, and costumed characters, all correlating to the 2018 summer camp program, “The Faith Awakens.” We began with a drop-in reception and guided tours of the camp, followed by a free meal served in the gym. There was a dramatic presentation of the summer camp program, a message from camp founder, O.A. Fish, and an expla

When Tina and Rachel stepped onto the Wild Woosey activity last summer, no one expected them to succeed. They faced each other, each standing on one of the two logs arranged in a V formation on the ground. They joined hands with their palms together and held on tight, walking sideways from the point of the V to toward the open end. As they did so, the distance between them grew. They weren’t allowed to let go of each other’s hands, so they leaned toward each other. Each step

I made a mistake. The seminar I was attending sounded like it would be filled with fantastic ideas for managing a camp budget, but nothing presented seemed like it would work for us. I tried to follow along in a futile attempt to glean a few insights that would benefit South Mountain, but I felt like an amateur runner trying to keep pace with a professional marathoner. No matter how hard I tried, I kept falling further behind. Then the seminar presenter made a brief statement

Sometimes God surprises me so much, I can barely contain it. Last month I spoke to a group at a church in nearby Morganton, telling them all about our summer camp programs. After discussing our facilities, activities, and policy that no child will be turned away for financial reasons, I felt impressed to share Serena’s story with them. This quiet little girl from a severely impoverished family approached me after chapel one night, asking how she could have Jesus in her heart.

Have you ever looked at the figures in a nativity set and thought about the strange scene? You’ve got animals and angels, magi and a manger, shepherds and a Savior. These are some interesting characters for sure. It makes for a great story, but this is not just a story on display. This is Love on display. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” John 3:16. The nativity scene shows us rich and poor, young and old, natives and foreigners—everybody is in

Kids get thirsty—especially during summer camp. When we’ve got 100 campers hiking, climbing, and running all over the place, it can be a challenge to keep them hydrated. For this reason, I saw a real need to install a drinking fountain at our ballfield area. Our friends Gary and Vesta Edmonds offered to cover the cost for a concrete, outdoor, double fountain, and it was delivered last Spring. Decades ago, when the ballfield bathhouse was built, an underground water line was a

Have you heard the story of the eagle that was raised by prairie chickens? The eagle spent its entire life scratching the dirt and eating insects. It would gaze up into the sky, wishing it could soar like the eagles, but it never once tried because it believed it was a prairie chicken. Summer camp has a way of helping kids find their wings. I witnessed this repeatedly this year. When Scott came to camp, his schoolteacher warned me that he got into trouble almost every day of

For the first two days of camp, trouble followed Brian everywhere like a shadow. Everything seemed to make him angry, and the other campers felt like they were living with a rumbling volcano on the top bunk. When he wasn’t angry, Brian complained. He didn't enjoy camp and wanted to go home. In short, it was the perfect set-up for God to do His thing. On the second night of camp, Brian's cabin director, Taylor, sensed that Brian was having trouble sleeping. Quietly, in the dar