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!

 

Mt. Tirzah, Robbinsville Locals, Community Baptist | Summer 2016

For our last week of our tenth summer, we enjoyed welcoming three smaller groups together into one big happy family!  Mt. Tirzah, Community Baptist and some local Robbinsville teens meshed together so well, we had a hard time knowing who was with what group!

The week meant different things to different people, but in the end (we pray) it meant an encounter with God and His love. Whether they enjoyed getting away from their home lives, hanging with people they enjoy or experiencing fun and adventure, these teens were given a week of intentional connection from their leaders and our staff, the truth from God’s Word and a place to pause and hear some quiet.

We loved spending this historical week in Whisper Mountain’s history with you everybody! Thank you for coming to spend your camp week with us! You are a great crowd of people!

Keep God’s vantage point in mind in all you pursue! Whisper Mountain loves you!

Awesomeness Takes the Stage >> Erin

The final 2016 Summer Staffer is on the Awesomeness Takes the Stage today! Welcome Erin, if you will!

(Just to clarify the picture above — Erin was eating one of those delicious cookie stick things at the Dork Ball we have to kick off the summer! Sooooo, there’s that.)

As I feel like I have written throughout our whole Awesomeness Takes the Stage posts this summer, Erin was first a camper!

Holy smokes we have gotten to see Erin grow up! For around eight or so years, she has somehow been a part of Whisper Mountain! Being a local to Robbinsville, she has spent a lot of time with us through school or local community events, as a summer camper, and as a volunteer whenever we had need!

Seeing Erin go from sort of quiet and in the background to Lead Guide has been nothing short of God’s gracious and beautiful work in her life. He has clearly become her greatest joy in life which has made her confident to do what He keeps calling her to.

Seeing her exchange the brokenness in her life for the yolk of God’s peace and healing has been inspiring! He is shaping her into a virtuous woman who willingly carries the burdens of others so they too can know God’s freeing peace and ocean of love.

Watching her lead worship, teach and connect with campers makes us feel like proud parents in awe of the woman she is becoming. We couldn’t be more thankful for her being a part of our Whisper Mountain family for so long or more excited to see her growing as a strong leader for God’s glory!

Thank you Erin for serving with us this summer and being willing to be stretched through your role as Lead Guide! You have led well! We love you!

Awesomeness Takes the Stage >> Seth

You may not know it yet, but Seth is PRETTY awesome — welcome him to the Awesomeness Takes the Stage today, will ya?!?!

Like so many staff before him, Seth was first a camper.

Watching him grow from camper to Lead Guide has been a pretty awesome thing to see. Seth’s leadership, this summer especially, has been a gift to Whisper Mountain, but also to those under him, whether they realize it or not! The humility he leads with, the sponge-like desire to continue to develop and grow, the willingness to do the hard thing if it’s the right thing are just a few of the ways we’ve seen him flourish.

Of course, every leader gets his face smeared in the mess of the thing he’s leading at some point along the way! While that can feel discouraging in the moment, in the long run, it’s just a few more rough edges shaved off the solid character being built! Seth has the proven character to show for it!

God has been leading, growing and prepping Seth for mission or pastoral ministry! His focus to follow God in this is quite frankly a refreshing thing to see! Leaders really are being raised to proclaim Christ to this generation. Doesn’t it sometimes feel too lost?! This right here, friends, is just one among many that God is calling forth to change the world for His glory! The reality that God is still actively working and moving through His people should be making us shout with joy and confidence in Him!

Seth, thank you for the years you’ve spent at Whisper Mountain Camp! It has been our pleasure to know you and be a very small part of your journey! May God continue to bless you and keep you as you continue to follow and Proclaim Him! We love you!

 

Collision Youth | Summer 2016

Last week we enjoyed the Collision teens from The Pointe Church! They seemed to enjoy a fun-filled, Jesus-centered week that their awesome youth pastor planned for them!

Thank you for coming to Whisper Mountain this summer, Collision! Keep being relentless!

And Justin, keep leading well!

(find more of their instagram pictures here!)

Awesomeness Takes the Stage >> Sam

Hey guys! Do you know Sam?!

If not, today’s your day to meet her as she’s the star on our Awesomeness Takes the Stage!

The things we love about Sam: Soccer Star (at CIU), outgoing personality making a person feel comfy with her, tender on the inside, fun on the out, hard working team player, and just down right enjoyable to hang with! Oh, and she loves Jesus!

She’s a friend you’d want to have in the tough times, but also that friend you’d wanna go have a carefree day with. She, like many before her, started her time with Whisper Mountain as a camper and has been a great first-time Guide for us!

She speaks her mind, but doesn’t allow differences to come between. She is a people girl after all! And Tegan loves her, which is saying a lot!! (nice photobomb from Kinsley!)

