Pray First

Pray First Updates

Posted June 1, 2023

Recently, I had to do a hard thing for Jesus. I had to make a hard decision. It wasn’t a decision between right and wrong or sin and righteousness. It was one of those “gray area” decisions; you know, those decisions between what’s good vs. what’s best. Decisions that keep you second guessing yourself before and after you make them. 

Moments like these drive the most independent believer to the throne of grace in prayer. We cry out to the Lord for the help that He has promised in our time of need. What do we pray for exactly? What should we be looking for as an answer to our prayer? How do we know if the Lord has answered? 

Next time you find yourself in a “gray area” decision, consider praying for these four things: 

1. Wisdom

James 1:5-6 reminds us: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” 

2. Discernment 

Pray as the Psalmist did: “I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.” (Psalm 119:125)

3. Direction 

The Lord tells us in the Psalms: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8) 

4. Peace 

Jesus promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) 

After much prayer, I made my hard decision. It wasn’t easy and was even harder to follow through with. Yet, I am certain it was what the Lord led me to do. Looking back, I am thankful for the hard decision. It tested my faith, gave me a much needed humbling, and showed me once again that Jesus’ way is always best. 

The next time you are faced with a hard decision for Jesus, go to the Lord in prayer and keep doing hard things. 

 

Praises

  • Many grounds / facilities projects completed over the past month
  • Summer staff + volunteers coming together
  • Registrations already received for our fall retreats!

Pray For

  • Volunteers for our remaining summer roles (kitchen, facilities and grounds)
  • Opportunities for our staff to get some R&R before the busy summer season of ministry
  • Obedience by those the Lord is leading to attend camp this summer but have not yet signed-up 

  • Thanking God for You!

    Posted May 9, 2023

    God’s provision keeps surprising and encouraging us…

  • Cultivating a Spiritual Legacy

    Posted April 4, 2023

    You may remember that our camp theme is Legacy, so we’re talking about what it looks like to pass on the faith at every opportunity!

  • Ways to Pray for Your Pastor

    Posted March 7, 2023

    You might not think about it, but pastors need your prayers too….

  • Share your story!

    Posted February 2, 2023

    Would you be willing to share your story of how God changed you through the ministry of Camp Maranatha?

  • 2023 Camp Theme Announced!

    Posted January 19, 2023

    We’re celebrating!

  • Rethinking Resolutions

    Posted January 4, 2023

    Individually and as a camp, we’ve been rethinking priorities, considering where to invest time, and pondering how God transformed us throughout 2022. We hope you have too.

  • Legacy Timeline

    Continuing the Legacy

    Posted December 1, 2022

    As we celebrate 50 years of camp ministry, we’re thinking deeply on what it means to continue our legacy of faith.

  • A Vision for the Future

    Posted November 1, 2022

    God has also been working in my heart in regards to Pond View. The overwhelming feeling I would get when I saw the unfinished building has quickly turned to one of confidence that God was going to complete this project.

  • A Story of Impact

    Posted September 6, 2022

    At camp, we don’t often get to see or be part of the growth produced in people’s lives as they go home and apply what they’ve learned and experienced here. What a treasure when we do get a glimpse into Jesus’s work in lives!

  • Summer Review

    Posted August 10, 2022

    Thanks for praying for our summer camps! God’s faithfulness, protection, and provision were evident throughout each week. He continues to provide in unexpected ways and in the small details (see below for more!)

  • Thank you for praying for our family camps! We saw many answers to prayer during those two weeks. We look forward to sharing more later. A couple testimonies from families:

  • Family Camps

    Posted June 17, 2022

    10 days til our first family camp of the summer! We have two back-to-back weeks of family camp and are so excited to serve and pour into these families. These weeks allow families to rest from the chaos of life, hear gospel-centered teaching, and…

  • Guiding our Steps and Stops

    Posted June 2, 2022

    Often we think of God’s blessing in terms of gifts. But what if the best thing for us is the loss of something or the detour of our own plans? As Muller says, God sovereignly orders our stops. We tend to see lack as bad, but God’s perspective is so much larger than ours. We learned recently that Grace Cottage is in need of…

  • Exciting Staff Update!

    Posted May 17, 2022

    We’re excited to announce the arrival of two new staff members! To meet the needs of camp and continue stewarding our budget well, all our staff are currently raising missionary support to serve in full-time or part-time capacities. This minimizes the need for team members to work additional jobs while volunteering in vital camp roles. We’re excited to see how God continues to build…

  • More than Weed Whacking

    Posted May 1, 2022

    Spring means time for spring cleaning and gardening! But to produce a healthy garden, you have to weed. Weeding is tedious. You start pulling, just to realize you’ve simply plucked the tops of the weeds off–the roots remain stuck. It’s easier to pull the small weeds than the huge ones. But it is also tempting to…

  • An Invitation

    Posted April 1, 2022

    God is moving across the world, building His Kingdom, and He’s inviting us to be part of that! How? One essential way–faithful prayer. The incredible thing about prayer is that it joins us in the work God is already doing, that we maybe were oblivious to. We know He’s building His Kingdom, but where and how? One essential way–

  • Camp is Ablaze!

    Posted February 24, 2022

    Announcing our 2022 theme: Ablaze! We anticipate an exciting ministry year as we commence our first-ever annual camp theme. Based off 2 Timothy 1:6-7, the Ablaze theme encourages us to “fan into flame the gift of God.” We’re asking God to..

  • Celebrating another year of ministry!

    Posted December 14, 2021

    God is GOOD! As I walk around the grounds, I can’t help but see signs of God’s faithfulness everywhere. From the echoes of guests, to the laughter of volunteers, to the noise of hammers and saws, God truly did do great things here in 2021!

  • Exciting News!

    Posted September 13, 2021

    Through the last two years of transition, the board recognized the urgency in establishing a full-time director to help carry and stay true to our revitalized mission of inspiring life-changing encounters with Jesus.

    After much prayer and counsel, we are very excited to announce that…