Finding the Words

Since the beginnings of Covid, I’ve sort of felt unsure about how and what to share with you guys about camp! As the communicator of this ministry, that’s just pretty unacceptable though right?! I’ve covered the big things, like the announcement we sent out about cancelling camp, and Sam shared her heart to you all, but beyond this, my words have been scarce! I’m sorry for the quiet, not that you’ve probably even noticed, but I’m starting to find my footing again! And it feels great!

I have much to catch you up on! I will take you back to the beginning, when quarantine was just being talked about and we were stunned with the crazy of what was really starting to happen! Meet me here tomorrow so you can start getting caught up on all things Whisper Mountain?!

See you then,
Cassi

Shoot Straight 2019

A month ago now, we hosted a crowd of men for our annual Shoot Straight Retreat! Kids 8+ came to our woods to relax, throw knives (mhm, that’s right!), shoot some arrows, eat good food and be encouraged!

The worship and encouragement throughout the weekend (from Rich!) helped center the time on Christ and uplift in those most personal spaces of the heart. The older men praying over the younger men was a highlight to see and a powerful time for both the younger and wiser among us!

All of Saturday was spent outdoors, first practicing with the bows and arrows and then the actual 3D tournament in the afternoon! The time shooting arrows ends with a long shot, which is a fun challenge for all! (No worries, guys, we did find most of the stray arrows 😉 !)

Of course, one of the favorite parts of the weekend is getting to draw for allllllll the raffle prizes! This year, we even had a fancy spinning machine to select the ticket from! They say it’s all in the details, right?!

After all the tournament scores are collected and counted, of course we have a trophy ceremony, because if you didn’t get a trophy, did you really win?!!

We hear such good things about this time away in the woods! The encouragement, the fun, the refreshment! Thank you to all who came this year! We hope you’ll gather again with us next year! Keep October 2-4, 2020 blocked out on your calendar!

Now, go be those men God’s called you to be! And help raise up some younger men to follow behind! To God be the glory!

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Author & Photography | Cassi

Weavings Were Woven | Spring Craftivities 2019

We had such a great time with the ladies who came to our Spring Craftivities Event last weekend! Getting away, even when we think we can’t, to do something we don’t always do has a way of sparking life inside our souls! We saw this be true for these women!

We learned the basics of weaving (on a loom — not to be confused with basket weaving, cough Anna Gab, cough cough! 😉) and were given the opportunity to create whatever masterpiece we could think up!

Here’s the fun part: everyone was given the same supplies, the same amount of time and the same set up, but every single loom was woven from a very different place. Each person brought something different to their piece and it was amazing and exquisite and such a wonderful reminder of our uniqueness!

We spent a little time talking about such things and more application found through the experience and found encouragement through the Word in little snippets throughout the weekend. So fueling and refreshing!

Along with the enjoyment found in weaving, many found frustration when the project wasn’t getting done quickly enough, or they wanted to be on the other side of the project. Having persevered, every woman went home a little proud of their accomplishment and a lot thankful for having done something creative!

If you were on the fence or unable to come this time, how about planning to join us in September for our next Craftivities Event! September 28th! Block it off now, work it out with your friend or family! Plan to be here! You won’t regret it!!

Thanks for coming ladies — it was a joy to spend the weekend with you! Hope to see you soon!

 

 

Author + Photography | Cassi

 

staff take a road trip | GIC 2019

A couple weeks ago our staff hit the road and headed down to Florida for a week to participate in what’s called the Global Impact Conference! As a supporting church of Whisper Mountain Camp, McGregor Baptist invited us (and many other missionaries they support) to participate in their weekend of blessing and encouragement. We couldn’t be more thankful to have been included.

Much of our week was spent connecting with people, life groups, churches, families and friends. The community of people within Whisper Mountain is amazing! People who share our heart to proclaim Christ to teens, who support us and participate with us, who encourage us to keep going! Amazing: the number of people God pulls into His work here at WM! We wouldn’t be able to do any of what we do without the community He’s pulled together! (If you’re part of this – thank you for being here!)

