Day two at Harvest Camp: “Climb Higher.”
What do mountain kids do when it rains? They go outside.
That pretty much explains the mindset of day two at Harvest Camp. Is it raining? We are still building forts. Do we still go swimming? Of course. You are going to get wet anyway. What about the playground? Honestly, the playground might be better in the rain. Rain is just part of God’s beautiful creation. There were see-saws, swings, climbing, running, laughing, and of course, the “wheel of pain.”
Ever tried the wheel of pain? Big thanks to our counselor (Hope) who took the camera for a spin—talk about dedication! By the way, big thanks to all the counselors, most of whom are former Harvet Campers!
After rain-soaked playground time, it was back to fort-building. These forts have it all—walls, ceilings, secret doors, and even fireplaces.
Once the forts were done, it was time to decorate and explore, and of course, there were adventures everywhere and tons of things to conquer. Campers fished for strange critters down a cliff, built grass recliners from tires, made wooden TVs, swung from vines, climbed trees, and defended their forts (password required!).
Just another awesome day at Harvest Camp.
The only real problem is that once these forts are finished, people will want to move in. I am serious. It has happened before.
Mud was its own adventure—especially when it turned into a giant slide. Rainy days at Harvest Camp make for the best stories, and… mud.
Then it was off to lunch. We had so much fun that we skipped snack time, which tells you something. After lunch, it was back to the playground again, still in the rain, because apparently playgrounds are just better that way.
Devotion time came next.
Today’s verse: Psalm 121:3–4—
“He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Psalm 121. Today we learned that the God we look to never falls asleep, never gets tired, and never stops watching over His kids.
We also talked about mountain goats.
Mountain goats have special pads on their feet that allow them to stand on steep places so their feet will never slip
Psalm 121:3 "He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber. Just like the mountain goat
And, of course, we learned to make goat sounds—pretty sure the whole camp joined in.
It was epic.
Ever been “GOATed”?
Most kids know GOAT means “Greatest of All Time”—the best athlete, hero, or star.
But at Harvest Camp, GOAT means something different.
GOAT = God Over All Things.
That is what it means to be GOATed at Harvest Camp. God over all things. When life feels tough or scary, who do we turn to? God. God over all things.
We also learned about Mount Mitchell—the tallest mountain in the East, right here in North Carolina. Even the biggest mountains are still under God’s hand.
Campers shared their own “mountains”—such as being afraid, missing family, crossing a swinging bridge, or facing something big and new.
That’s the point. Life can feel like a big mountain. But God is bigger.
God is over all things.
We wrapped up by reciting Psalm 121 and then breaking into small groups to discuss what it means for us today.
Then it was time for stations. We hit the pool, worked on mountain crafts, and spent time in our “books station.” The campers learned about mountain animals and explored different kinds of maps, including topographical maps, regular maps, and even a 3D contoured map of our mountain range.
Mountain crafts? So cool.
Today’s lesson: God is over it all—mountains, rain, tough things, scary moments. He’s with us every step.
Harvest Camp is a ministry of Harvest Equippers Ministries. We will be returning to Ukraine to minister to refugees, soldiers, and displaced families. This year, we’re working with three children’s camps in Ukraine, where we will introduce some of these Harvest Camp concepts to children deeply affected by the war. To read about our NextGen impact ministry, click here.
Thanks for praying, giving, and being part of the Harvest Camp family.
And remember:
GOAT means God Over All Things.