Below is a Daily Prayer Guide for Summer Camp that our area (Raleigh, NC) put together. If you’d like to create a personalized prayer guide for your area, here is an editable template. Prayer isn’t just preparation for ministry, prayer is ministry.
Prior to Camp (John 1:14 NLT, 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV)
Theme: “PRAYERFUL & PERSONAL PURSUIT”
These will be the days that we are getting ready to travel to the best week of our lives. On these days, we ask that you would join us in praying for safe travels and continued personal pursuit. Pray that leaders would seek out the kids that are feeling out of place and make them feel welcomed. Pray that kids would feel seen and heard by their leaders and their peers. Pray for the conversations on the way to camp. These days are all about seeking out kids and laying the foundation for the relational work that will be done at Crooked Creek.
Day 1 – Friday, June 17th (John 14:6-14 NIV)
Theme: “BOUGHT IN & UNIFIED”
Pray that every kid would feel a sense of awe as we ride the bus up the road to camp. Pray that they would feel the Spirit start to unravel the knots of their heart as they catch glimpses of camp from the bus windows. Pray that every kid would be all in and that they’d feel unified with the other folks in their cabin, and the rest of camp. Pray that this week would be more than they bargained for. Pray that our friends would feel confident enough to process together in cabin time. Also, please pray for Bailey and Lauren and the Enloe gals in their cabin.
Day 2 – Saturday, June 18th (Ephesians 2:19-22 MSG)
Theme: “CAPTIVATED & INCLUDED”
This is the first full day of camp. Pray that a sense of community would form amongst cabins. Pray that kids who don’t fit in with their cabin would be included. Pray that kids that have nothing in common with each other would become friends. Pray that they would be captivated by their beautiful surroundings. Pray that the walls they’ve built up would begin to be torn down. Pray that they would feel comfortable asking questions. Pray that their doubt would be met by laughter and fun. Pray for Griffin (Garner) and Justin (Enloe) and their cabin of guys.
Day 3 – Sunday, June 19th (John 8:2-9 NLT)
Theme: “DIALED IN”
Today kids start to forget about things at home and begin adjusting to a new routine in Colorado. Pray that doubt and cautious optimism turns into kids having the courage to ask questions and lean in a little more to the gospel. As kids hear about our need for Christ, pray that the truth of the gospel would pierce their hearts and kids would realize that no matter where they are, they share this need. Pray that they would go from asking, “Could this be true?” to “Could this be true for me?” Pray for the Spirit to give leaders words to say and questions to ask. Pray that this experience would become personal for each kid. Pray for Josiah and Jonah (Neighbor) and their cabin of fellas.
Day 4 – Monday, June 20th (Isaiah 53:6 NIV, Romans 3:23 NIV, Romans 6:23a NIV)
Theme: “SURRENDER”
Today kids will hear about sin and our own helplessness against it. Pray that they would see not only the sin in the world, but be able to see sin in their own lives. Pray that they would understand that they are helpless in “fixing” their own sin, but not hopeless because of Christ. Pray that the Spirit would be moving kids to surrender to Christ and invite Jesus into their lives. This is the point in camp where we cannot move kids any further along with any kind of strategy – only the Spirit can do this. Please pray with us that He would show up. Pray for the Broughton girl leaders, Laura, Sarah and Sofia and their cabins of ladies.
Day 5 – Tuesday, June 21st (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9 NIV)
Theme: “SUMMIT AND SUBMIT”
Today we get to hike a mountain with all of our friends and take in the glory of God’s creation. We get to see a picture of what life is supposed to be like, being in community with our friends and in awe of God. We get to do what Jesus did: walk a path with some of our closest friends. Leaders, kids, all alike need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We get to live out a slice of his struggle to appreciate how he loves at the cross. The most practical thing we can do: let it work on us as well. The message of the cross will be delivered on this night to 400+ high school kids, some for the first time. Pray that our leaders would hear it as much as students do. Pray for the Raleigh area and that kids would submit their lives to Jesus tonight. Pray for the 15 minutes of silence where kids reflect on their week and what they just heard. Pray against distractions during this time. Please pray for our Garner lady leaders, Maggie and Rachel, and their cabins of girls.
Day 6 – Wednesday, June 22nd (John 11:1-44 MSG)
Theme: “ASK ANYTHING”
Today will be a day of processing and asking questions. Pray that as leaders begin to have one-on-one conversations with their friends that we could listen, respect, and respond to their doubts and rejoice with the ones who have decided to give their lives to Jesus. Pray that we’ve earned the right to walk alongside our high school friends in all their doubts, fears, and questions about the most important things in life when we return home to Raleigh. Pray for our second 15 minutes. Pray for our Broughton guy leaders, Luke, Neil, Darius and Tom, and their cabins of fellas.
Day 7 – Thursday, June 23rd (Philippians 3:8-14 NLT, Romans 4:17 NIV)
Theme: “GIVE IT A GO”
At this point, many kids may have met Jesus. Pray that they would use this day as the first day of the rest of their lives. Pray that they would try their first quiet time, their first prayers, their first reading of the scriptures with the scales off their eyes. Pray for our area meeting where we will cast a vision for us to be a part of what God is going to do back home this year. Pray for the kids who are afraid to bring Jesus back home with them, that they’d have courage to keep showing up with Him and their leader. Pray for Risa and her cabin of Neighbor ladies.
Final Thoughts (Acts 2:42-47 NIV, Ephesians 3:20 NIV)
Theme: “MISSIONAL COMMUNITY”
Our prayer is that by praying for us and our trip, you have experienced the Lord in your own life. That in walking through the gospel message this week with us, it had an impact on your own life. Please be a part of the missional community we are building for all of Raleigh. Lead with us, pray with us, and be changed with us and we will see our community change. Pray that these students would come home and be excited to reach those around them with the gospel. Pray for the students that didn’t come on this trip, or don’t know what Young Life is, that they would know Jesus more over this next year because of the people that went to Crooked Creek. We would love to get in touch with you if you’re interested in hearing more about what we’re doing this summer, or about what happened during the week, or if you want to take a leader to lunch and thank them for what they do. We are grateful for such a supportive committee, community, and body of believers.
Gratefully,
The Raleigh Young Life Staff