Over a decade ago we were invited to family camp. A few years earlier, we’d changed our lives, trading in hangovers for Sunday morning church, and pursuing our dream of having a large family. Scott was asked to teach the college group at family camp and I followed along with a baby in my arms and a toddler hanging on my leg, as well as trying to keep up with our three bigger kids.

I have to be honest, I had no desire to camp with a bunch of people I didn’t know. Spending a week at camp with our five kids along with a bunch of strangers’ kids sounded about as appealing to me as assimilating with monkeys in the Amazon.

That first year of camp with little ones wasn’t easy. When we got invited back to Redwood Christian Park the following year, I really didn’t want to go. But we went and the next year went again and pretty soon– I’m not sure how– family camp became the highlight of our summer. Our seventh child we named Christian because we found out we were pregnant at camp. “If he’s a boy let’s call him “Cruz” after Santa Cruz,” I told Scott when the pregnancy test we bought at the local pharmacy a few miles from camp turned positive. “How about Redwood?” Scott teased, not liking my Cruz name. “Redwood is terrible for a baby, but we could go with Christian in honor of Redwood Christian Park,” I said. Nine months later that’s what we got, a Christian who really needs a savior because this boy is something else, and oh does he love the camp he was named after.

These days, Scott and I help out with the high school program at camp while our kids go to their camp classes. At family camp you’re served three square meals a day and a lot of Jesus. Moms don’t cook, don’t clean, and don’t struggle to understand the Bible on their own. After breakfast as your kids go with their camp leaders, moms and dads go to their own Bible classes, or parents can just rest and enjoy the beauty of the redwoods until lunchtime in the big dining hall.

In our early years at family camp, I’d walk into the dining hall knowing hardly anyone. But as the years went by, I realized most of these same people return year after year. The high school girls I lead now were toddlers when we first arrived here. I’ve watched kids grow up and people grow old at this amazing camp and I’ve grown to love these people. At mealtimes everyone comes together and afternoons are free for families to just have fun. You can rock climb, swim in the pool, do arts and crafts, or archery with your kids. There is a keynote speaker every night and then more fun activities like concerts, parties, and laser tag.

There are swings and slides and the Santa Cruz beach is just down the road. On Wednesdays we always take our family to the ocean or the Boardwalk for the afternoon. We love the log ride at the Boardwalk and all scream together as a family.

Our fourth child, John, was baptized in the ocean during a family camp picnic at the beach. Some years the camp brings everyone down to the ocean for fun in the sun and camp volleyball games on the beach. Other years families are free to do whatever they choose on Wednesday afternoons.

I’m not sure exactly what it is about family camp that makes it so special. For years we’ve ministered with the same team of youth leaders. The teenagers come and go, but some of these camp leaders have been with us for a dozen years at Redwood Christian Park. We’ve had our good years and hard years, fun years and frantic years as camp youth leaders, but these folks are faithful. They pour their hearts into loving kids at camp and sharing Jesus with the families.

All families have their summer traditions. Family camp has become a tradition for us. Some families at camp are as enduring as the redwoods and their legacy reaches to the sky at Redwood Christian Park. “My grandparents brought my mom here when she was a baby,” a lady told me at camp this year. “I’ve been coming to this camp since I was born. This camp is in my blood.”

Other families are broken and wounded, trying to start over at camp, and grow the right way. While walking through the forest at camp, I noticed a beautiful little tree growing right out of a sheered off stump. Our family has never been sheered off, but we didn’t arrive at camp that first year with our act together. Honestly, our act still isn’t together, but at camp we do our best to learn and grow and flourish as a family. And camp is really fun, just ask our kids, even Luke, our oldest son who isn’t into Bible studies these days said he really missed camp this year. Luke had to work so wasn’t able to go. Our girls didn’t get to go, either. Hopefully one of these years our family will all be together again at camp.

California has numerous family camps and I’m sure your state does too. If you’re looking for a special place for your family to grow in each other and in the Lord, I’ve added the link for our family camp. But don’t be afraid to find a camp in your area. Camp has been an amazing part of our life. Summer just wouldn’t be the same without family camp.

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