Pray First

Pray First Updates

Posted September 1, 2023

We’ve been talking about Legacy at our camp events this year, which causes us to reflect on our lives and relationships. What would people say about you if you were gone? Many of us would think of some good, and perhaps some not-so-good things.

Which leads us to ponder the question, what do you want people to remember about you?

There are many great answers to that question. So let’s land on one. As followers of Jesus, what if we were to pray and strive for a life/legacy that points to the greatness and beauty of Jesus? After all, Jesus is more beautiful than anything the world has to offer:

  • Jesus is better than a life of comfort. (Lk. 17:33)
  • Jesus offers a better inheritance. (Eph. 1:18)
  • Jesus is greater than any achievement or personal success. (Phil. 3:7-8)
  • Jesus is better than wealth, security or approval of others. (Mk. 8:36, Heb. 13:5, Pr. 29:25, Phil. 4:19
    “riches I heed not nor man’s empty praise” - Be Thou My Vision
  • Jesus’s death and resurrection means our suffering is temporary. (2. Cor. 4:17)
  • Jesus’ love is better than life. (Ps. 63:3)

How would our lives change today if we really believed and lived out these truths?

If the foundation of our legacy is to bring people to Jesus, it doesn’t matter if our name is promoted or if people remember us. May our names be forgotten, if ultimately Jesus is known as the only One worthy of the worship of all people (Rev. 5:9).


Praises

  • Praise God that a spiritual legacy is not based on our accomplishments, but the finished work of Christ.
  • We don’t have to strive to make our name great, but seek to glorify God.
  • Praise God that all of our failings are redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Pray For

  • That we would be people who point others to the greatness and beauty of Jesus.
  • That the truths of God’s Word would continue to humble and change us.
  • That our lives would proclaim the truths above.

  • We completed the first year of our new Ignite Youth camps! This begins our four year curriculum rotation on the attributes of God…

  • At family camp, we’re discussing what it looks like to continually point your kids to Jesus and to live in awe of God.

  • Doing Hard Things

    Posted June 1, 2023

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

  • 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…