Tag: life change
There are Pine Cove families, and then there are PINE COVE families. If you were born into the latter, you’ll undoubtedly relate to the Ummels: Shannon and her husband David met while working at Pine Cove in the 1980s. Their children have grown up attending summer camp at Pine Cove. Their oldest daughter, Lauren, just […]
Tags: life change
Starting in the summer of 1971, Teresa “Chigger” Roberson spent many summers and weekends at Pine Cove. As a close friend of the McKenzie family and a Tyler native, Teresa and her group of friends went to church together and worked at camp together. Before developing into twelve camps in three regions, Pine Cove consisted […]
Tags: life change
At the start of 2014, David and Misti Maddron’s family had recently doubled in size. Adam and Autumn, both adopted like the oldest, Andrew, had just joined their family, and Misti was about to give birth to their first biological child, Asher. In the midst of this rapid family growth, Andrew, a third grader, heard […]
Tags: life change
by Emily Harmon
Scaling your way to the top of a huge climbing wall. Trying out a daring flip on the bungee trampoline. Making your way up, around, and over an inflatable obstacle course. Each of these Pine Cove City activities may seem challenging at first, but every year campers and counselors face them head on, breaking down […]
Tags: life change
Though not all bad, the year 2020 took a couple of gut punches to our family, just like millions of others. We arrived at the New Year’s Conference at Pine Cove bruised and weary. My father-in-law had died tragically a couple of months earlier, and my husband was painfully recovering from back surgery. With our […]
Tags: life change
Just like the rest of the world, Mindy Van Andel watched the pandemic news closely this past spring. Early on, she had an idea that the coronavirus would somehow impact camp. Her kids weren’t scheduled to attend youth camp for four more months, but the Lord was already stirring something inside her, whispering for her […]
Tags: life change
The summer of 2018 was a season of grief and hope for Caitlin Keeney, but she was reminded of the Lord’s promises through a hang time with her counselor, Anna Joy, or “Oovoo Javier.” Caitlin grew up in Tyler, Texas, spending many of her summers as a Pine Cove camper. Camp became a refuge for […]
Tags: life change
Combines dot the outskirts of my small town this time of year. They trek down row after row, from morning ‘til night, gathering rice, corn, and soybeans from the fields. It’s harvest season. And though it’s hard work, this is the time when farmers get to reap what they sowed during the labor-intensive spring. Harvest […]
Tags: dads, family, life change, moms, parenting
The storyline of the Bible shows that people have always had the tendency to forget what God has done, though He calls His people to find ways to remember His awesome deeds. Visual media, when done well, can be a powerful tool in helping people remember the story of what God did in their lives […]
Tags: life change
Inside the Cove | Staff Profile
We got the chance to talk with Jan Robertson and hear what it’s been like to join Pine Cove later than most, how it has changed her life, and all the fun and challenges that come with pioneering a new camp. Oh, and she kept us laughing with the story of her engagement to her […]
Tags: central texas, crier creek, family, family camp, life change, retreats, staff, Staff Profiles