Scenic view of trees at camp

Category: Stories


A Camper’s Leap of Faith

by Pine Cove

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Editor’s Note: The following story was shared by Sami Grace “Scoob” Donnelly, a summer staffer at the Pine Cove Woods.  I was a Crew counselor for Week 5 in 2022, so I was super excited when I found out my assignment for Week 5 of 2023 was Crew again. My old cabin and my new […]

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Solo Dios: Joi and Anna’s Story

by Valerie Morby

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“Toda palabra de Dios es purificada.” If you grew up in a Spanish-speaking home like Joi “Fuzzy” Hernandez did, you know that the above sentence translates to: “Every word of God proves true.” That key truth transcends language barriers, because His word remains true no matter the dialect. The Gospel is the same in English, […]

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How Staffers Share the Gospel

by Valerie Morby

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When a camper heads home after a week or two at Pine Cove, we hope they’re bringing with them the memories of silly skits, stories about their new friends, and maybe a few souvenirs and Ebenezers of their time at camp. Most importantly, though, we hope they’re leaving with a deeper understanding of the Gospel.  […]

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All Things for Good: Ayden and Lauren’s Story

by Lizzie Klein

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In October 2015, Ayden “Trips” Drake prayed over a verse, Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” That month, her mother had passed away from a condition called cystic fibrosis. Through the pain and confusion, Ayden […]

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Burdened For Their Brothers

by Valerie Morby

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Caroline and Ashlen had a lot in common. They both were college students—Caroline (or “Chip,” as she’s known at Pine Cove) at the University of Texas, and Ashlen (aka “T-Feels”) at Ole Miss—who had been serving for several summers at the Pine Cove Timbers. Both were thriving in their roles, seeking after the Lord, and […]

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From Summer Camp to the Principal’s Office

by Elizabeth Moore

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When Joshua “Cool Front” McDonald came to work at the Woods in 2006, he didn’t know it would turn out to be one of the most spiritually pivotal years of his life.  “My dad was a pastor, so I was always in the church in some form or fashion, but there wasn’t a lot of […]

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Even Bigger Than We Could Have Imagined

by Kelsey Kaigler

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“I can’t get over what a miracle it is watching You transform hearts right in front of me. I don’t deserve it. May I never forget it.” Silverado counselor Emma Cate “Pink Princess” Williams wrote those words in her journal after her hangtime with Madison Maddux, a fifth grader from Waco, Texas. And she couldn’t […]

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2023 Camper Quotes

by Karissa Pitaniello

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One of our favorite things about summer is getting a front-row seat to all God has in store for His people through their time at camp. We want you to enjoy that too! Read along to see what the Lord has been up to this summer at Pine Cove. “God showed me that He doesn’t […]

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Stepping Out in Faith: Prayer Lines at Silverado

by Valerie Morby

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She’d never felt particularly comfortable leading her family in prayer, but on a hot summer morning at Pine Cove, eight-year-old Shayla stopped her family’s trek across camp and did exactly that.  It was the last day of camp, and the Huffer family had arrived at Silverado to pick up their third-grader, Shayla. She’d never been […]

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A Legacy of Generosity: The McKenzie Scholarship Fund

by Valerie Morby

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If you spend enough time around Pine Cove—attending camp, reading copies of Transformed Magazine, or following us on social media—you will inevitably hear about the impact that God has made on countless campers’ lives through our scholarship program. Pine Cove has long been passionate about making sure no one is turned away from camp because […]

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