Her moods/exhaustion/struggles don’t hinder her from what needs to get done and in the end she’s always laughing! We like how God is shaping this girl for His glory and all the ways we’ve seen her grow this summer!

Sam, you may be tough on the outside, but we like how you’ve let your heart out while serving with us this summer! You’re beautiful! Thank you for being here!

Church at Charlotte In Tents | Summer 2016

Early this summer we welcomed the Church at Charlotte middle schoolers, but this past extended weekend we welcomed the Church at Charlotte high schoolers for a different sort of stay!

On a week long camping trip, we were just one of a few stops they were making. They began with us and will end at Niagra Falls! Awesome right?! We saw first time camping people adjusting (some better than others) and seasoned ones soaking it up! Part of the goal while at Whisper Mountain was for them to experience walking like Jesus walked. They stayed on the opposite side of the “normal” camp. If you’ve never walked our roads, you can’t quite appreciate the reality of walking from one side of our property to the other (where the bathhouse is!).

Aside from the walking, a good dose of heat, and a rain situation, they seemed to enjoy the time they had on the high and low ropes courses.

I (Cassi) admire the leaders for taking these teens outside their normal comfort. We too easily get stuck inside the posh life we experience (if you are reading this on a computer or handheld device, that’s you!!). Sometimes getting outside of that, experiencing a little inconvenience and less than ideal can make us grow in such unexpected ways. Hearing the conversations and observing them even briefly made me take a look at what I’ve been taking for granted, made me slow down and find the bare boned simplicity within today. As a result, I find myself thanking God more!

Thank you, Seth and Nikki and CAC teens, for stopping in at Whisper Mountain, for all you’re doing to lead these teens, and for the beautiful reminder to me to simply walk with God! May He bless you as you follow Him!

5 Stones Middle School | Summer 2016

We simply didn’t get enough of Five Stones Church last week with the high schoolers so they went ahead and sent over their middle schoolers this week!

The first half of the week was the girls! The second half of the week was the boys! What?! Wild and crazy, and we hope and pray, Christ filled!

While the activities remained mostly the same for both halves of the week (yes, two weeks of camp smooshed into one!), their content was able to be specially catered for the beauties and the warriors and how to become that with Jesus at the center!

We were thrilled that half of the BeYOUtiful in Christ ministry was able to join us for the girls portion of the week! (You should check them out if you’re interested in custom events for girls!)

After more than twenty years in youth ministry, their youth pastor, Daryl Sutherland, is moving into the outreach position within their church (something that he’s been actively doing even as a youth pastor!) We are thankful his last youth camp was with us and we pray God’s blessing as he transitions into this new role of ministry!

Thank you 5 Stones Middle Schoolers for coming to camp at Whisper Mountain! We’ve enjoyed you this week!

(see their instagram file of pictures here!)

Awesomeness Takes the Stage >> CJ

You won’t find two alike of this guy! He’s one unique feller! And we kinda like him! Meet CJ on the Awesomeness Takes the Stage today!

He came as a camper several years ago and we couldn’t be more thankful he chose to serve with us as a Guide this summer! There are many faces to CJ. In short, he’s a coffee snob goofball who doesn’t wash his hair and who loves Jesus and wants others to know Him too!

He’s got quite a way of bringing people in and making them feel comfy and ready to laugh. He’s quite comfortable making people uncomfortable — which has its pros and cons! He pushes the mainstream ideas outside the box to make a person really consider his/her belief system. His ideas aren’t always agreed with, but that doesn’t keep him from spurring great discussions!

We’ve all been baffled by him many times over, but then again, it’s just CJ!!! While he is a true goofball, he knows when to get serious. When he sinks into the eternal and deep stuff, people seem to listen a little more. He has shared Jesus with words, craziness and with the love he willingly and openly shares with the people around him! His leadership is very appreciated, as is his heart to serve and proclaim Christ!

Thank you, CJ, for giving your summer to be part of our team! We wouldn’t be as strong without you, we wouldn’t laugh nearly as often, and Seth wouldn’t know what to do without all those cuddles (HAHAHAA)!

Awesomeness Takes the Stage >> Amanda

Get ready for some awesome to be inserted into your day! Amanda is on the stage!

If you were to meet Amanda, you’d find someone super humble and sweet; you’d find a new best friend!

Amanda has returned this year after shining as a GIT last year! (click that and take a looksy!) Since her promotion as a Guide, we have seen Amanda step up in many ways but still hanging tight to her hard work ethic and doing whatever it is that needs doing!

Her attitude continues to be among the best on our staff, always remaining cheerful and willing! That’s hard to do, especially as the summer wears a person out!

She is quick to find the people that may not have someone to talk to and reaching out to make them feel a part! She’s sweet and someone you’d want to spend time with!

Thank you, Manders, for being such a top notch human! We really, sincerely, completely would hate to do without you! Thanks for being here!