Spring Update - Sirbaugh's

When I was a kid, I remember being terrified of thunder and storms… mostly tornadoes. Not because I had ever experienced one, but because of what I saw on TV. Every time there was a thunderstorm, I’d run to the living room and hide my head under the couch. Because of this fear, I started studying meteorology and knew more about clouds and weather patterns than many adults. My parents later told me that I would walk outside, look at the clouds—their shape and movement—and tell them what the weather would be without ever hearing or seeing the news. It became a way of coping with my fear of storms. Maybe the more I knew, the safer I would be.

To this day, even though I have “grown-up” knowledge of storms and no longer hide under the couch, there’s still something about thunderstorms that gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach. Maybe it’s that old memory of hiding as a kid. Hiding is something we all do—whether it’s in a game like “Hide & Seek,” hiding out of fear, or hiding for protection. Spiritually, we often try to hide “things” we’ve done from God and others. These thoughts are something campers will be able to connect with this summer, because we’ve all hidden from something or someone in our lives.

Summer 2025 Theme

This spring, I’ve been studying and working on the daily cabin Bible studies that counselors will use in their time with campers. Our theme this summer is HideOut, and we’ll be looking at examples throughout Scripture of people who either hid or were hidden for various reasons. Counselors will explore these accounts and help campers discover the truth that no matter where we are—whether we’re afraid, ashamed, or seeking refuge—God sees us, pursues us, and has a purpose for us. Ultimately, our lives should be hidden with Christ in God, as mentioned in Colossians 3:3.

In addition to developing the Bible studies for the summer, we’ve had a busy spring prepping for camp. Most of our summer staff is in place, but we still have a few positions we’d like you to pray about. We’re looking for one male and one female Adventure Camp counselor, and a Media Tech who can capture memories this summer to share with parents and friends.

Along with staff recruiting, we’ve been active with several retreats hosted by New Life. About 50 people attended our Small Group Retreat, which is designed for youth groups. We had a great speaker and a dodgeball tournament where the Gospel was clearly shared. Nearly 60 men attended our Men’s Retreat, which was a real encouragement to those who came. We also hosted a Dad/Daughter Retreat, and a Family Retreat we just completed this weekend! We’re grateful for these opportunities to encourage people and share God’s Word. We've also assisted with many guest groups that have come through this spring.

Spring also means lots of projects around camp. Our full-time staff and volunteers have been hard at work constructing a pavilion on the patio next to the lodge. This will be a great resource for our Day Camp program this summer and a blessing to guests throughout the year. There are still many other things to prepare before summer, and we are hosting Volunteer Days on May 16–17 for anyone who would like to help with these projects in preparation for summer.

At home, Johanna continues to homeschool the boys, and they just finished with their school year this past week. Joses has completed 5th grade, and Eran has completed 3rd grade. Joses has been excelling in his piano lessons and enjoys building things. Eran is currently taking guitar lessons, enjoys playing the ukulele, and is interested in performing Gospel illusions for other kids. We appreciate your continued prayers and support for our family as we serve here at New Life.

We’re excited to see all that God will do through the camp program this summer and are so thankful for your prayers as we prepare for the season ahead.