“My son, do not forget my teaching, […] but keep my commands in your heart, Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart[…] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil[…] Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Proverbs 3:1-12
Reading this passage from Proverbs years ago, I thought it would be a good one for my son and me to memorize, so I laminated it on an index card and gave it to him. I wanted him to be sure of what a sure foundation looked like. I charged him, as King David did to his son Solomon, with wise words as he grew. Solomon reminds us, with instructions throughout Proverbs, of how to live a life that brings God glory and honor. In my younger years at NF as a camper and counselor, men there took the time to teach me what a godly man looks like and how he acts. I respected them, and I aspired to be like them; I thrived in that setting, and I wanted that for my son and for yours as well.
Northern Frontier has been a place for many boys, young men, and fathers, which is a support network and a partnership in raising boys into godly men. I, my brother, my cousin, and now our sons get to experience God at Northern Frontier. What a blessing! My son is a counselor now at NF, but came up through the program since age six as a tree climber. To this day, he and other guys at NF are reminded of God’s teachings throughout the day by counselors and leadership to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and pressing them to commit scripture to memory. Many Godly men who served at Northern Frontier Camp have gone before us and modeled this as well.
Our sons get to hear of countless ways their counselors learned to trust God with all their hearts and lean on him through life’s ups and downs. Our sons get to hear first-hand the evidence from those who have gone before us that God sees our needs, knows us by name, and promises never to leave nor forsake us. Campers and staff find themselves in situations where they can bless others as they develop a sacrificial heart and live out biblical servanthood. Northern Frontier Camp is where a boy can come to be surrounded by godly men and be spurred on in faith. It is a place to learn skills, become a leader, and understand our identity in Christ, not the world. And Northern Frontier is a place to have epic adventures and to develop a band of Christian brothers to walk with you through life.
This past summer, boys had a blast at the waterfront, on the trails, climbing cliffs, overnight camping, and attending our evening campfires. Listening to college-age guys share their testimonies, tell stories, or share from God’s Word left lasting imprints on the hearts and minds of those who listened. Each week, several campers prayed with their counselors to surrender their lives to Christ. We had boys rededicate their lives after being part of CORE and our JCLT programs, and we had fathers rekindle relationships with their sons and the Lord while spending 3 days with us. We strive to model Christ’s love and his heart as we disciple boys from God’s Word, all while in the great outdoors. We pray we can continue to do the Lord’s work with excellence at NF until His return.
After reading this letter and seeing the boys in action (having fun in the outdoors at Northern Frontier, being discipled and led by our staff) I hope your heart now understands what goes on at Northern Frontier and how vital it is to support our mission of raising up boys, young men, and fathers into godly leaders. I would like you to pray and consider making a one-time donation to our year-end General Fund need. Enjoy these pictures from camp this summer. These are the faces of campers that your gifts have blessed for Kingdom work!
We have a $50,000.00 deficit in incoming funds due to low camper registrations since COVID. We also have $112,000.00 left to meet our 2025 yearly General Fund giving target budget. Would you prayerfully consider giving to help us meet our 2025 budget goal of $162,000.00 by year’s end? Thank you for supporting Northern Frontier Camp!
Stay Bright and Keen for Christ!
Capt. Chris Studley
