Pre-Camp Devotionals

Get ready for your session at Camp Deer Run with these devotional thoughts. There is one short Devo for each day of the week leading up to your camper’s session! Each devo contains a short video from a staff member, a written devotional thought, and some discussion questions.

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Pre-Camp Devo #1 - Sunday
Our first pre-camp devo is all about Looking for God during your session. We pray that God will open our eyes to see Him in His creation and in the people around us!
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Pre-Camp Devo #2 - Monday
On Day 2 of our Pre-Camp Devo series we're talking about Prayer - specifically Praying All the Time! Prayer is such an important part of the Camp Experience. Click below to read more and get ready for a session full of prayer!
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Pre-Camp Devo #3 - Tuesday
Today's devo talks about having the same attitude of Jesus. At Camp, Attitude is Everything, and the best attitude we can have is the attitude of Jesus!
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Pre-Camp Devo #4 - Wednesday
Our God has done wonderful things, and He is still doing them! Our God is good, pure and simple, and we can always rejoice in that!
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Pre-Camp Devo #5 - Thursday
Camp is getting so close, only a few days to go! Today we're talking about Praising God all day long - from morning to night! It might sound difficult, but not at Camp!
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Pre-Camp Devo #6 - Friday
Pack your bags! Only two more days until you're at Camp Deer Run! At Camp, we want to make Christ known to everyone, and today we're talking about Helping Others Know Christ.
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Pre-Camp Devo #7 - Saturday
ONE MORE DAY! We are so excited to see you tomorrow for your session at Camp. One of the most important parts of Camp Deer Run is that it is FUN! Otherwise, why even have Camp? Learn about how Serving God is Fun in our last Pre-Camp Devo!
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ready for camp?

Make sure you are ready for your session! We have everything you need to know before Camp right here on our website. Click below to visit our preparing for camp page where you can see a packing list, find recommended products for your session, or read the Camp Deer Run Compass – an extensive guide to everything you need to know before your session at Camp Deer Run!

Let's get Ready!

Day 1 - Look for God

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 19:1-4 

DEVO: We are so excited for you to join us at Camp Deer Run this summer! This is a great place to have fun, make friends, and grow in your relationship with God. During your session, we want to encourage you look for God in everything! Camp is such a great place to look for God because there are less distractions here than there are in the world, and you are constantly surrounded by His creation.

Romans 1:20 says, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.” 

At Camp, you will be able to see the glory of God in all that He has made! You’ll see Him in the tall trees, in the smallest insects, in the beautiful stars, and in so many other parts of His creation. Look at the details in a leaf, a sweet-gum ball, or a pine cone.  God’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail is amazing. If you really stop to look, it’s impossible not to see God all around you!

There are other ways you’ll be able to see God at camp as well!  You will see Him in the Summer Staff as they lead you through your camp experience. You’ll see Him in their lessons and in the example they set. You will see Him in the Bible as you learn and study together with your friends.

Look for God this session, and you will see His glory in all that He has made. You will get to know Him more, and you will see just how great He is. And the best part it that the same God who made all of this loves YOU and cares deeply about you!

DISCUSSION:

1.    What is an amazing part of God’s creation that you have been in awe of before?

2.    How can you look for God during your Camp session?

Day 2 - Pray All The Time

SCRIPTURE: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

DEVO: This verse is quoted a lot, and sometimes the idea of praying without ceasing is overwhelming. It seems like an impossible task to do when I already have so many other things going on. If you also feel the same way, don’t worry–you are not alone! 

I want to encourage you to remember that prayer is not an item that needs to be marked off of a checklist, and it is not a burden. Prayer is a blessing! It is our way of getting to speak directly to God! He invites us to communicate with Him in every circumstance because He cares for us, and He wants us to draw near to Him! So from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep at night, God wants us to communicate with Him. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:12-13, “You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” 

Did you catch that? He hears you when you pray to Him! And you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart! To do that, I want to encourage you to seek God everyday through prayer! In Quiet Time, you have the chance to share your fears, hopes, and dreams with God. In the middle of your daily routine, you can offer up thanks for the blessings you have been given. When there are moments of joy, share those moments with God, knowing that He rejoices with you! And in moments of sadness, know that you can find peace in His presence. 

The command to pray without ceasing is not about ignoring everything else going on in your life and just praying by yourself all the time. Praying without ceasing means inviting God into every moment. It is about spending time with the Lord and changing the way you see things, so that your heart is more like God’s. It is about opening your eyes to the ways that He is present in every moment of your life and seeking his guidance and wisdom. It is knowing that we cannot walk this Christian journey without Him and knowing that He is always with you. And it is out of this knowledge that you can rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances!

