We can’t fall too far.

Welp, with one week left I’m looking back at the lessons I have learned throughout the summer. One that slaps me in the face every day is we cannot go it alone. Before this job, I did not have a Christian community. I didn’t have a church family. I didn’t have those people my age I could really connect with over my faith. Now I do and will be eternally grateful. But the one person I had through all the “not having” was Jesus. He never left me through my times of struggle or sin. He was there. All I had to do was reach out and take his hand. 

The most recent parallel I have is high ropes. An old family friend (Seth McClure) came with one of the groups this week. While taking pictures, I got the bright idea to attempt the “Dangling Duo” with him as my other half. We start on the bottom step of a ladder that gets farther and farther apart. I would get up to the next one while he helped me, then he would get up. Eventually, we got to the final step, and I just could not do it by myself. I had to put him up first in order for him to pull me. You see, it’s a great example for life. If you put God second things are going to be a lot harder, but if you put Him first life is so much easier. Not to say it still wasn’t difficult for me, because everyone goes through trials, yet when you have the strength of the Lord pulling you upward those trials become less scary.  

The second example I have is about a young girl who came to camp this week. She went through the high ropes course and came to me afterwards saying, “I knew it (the tether) would catch me because I fell a million times and didn’t die.” Out of the mouths of children come the most beautiful messages. We fall “a million times” when trying to walk the Christian wire. It’s narrow and tough at times, but we can never fall out of His grace…


Author | Koda Moody
Photography | Cassi & Koda Moody

pilgrim on

Pilgrim-On-pathway-in-the-woods

The news headlines cast shadows on our daily realities. Changes in the classrooms quicken our breath and lead our thoughts to places we’d rather not visit. Current events darken the threshold of our peace of mind. Heaping piles of fear can weigh us down and cause us to dread the future or lose sleep at night or keep us from choosing to live our lives in a forward motion.

Pilgrim-On-high-ropes-at-whisper-mountain-camp

Let us encourage you today to remember that God’s hand is in the undercurrents of all of life. Lift your eyes to the King of Kings, to the One who said in His Word these things will take place, to the One who is aligning everything for His promised return! WE ARE NOT HOME…Pilgrim on! Be the light while light remains. His plan is in motion and He has proven Himself trustworthy. We can hope in Him!

Summer 2015 >> Estero Teens

Estero-Group-Shot

Our first week of camp welcomed 42 teens and their leaders! Hearing all the different stories and participating in a tiny piece of that story just never gets old!

Hap-Pay-Camper

The week was filled with fun and adventure and a turning of our thoughts and hearts toward the ever pursuing God!

Fun-at-Whisper-Mountain-CampSplatter-Slide-at-Whisper-Mountain-CampHigh-Ropes-at-Whisper-Mountain-Camp

The baptism at the lake, a teen finding Jesus as Savior and the bonding within the group were just a few visible highlights from the week! We love the opportunity to SEE God working, though we know He’s always in the undercurrents of it all!

Mercy-Tree-Cove-at-Whisper-Mountain-Campat-the-cross

Teens, keep choosing wisely who you serve and encourage one another continually! Parents, thank you for trusting your teens with us! Leaders, you are making a real difference through your time and love and attention given to these teens — keep going!

We don’t take lightly the gift of getting to serve and proclaim Christ to you all! Thank you for being a part of our summer!

[ Photo Creds: Tom + Kinsley + Cassi ]

Winter Retreat | Calvary from SC

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 6Over the weekend, Whisper Mountain kicked off our 2014 year by welcoming and enjoying the company of Gravity Student Ministries from South Carolina in for a winter retreat! Many people only think of us as a summer camp, but indeed that is false!! We are busy little bees year-round! (something to remember!)

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 4

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 5The days were cold, but a bum barrel helped those waiting their turn on the high ropes course!

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 1

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 2

Whisper Mountain Winter Retreat 3Snowboarding and tubing were highlights of the weekend for the teens. The recent snows and the beautiful sunny day was perfect for such fun! (Nice having Cataloochee Ski Area nearby!)

The youth group led their own worship and teaching this weekend, so our staff was able to focus on connecting and serving — something we really do enjoy!

We loved having you, Calvary! May you carry the spiritual growth from your weekend into your daily lives at home!

A few more pictures can be found on our facebook page |

from the peanut gallery [summer staff randomness]

A fun part of capturing the weeks of summer with my camera is catching our goofball staff in their randomness! Enjoy a few from the week with some peanut gallery commentary!

Wm summer staff cuddle>>>Cuddle moments: a sure sign the staff get along really well!

WM summer staff

WM summer staff selfie>>>Photo bombing the camera card means I get to post them, right?

WM summer staff piano>>>I really enjoy listening to the band!

Wm summer staff tegan>>>Tip: when bored, stuff weeds in your ear! [dirty + weird=my boy]

Wm summer staff uniform>>>Working on facilities crew=dress & stand the same at all times!

Wm summer staff high ropes>>>Tip: when hot at high ropes, open up the pits and let the breeze in!

Wm summer staff belay>>>Did he see the lens pointed his direction or is something wrong?

Wm summer staff carabined>>>……..idk

Wm summer staff platform>>>Ever ridden the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World? The boat drifts under a bridge with a hairy pirate leg dangling down and the cave resounds with the stuck-in-the-head song, Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirates life for me!

That wraps up our first peanut gallery column! Tune in some other time whenever my mood strikes! Until then, go make somebody smile! It’s contagious!

Summer Staff, I love you! 😉

painting dirt

Green1
Green 2
Green3Whisper Mountain's high ropes cove probably never felt as big as it seemed to our guys this week! They felt every square inch of its vastness as they raked to (near) perfection! I don't think this cove has ever looked so good! For the past five years, our campers and our staffers have dealt with the dirt and mud as they experienced our course. But folks…that's all about to change!

Green4

Green5Today our miracle workers showed up and painted the cove green! We watched with big ole grins!

Green6 Because we all are dreaming of the lush growth that should come by spring!

Green7Lord, bless the growth!

Toto didn’t come!

Last week, Whisper Mountain was joyfully invaded by some great people from Kansas!  Group in coveThese seniors and their leaders spent their end of year trip serving different ministries in multiple locations! We felt so blessed to have them choose WM as one of their stops!

They helped us dig holes for our amphitheater seating in the prayer garden, helped drop and chop dead trees around the property, and several other small yet important jobs around camp!Cove

Tools

Tree drop
In between the work they were given the chance to scale new heights…High ropes

High ropes 2
High ropes 3
High ropes 4
 
High ropes 5
High ropes 6 …and run through the woods!Pntball 

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Thank you, Kansas Team! We loved having you and feel blessed by your footprints left behind!