We're in Full Swing!

Our first week of Shepherds Camp has begun and we are in full swing.

This is SUMMER...
#63 for Arrowhead Bible Camp.
#46 for the Shepherds Camp Program.
#8 for Kelly and I
#3 for Natalie (who turns 3 on July 11th!)

This week we have:
65 Campers
15 Counselors
3 Co-Counselors
7 Program Staff
11 Service Staff
6 Leadership Staff

Our youngest camper is: 23
Our oldest campers is: 88

DC Count Down

Day Camp Count Down
22 Days Left

Wow! Day Camp is just around the corner. We closed this year's Day Camp a few weeks ago...with over 100 kids signed up. What a blessing! All of the details are set for great week of camp. We even have some NEW special guests and activities planned for this year's program. You'll have to wait until after camp to find out the details. I can tell you one thing - Day Camp at Arrowhead is going to be a crazy, awesome, fun, exiting, challenging, caring, amazing, inspiring, connecting, encouraging, truth filled week of CAMP.

And get this...every kid has been fully supported - which means that Day Camp at Arrowhead truly is FREE!

That also means, that we have fulfilled our VISION - to be the "Camp for Every Kid!"

We would love to have you pray for us and our campers as we prepare AND during camp, July 21-25. We believe God is going to make a HUGE IMPACT on kids and families in our local communities. We would also love to hear from you - as you pray for Arrowhead and Day Camp. Keep in touch. Thanks to everyone who has invested in Day Camp. What a blessing. What an IMPACT!

Reject Blessings

We received an unexpected package in the mail yesterday. Unexpected because we forgot all about last year's surprise shipment. Unexpected because Kyle (whose mom works for Jelly Belly) is not serving here at camp this summer.
I opened the big white box trying to remember what the last thing was that I ordered online. I wasn't expecting a package, but here was one addressed right to the ministry. What a blessing I found inside...16 lbs. of Belly Flops (Jelly Belly rejects). A big, "Thank You!" to Mrs. Stewart. They will be thoroughly enjoyed.

[To Kyle's credit - he lives in California...and the last few summers he has flown out here to the east coast to serve at Rock Mountain and Arrowhead.]

DC Count Down

Day Camp Count Down
39 DAYS

Wow! Day Camp is almost here. We've got a ton of kids signed up AND they have ALL been fully supported by churches, families, and individuals. Thanks everybody. Arrowhead's Day Camp IS the Camp for EVERY Kid.

This past Saturday was our 4th annual FREE Picnic and Open House. It was a beautiful day with warm weather, clear skies, and almost a hundred people in attendance. It was our privilege to share a picnic meal and the camp facilities with our neighbors, camp friends, staff, Shepherds campers, Day Camp campers, and some new friends who wanted to check out Arrowhead.

And The TRUTH Shall Set You Free.

Last night as Natalie was getting ready for bed she decided to be disobedient in the process of going from brushing her teeth to sitting on her bed for story time (reading the Bible). Her disobedience immediately led to the consequence of a punishment. Then after some clear instructions, Natalie promptly headed into her room and hopped up on her bed for story time. We sat together as a family, opened up her new Bible and turned to the next story from the book of Genesis. As Natalie squirmed and shifted getting herself into just the right position Kelly and I glanced down at the Bible story and noticed the title.


After a somewhat held-back simultaneous chuckle Kelly read the title aloud, "Disobedience Brings Punishment."

Natalie looked at the Bible Story, looked up at us, and without hesitation said, "Let's not read that."

Now THAT was good for a laugh out loud. I'm sure you will agree, that children are both a blessing and a joy - especially in the unprompted things they say.
It's hard to tell what was going through Natalie's mind. Was she still feeling the effects of the consequences of her disobedience or was it God's Word piercing like a two-edged sword? A little bit of both I suppose.

More Hands!

Day Camp Count Down
69 DAYS

Things are going very well at the bookstore. When I last checked in a few days ago they had met their initial goal of supporting 15 kids. The wall behind the cash registers is growing with hands...all representing individuals who are making a great IMPACT at camp this summer. Day Camp is FREE...and those names on the wall are making it possible.

Don't forget - Saturday, MAY 17th - the bookstore will be having a huge sale all day AND a portion of the proceeds from the whole day will be given to Day Camp - "the camp for EVERY kid."

I know, some of you are saying, "But I don't live anywhere near the bookstore." Don't worry you can help send kids to Day Camp for free by simply sending an investment directly to the camp.

Who Likes the Circus More?

Every time the circus comes to town (or near by) Kelly is the first one to say, "Let's go!" For me, the circus is one of those things that I enjoy...once I'm there. This time though I was pretty eager for the experience because this was Natalie's first circus adventure.
Friday night after dinner we headed for town, excitedly talking about tigers and bears and elephants. We tried not to talk about such things as cotton candy, hotdogs. or expensive toys with internal spinning lights. We certainly didn't mention anything about clowns. Natalie's first "costume" experience was Sparky, the Awana 2nd grader's mascot. Sparky came walking out of the main building here at came just as Natalie was about to enter. Apparently, a 5' 7" giant lightening bug/bumble bee has a slightly overbearing presence among small children.
We had an absolutely enjoyable time as a family. Natalie loved every minute of entertainment. She was pleasant and obedient the whole time. She even liked watching the clowns (especially the ones that kept their distance). We steered clear of junk food and those crazy light up toys, of which I heard one dad exclaim, "This thing was 15 bucks!" To top off the evening, when I was at the ticket window a lady came up behind me and threw two free admission tickets on the counter and said, "Here you go. Two people bailed on me early today. I don't need these...enjoy." What a blessing!