Along with the event, gathering and meeting with people, and some of us getting brave to speak in front of crowds, we were also able to have a few stolen moments of play and relaxation! A quick swim here, a hurried beach walk there, a nap when possible.

How refreshing to find a piece of hold still and enjoy the beauty of winter days in Southwest Florida! We were completely thankful for the hospitality of Brad and Melloe Nash! They welcomed us, invited us to make ourselves at home (which we took them up on!) and overwhelmed us with love and fellowship and goodness of all kinds.

We put together a video to give you a glimpse into our trip! We hope you enjoy!

Watch the Video

Thank you to all who made the time to meet with us, encourage us, and give to us in some way! You are a big reason we remain encouraged to keep going in this thing called camp ministry!

Come visit soon!

 

 

Author + Photography | Cassi

Shoot Straight 2018

Our annual Shoot Straight Men’s Retreat was the best it’s been so far! Experience, they say, is the best teacher, and when it comes to improving this retreat every year, we couldn’t agree more!

Thirty-nine men and young men (8+) came for a weekend of bows and arrows, walking the woods and being encouraged by those fabulous Benham Brothers. Whether experienced or not, shooting the bows was an experience the men enjoyed, even if some of them admitted to having sore muscles by the end!

The event started with some dart throwing for the young men and hatchet throwing for the grown men! Hitting the target can be harder than you think, but they enjoyed their turn at trying!

Later in the evening, the guys were given a bunch of tickets to enter the giveaways, which were held all throughout the weekend! There’s nothing quite like the suspense of hearing those numbers called out, watching them match up across the ticket, and your heartbeat quickening when you realize your number has been called! YESSSSS!

The Benham Brothers shared encouragement throughout the weekend, offering the young and grown alike the challenge of walking in godly manhood through the sharing of their own experiences and walk with the Lord.

Saturday morning, after a hearty and delicious breakfast, the guys headed to the field to practice shooting their bows! We had guys who were at a hunting level, which means they hit the bulls eye a bunch! We had guys who haven’t shot since last year’s retreat, and still others who hadn’t shot a bow before ever! The competition was friendly and I don’t think anyone felt out of place because of their experience level!

After lunch, the guys were broken into teams and the tournament began. Most of the 3D targets get sprinkled throughout the woods of our paintball course, with a few out in the open just outside the woods. Hiking around the property to shoot at the 20 target locations is about as fun as trying to hit the animals striking a pose!

We heard the guys mention how they enjoyed the intimate atmosphere and being able to get to know the other guys at the retreat. Not feeling overwhelmed with a crowd helped them each relax just a bit more, which is the point of such a weekend!

If you like what you’ve seen here and want to be in on next year’s retreat, block off the weekend of October 4-6, 2019 and plan to join us! We’d love to have you be a part of escaping the noise and encountering God’s whisper in the woods of Whisper Mountain Camp.

Shoot Straight Men’s Retreat | 2017

This past weekend was a fantastic getaway for the men who came to our 3rd annual Shoot Straight Archery Retreat! Archery is fun, but it’s mostly about encouragement and fellowship!

Friday night they had a taste of tomahawk throwing. The beautiful thing about everyone never having tried something is that it was fun even when most people were  bad at it. Because it’s not so much about the amazing skills you do/don’t possess at this retreat, but about the togetherness: fun, laughter, camaraderie. One guy said, “I can’t remember the last time I just sat around and talked with other men.”

Saturday was the 3D tournament held in our wooded paintball course. The morning is for getting the hang of the bow; the afternoon is the tourney and 100 Yard Shoot! Can you believe someone actually hit the target?! Calculation or Luck? Who knows!

Of course the giveaways are a highlight for both kids and adults! They got some great prizes this year! Of course everyone leaves with goodies of some sort!

