Family Camp 1

But some of the most important things that happen at Family Camp cannot be put on a schedule.

Through worship, chapel, prayer and conversations with other families, we are reminded that we were never meant to navigate life on our own. Here, faith is more than something we talk about. It is lived out in the kindness of a new friend, the encouragement of another parent who understands, and the quiet reminder that God is still at work, even in our most difficult seasons.

We have seen God work in the lives of both parents and children. We have welcomed families carrying grief and watched them experience the comfort of a community that cares. We have heard the stories of fathers carrying the weight of providing for their families, feeling exhausted by life’s demands and disconnected from God. Through honest conversations and the encouragement of other fathers, some have found the courage to lay those burdens down, surrender their struggles to God and begin again. Behind these moments are often years of faithful prayer and the love of families who have never stopped believing.

We have also seen children who arrive with little interest in faith begin to discover who Jesus is for themselves. We have welcomed children who have faced difficult experiences and watched them begin to find joy in community, build friendships and discover that there are caring, trustworthy people ready to walk alongside them. Sometimes, the beginnings of change are quiet: a new friendship, a willingness to join in, a moment of trust or a heart opening to the love of Christ.

These are the moments that remind us why Family Camp matters.  At JOY, there is room for the fun, the messy, the joyful and the difficult parts of family life. You don’t need to arrive with everything figured out. Come as you are, make memories with the people you love, and give God space to renew your heart and strengthen your family.

Come for the memories. Leave encouraged, connected and reminded that you are not walking this journey alone.