Camp Maranatha, Idyllwild CA
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A Place of Peace Where God Changes Lives - 65 Years

2/23/2016

7 Comments

 
If you happen to drop by Camp Maranatha when our summer season is in full swing, you might wonder. Campers laughing and splashing one another with diving board cannonballs, an energetic game of capture the flag, the clang, clang, clang of the dinner bell, silly campfire songs that might possibly rank volume as more valuable than content.

Really? This is a place of peace?
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Perhaps, you imagine sitting under the pine trees atop a lone boulder, Bible on your lap, a soft mountain breeze tangling your hair? 
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Don’t worry. These moments do come, too. Even our rowdiest kids get a chance to sit quietly and ponder God and His beautiful creation.
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But the kind of peace we’re talking about is not found exclusively in the quiet. Now, celebrating 65 years, Camp Maranatha has been designated as “A Place of Peace Where God Changes Lives” for quite some time. And, yes, there is something about pine-scented mountain air, majestic views and encounters with wildlife that bring a sense of peace. But camp can also be a place of waiting in line for food, sloppy roommates, chapped lips and mosquito bites—things not usually associated with the idea of peace. ​

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​The peace God gives is not destroyed by trial and tribulation, let alone a few annoying insects or the happy noises of youthful exuberance.  In John 14:27, Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  

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So how does this peace Jesus gives differ from that which the world gives? One important difference we see at camp is that it’s the setting for changed lives. Lives changed by God.  We see this change even in small, perhaps, temporary ways. In the course of a week, the resentful learn to forgive, the fearful learn to hope, the unloving are transformed by unconditional Love. We get glimpses of these things during a stay at camp. But they are only glimpses. 

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Changed lives are a process. And it may be that reflecting on both the quiet peace and the noisy peace at Camp Maranatha teaches us something that the kind of peace the world gives could never do. The world’s kind is all about stopping and "No!" No war. No yelling. Stop doing or saying anything that might cause disagreement or conflict. 

The Prince of Peace tells us not just to stop, but also to go. This can be the hard “go” of working to forgive someone who has given you a lifetime of hurt. Or the “go” of making new friends when the old friends are still stuck in habits that once held you captive. 
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​It could even be the kind of
“go” that sent Abraham out
to a new land when he
“went out not knowing where he was going.”
(see Hebrews 11:8)

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...or the “go” that pointed Jonah to tell the good news to some scary people. This kind of change may take some time and it may not feel peaceful. But refusing the “go” of peace may not be all that easy or comfortable either. Just ask Jonah!

The point is simply this — true peace, whether at Camp Maranatha or at school, work or home can really only be found in God. We’d love to have you come to camp and enjoy our tall pines against blue skies. We’d love for you to come here to experience the changes in your life that only God can bring. And please do! Just remember, even on the days and weeks when you can’t get away to a quiet place (or a noisy place) like camp, you can still experience the peace that passes understanding. No matter where you are, you can choose peace by trusting in the One who made Camp Maranatha a place of peace in the first place.
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7 Comments
Jody Evans
2/24/2016 08:39:28 am

Share with us how you find the peace of Christ in the midst of not-so-peaceful situations. We'd love to hear from you!

Reply
Nancy Beggs
3/7/2016 04:34:58 pm

The blogs are so well written and express real situations and feelings. Keep it up! It is a great way to have camping reminders and memories available. We need to remember and recall the amazing things that take place at camp that have life changing effects.

Reply
Jody Evans
3/7/2016 04:53:46 pm

Thanks for the encouragement!

Reply
Dad
3/8/2016 09:11:11 am

Very good, Jody. Would that I could live up to that standard all the time or even most of the time. Thank you

Reply
Bobbi Crawford
3/13/2016 08:18:36 am

Jody please this going. It's a wonderful connection to Camp Marannatha for me and I'm sure many others. You offer so much to think about and learn from. Thank You. Bobbi

Reply
Celeste Jones
1/12/2017 07:42:53 pm

I attended 2 years 91 and 92 or 92 and 93. I loved this camp! It was amazing!!! If I still live in CA I would've sent my children yearly. Keep up the good work.

Reply
Allison link
4/30/2019 01:36:39 pm

What a great blog you have Jody!

Reply



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A Place of Peace Where God Changes Lives
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  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement & Statement of Faith
    • Camp History
    • Campus Map
    • Staff & Employment
  • Programs
    • Summer Programs
    • Marriage Retreat
    • Men's Retreat
    • Personal Pastor Retreat
    • Winter Teen Retreat
    • Women's Retreat
    • Camp Dunamis
    • Family Camp
    • Kings Kamp
    • SoCal Teen Camp
    • Kids Kamp
    • Teen Camp
  • Facilities
    • Camp Facilities >
      • Big Pine Lodge Living Room
      • Camp Bathrooms
      • Camp Office Building
      • Craft Building
      • Dining Hall
      • Eagle Mountain Auditorium
      • Ice Cream Parlor
      • Mt. San Jacinto Chapel
      • Mt. Tahquitz Chapel
      • Oak Chapel
      • Snack Bar
    • Housing Facilities >
      • Big Pine Lodge (Deluxe)
      • Mt. Tahquitz
      • Oak Lodge (Deluxe)
      • Standard Housing
    • Outdoor Facilities
    • Recreation Facilities
  • Rates/Contact
  • MORE
    • Food Services
    • Blog
    • Camp Newsletter
  • Support our ministry
    • Prayer: Adopt-A-Staff 2019
    • Donations
    • GET INVOLVED
  • CAMP STORE (NEW!)