Encouragement from God’s Word, sitting around the fire talking, eating good food, hiking the woods with a bow and arrow. Argggggg. Fathers and sons enjoyed the time together, men without sons enjoyed time together with other men. It was a great weekend and we are so thankful for those God brought to this time.

MEN: Block out October 5-7 on your 2018 Calendar so you can come next year! DON’T MISS OUT! Like another guy said, “This was too easy — we gotta come again next year!”

White Space at Whisper Mountain [2017]

Over the weekend some ladies gathered for our annual Craftivities Event! Creating White Space in our lives was sort of the call this year!

We were thrilled to have Kaleigh Stickles come to lead a Hand Lettering Workshop on Friday night!

Kaleigh sells her masterpieces on etsy at Master’s Piece Co. and we were lucky enough to see them up close and personal! She does beautiful work! Go check it out!

Saturday began with some tasty homemade apple cider donuts, which means everything! (Patti does amazing work in our camp kitchen, am i right?!)

We got our hands busy Saturday, creating four different crafts throughout the day! Everybody had their own take on things and each one was so pretty and showed a little more about the person who made it! That’s what I love best — seeing the heart of each person come out in the things they create! (Such a reflection of our Creator, no?!)

I’m personally thankful for this time carved out of otherwise busy living, but it also seemed everyone else left a little more refreshed than when they came!

Thank you, ladies, for coming to spend the weekend with us at #whispermtncraftivities ! If you missed out this time, we hope you can make it the next time! More than that, we hope you are able to carve out some white space of your own! You’ll be thankful you did!

[Author & Photos: Cassi]

A CONTEST for the Difference Makers

Sometimes we don’t appreciate enough the people who are faithfully making a big difference in our lives. Those people we trust to be there when we need it or have our best interest at heart or offer advice when decisions feel tough or just lead a life of light. Those people who cheer us on week after week, who show up to our activities, who text or call just to see how we’re doing, who pray for us as we walk through life.

Each time we welcome a group to Whisper Mountain Camp, our staff gets the opportunity to watch youth leaders connect with the teens in their group. We see the relationships they’ve established, the respect and love from those they lead, and we observe the weariness in their steps as their pouring out is often taxing.

Often those that affect us the most never know what a difference they make. Would you like to be a part of changing that?

In honor of all those leading well, let’s have a contest!

Let us know how your youth leader has made a difference in your life and we will pick one to win a 3Day/2Night getaway to Whisper Mountain’s Plush Cabin for some much needed Rest and Relaxation.

Use the comments below to tell your youth pastor what he/she means to you and to try to win your leader the getaway! Spread the word to others in your group!

Now Hiring Summer Staff

Crazy, but true — it’s already time to begin praying in and rounding up our 2017 Summer Staff Team! In case you didn’t know our summer staff are a pretty major deal around here. Camp wouldn’t be what it is without them! And so of course we are looking for the best of the best to invest in teens all summer long!

If you are someone or know someone who wants to spend a summer in the mountains of North Carolina proclaiming Christ through camp ministry, please go apply or spread the word today! We are anticipating God to continue to do His great work through Whisper Mountain Camp!

Come be a part!

Shoot Straight 2016

The weather couldn’t have been more gorgeous a couple weekends ago as we welcomed a small group of men to our Shoot Straight Retreat. Men came to Whisper Mountain to get away from their responsibilities for a while and to breathe slower and deeper with a little man time in the woods! Fathers and sons came together which made for an even more memorable time.

100 yard shoot was challenging and fun!

Pros and amateurs alike enjoyed the challenge of the 3D Archery Tourney!  Bears, turkey, deer, boar and a few other 3D animal targets could be found scattered throughout our woods awaiting the rounds of arrows heading for their kill zone! Some arrows met their mark, and well, some never did! But in the end, the getting away, the connecting and the encouragement made the weekend a success!

Here’s what one person said about the men’s weekend:

click to watch

We are already looking forward to next year! Mark your calendars for October 6-8, 2017! We hope to see you then, if not sooner!