PRAYER (as your prepare for your session, we encourage you to spend time praying about):

1.    Pray for your upcoming session and that you would be able to use this time to draw near to God.

2.    Pray for the staff that are serving at Camp Deer Run this summer.

3.    Pray for the other campers that will be in your session, and that they would be able to experience God while at Camp Deer Run.

Day 3 - Have the Attitude of Jesus

SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:1-11

DEVO: Ever heard the phrase “Attitude is everything?” Well I think the apostle Paul would agree – our attitudes are SO important. This section of Philippians 2 is all about having the same mindset (or attitude) as Jesus. Why is that important? Because our attitude decides how we see the world. It decides the way we think about ourselves and the people around us. It decides whether we’re going to have fun or just sit on the sidelines and watch. Attitude really is everything.

Paul says that Christ’s mindset was simple. It was a mindset of humility. In Paul’s words, that means Jesus’ mindset was to “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Another good way to describe this attitude is to say that it’s an attitude of service. Really, the two go hand in hand. To be a servant, you have to humble yourself first. Sometimes we think that to humble ourselves means to think badly about ourselves, but really it just means to think about ourselves a little less and think of others a lot more. It’s about putting other people first, just like Jesus did.

At Camp, we talk a lot about having the attitude of a servant, like Jesus. But it applies is more ways than you might think. It changes the way you play competitive games, like ball games or Capture the Flag. Instead of focusing on winning at all costs, we’re more focused on having fun with the people around us. Instead of taunting or jeering when we win, or pouting and complaining when we lose, we encourage each other! It doesn’t just apply to games though, your attitude is important in every activity that we do, both at Camp and at home.

This week as you get ready for your session at Camp Deer Run, reflect on this passage of Scripture in Philippians and think about how you can have the same attitude as Jesus. Here are a few questions for you to think about and discuss with your family or friends this week!

DISCUSSION:

1.    How would you describe Jesus’ attitude?

2.    What are some stories from the Bible that show Jesus’ attitude?

3.    Can you think of any times from your life that your attitude made a difference?

4.    Why do you think attitude is important at Camp?

Day 4 - Rejoice in the Lord

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 100 & Psalm 118:24, 28-29

DEVO: As you read these scriptures, I want you to think about who God is and write down whatever comes to mind. Next, I want you to think about what God has done and write those things down.

I’ll share what came to mind for me: God is my loving Father. He is my savior. He is my redeemer. He is Lord of all. He has created everything that I see. He died for me and redeemed me, so that I could be with Him, and He continues to pursue a relationship with me.

Wow! Those are some pretty incredible things to write down and to know about the God that I serve. How wonderful He is! How could I not rejoice in Him when I know Him and know those things to be true?!

The ability to rejoice in the Lord comes through truly knowing Him! He is good. He is kind. He is loving. He is gracious. He is merciful. Look around you and see the works of His hands in the flowers, the trees, the rain, the wind, etc. See how He is working in the Godly people in your life, and how He is working in you!

If you are having a hard time finding joy in the Lord, I want to challenge you to look more closely for Him. Spend time in His Word learning about who He is and how much He loves you. Spend time communicating with Him through prayer. And when you are at Camp in a few days, take advantage of the chance you have to see Him in the trees that tower above you and the stars at Night Devo, to hear Him in the laughter on Canteen Porch and the singing at Hymn Time, and to feel Him in the peace and stillness of Quiet Time. I find joy in experiencing God in these moments at Camp, and I hope you will, too!

 DISCUSSION:

1.    Is it easier for you to see God at Camp than it is for you to see Him at home? Why?

2.    How can you practice seeing and experiencing God more at home?

3.    What are ways that you rejoice in the Lord?

Day 5 - Praise Him All Day

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 34:1-15, Psalm 113:3

DEVO: The first thing we do every day at Camp Deer Run is Flagpole Devo, where we begin our day in praise with a reading from Scripture, a hymn, and a prayer. It’s short and simple but it’s the first step in praising God all day long! In the same way, the last activity of every day is Night Devo, where each group will gather together on the ballfields under the stars to sing a few more songs, hear a short devotional thought from their Group Leader, and end the night with their group’s special Night Song. So we take Psalm 113:3 pretty literally around here! From our very first to our very last activities of the day, we are praising God! 

But wait, what about everything in between? Is it just constant Bible reading and prayer and singing? Well, no. But praise isn’t limited to just those things! We can (and do) praise God in ALL of our activities at Camp Deer Run. But how? We do it by having the same attitude as Christ, serving God and others at every opportunity, taking time to reflect on God in all of our activities, enjoying the gifts he has given us, and knowing that we are surrounded by God and His people at every turn!

