Faith That Grows Under the Pines

I’ve been coming to Camp Wakonda for as long as I can remember. I grew up here: running through the trails, sitting by the campfire, and feeling the crunch of pine needles beneath my feet. This place isn’t just "camp" to me. It’s home.

It’s also where I gave my life to Christ. I was baptized here, surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. There’s something about being in nature away from the noise, breathing in the stillness that makes it so much easier to feel His presence. Here, you can’t help but notice His fingerprints on everything.

The whole reason I keep coming back to work at Summer Camp is to help youth find their way to God. I want them to know they are loved, wanted, and seen. I want them to feel His loving arms wrapped around them, no matter where they are in life.

As staff, we begin every class with prayer because we believe God should be at the center of all we do. Each morning at line call, we share memory verses: words filled with God’s guidance and love to remind everyone that He is everywhere and in everyone.

Not every camper is at the same place in their walk with God, and that’s okay. Each person has their own unique journey, and God patiently waits for us when we wander. But this year felt different. I witnessed a spiritual stirring among many campers their hearts softened, and faith began to take root. Several arrived uncertain about their beliefs, yet left camp baptized or feeling a renewed calling to draw closer to God.

Seeing the impact Summer Camp had on these young lives has made my heart swell. Faith truly grows under these pines. Like the trees that stretch upward toward the light, our faith reaches higher as our roots sink deep into God’s truth. When you leave camp, you don’t just carry your belongings: you carry a deeper connection to the One who made it all.

Because I’ve lived it. I’ve been that person sitting under the trees, unsure of what God had planned for me, and I’ve felt Him meet me here. My baptism was just the beginning. Every summer since has been another step in my walk with Him and now, I get to help others take theirs. As long as God allows, I’ll keep coming back to these pines, watching seeds of faith take root, and celebrating as they grow toward the Son.

“Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