Camp Pinecrest wrapped up its 28th year in southeast Missouri on July 7, and God’s blessing and fingerprints were evident to all who attended camp this year.

A total of 115 campers (62 ladies and 53 gentlemen) and 66 staff enjoyed a week filled with Christian fellowship and fun activities. Southeast Missouri, in the first week of July, typically brings 90-degree weather with high humidity. But most of the days were in the 80s with low humidity. For Thursday, threatening weather with thunderstorms was predicted just 12 hours earlier. This bad weather posed a serious threat to allowing the fourth and final day of our river float trip activity to take place. But we witnessed God move the severe weather just to our north, which provided a beautiful day for the camp and allowed the last two dorms to experience the river float trip.

This year’s theme, “Stand Strong,” resonated deeply with the campers as they delved into the importance of putting on God’s armor and standing strong in His might against our enemy who wants nothing more than for us to be weakened and destroyed. The campers were deeply impacted, renewing their understanding of the great God they serve and the strength that He provides to withstand our enemy. The theme was not just a phrase, but a guiding principle that shaped our entire week.

The closeness between campers, staff and our heavenly Father was felt all week long. From the initial camper orientation on Sunday to the final dance on Saturday night, the staff was woven together by the collective experience of serving together with one purpose at this beautiful camp location. New campers and staff were welcomed into the Pinecrest family and enjoyed their first-time experiences and new opportunities to serve. Camp does not happen without all the great volunteers who want to serve the teens at God’s camp, and I again share my thanks to them for their countless hours of service to make everything run smoothly at Pinecrest!

For those who prayed along with us for a successful and blessed camp, we extend our heartfelt thanks! Your prayers were a vital part of our journey, and we continue to praise God for all His blessings, which were clearly seen as He oversaw His camp.