 So whether we’re playing Capture the Flag or sitting in the Rec Hall for Hymn Time, we know that every part of the day is an opportunity to praise God in a unique way. In fact, one of the most important lessons you can take from Camp is that praise should never be limited to a church building or worship service! Praise is something that goes with us everywhere we go and in everything we do.

As you get ready for your session, reflect on these verses from Psalm 34 and 113. Think about the ways that you can Praise God with your whole life, not just the moments when you’re in church or at a devo or other things like that. We praise God all day not by sitting through a 24 hour church service, but by seeing Him and recognizing Him in everything we do, and at every opportunity, serving Him and His people.

DISCUSSION:

1.    What are some ways you can praise God in your every day life?

2.    How often do you think about God during the day? Should it be more?

3.    Do you mostly just think about God during church or church activities, if so, how can you create reminders for yourself to think about Him more often?

Day 6 - Help Others Know Him

SCRIPTURE: Luke 5:18-26

DEVO: Everyone is busy, all the time.  In our culture we rush from one activity to another.  Even summers have become full and not necessarily with restful activity. 

At camp we live at a different pace and without the constant interruption of technology.  We are able to focus on God and have fun growing in our relationship with Him.

Someone in your life felt like it was important to give you an opportunity to be away from all the busyness of the world.  Someone wanted to give you a session at camp to slow down and get closer to Jesus.  It might be your parent or grandparent that signed you up for camp but whoever it was wants to help you know Jesus.  Did you know that while at camp you will have the opportunity to help others know Jesus as well?

In the Scripture reading for today we have a story that involves four men helping their friend get closer to Jesus.  The crowd was so full that they open up the roof to lower their friend into the house.  Why did they do this?  They did this so that their friend could be near Jesus. During your session you can help others grow closer to Jesus.  You can set a good example for others.  You can talk about things that were impactful in lessons taught by staff.  You can keep the focus on God and not bring up topics that distract or are ungodly.  You can share the love you have for God with others. 

So as you prepare to come to camp for your session consider how you will be a blessing to others.  Think and pray for the other campers and staff who will also live in your cabin.  You can be an encouragement and leader for the other campers.  You can help others know Jesus!

DISCUSSION:

1.    Life can be busy, especially at the end of the school year.  What “busyness” are you looking forward to having a break from?

2.    How can you set a good example for others during your session?

3.    Who are the people responsible for sending you to camp this summer?  Have you thanked them yet?  What could you do to say thank you to them before and after your session?

Day 7 - Have Fun Serving God

SCRIPTURE: John 10:10, Psalm 37:4, Proverbs 17:22

DEVO: One thing that the world gets totally wrong about Christianity is the idea that God is boring. Well, if Camp Deer Run can be an example of one thing, it’s that God is NOT boring. So where did this idea that God can’t be fun come from? It’s probably because people think that worship is limited to church services and bible studies that aren’t always “fun” in the way we usually think of fun. It’s also probably because people think that following God means that you have to follow a bunch of rules that keep you from being able to have fun. The good news for followers of Jesus is that these things couldn’t be further from the truth!

Worship is not just a church service on Sunday morning. Worship is a way of life! As a follower of Christ who wants to serve and glorify Him in everything you do, everything becomes an act of worship – even the fun things! At Camp Deer Run, we think God takes special pleasure in the fun things. God wants us to be joyful! He gave us creativity and imagination and playfulness as gifts to enjoy! In John 10:10, Jesus says that it is actually the devil who wants to tear you down with his deceiving ideas of what “fun” really is. It’s the devil who is lying to us, saying “God doesn’t want you to have fun.” But if we listen to God’s words through Scripture, we see that God DOES want us to have fun. He wants us to enjoy the good things he’s given us. He wants us to have a life that is FULL, not boring and bland and empty!

At Camp Deer Run, you’re going to have the most fun week or two of the whole summer, but it’s not the fake “fun” that the world tries to give us. It’s the genuine, pure, simple fun that God intended for us. It’s fun that delights in the Lord and fills us up. It’s fun that is shared with friends who also love the Lord. It’s fun that is worship all at the same time! How? Simply because we are focused on serving and loving God in everything we do, from Hymn Time and Worship to Silly Songs and Slip’n’Slides.

Don’t let the world fool you! A life lived in service of God is life to the full!

DISCUSSION:

1.    Is it easier to have fun serving God at Camp than it is at home? Why?

2.    What are some ways you can have fun serving God at home?

3.    What would you tell a friend who thinks that God is boring?