Wanderings & Wonderings

How Camp Grows Leaders: A Shared Post by Tim Nielsen

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:38:08 GMT

Today I want to share this post by Tim Nielsen, the executive director of Christian Camps and Conferences. I found it well-written and expressive of our own feelings here at Deep Roots Ranch; I did however want to add in just one thing- that true growth happens from the inside-out as we draw closer to God and allow His work within us. While camp is a phenomenal setting for accomplishing that, we don’t just want to grow fantastic leaders…we want to grow fantastic children of God, and only God can do that!

John 15:5 – I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Follow this link to read his full post:

https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/leadership-development-in-christian-camps/

Q&A: Safety Measures

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:38:05 GMT

What safety measures will we be putting in place when we open Deep Roots Ranch?

State safety laws already have quite a few requirements, and we will be certain to have those fulfilled; but we intend to go an extra mile to ensure that both parents and kids feel safe. We understand not only the stigma attached to many Christian institutions today, but we also understand that for some a lack of safety has already happened; we don’t have any desire to repeat or further perpetuate either of these things. Furthermore, our ultimate goal is spiritual growth, and we don’t want anything to distract from that. We want everyone to feel secure so that they can focus on God with a free heart and mind!

We intend to instigate an intense vetting process; we will not only require background checks, but for each of our staff members and volunteers we want those truly devoted to changing lives through God’s power. Our camp, while it will be fun, will not be an easy summer job. Each will be required to have training in abuse protection. We will have consistent onsite security, as well as retired volunteers from local churches to simply be a presence where needed. For the long-term, we will eventually have camera surveillance in public areas.

As far as natural disasters are concerned, we will have evacuation plans in place as well as tornado safety measures, above and beyond what the state law requires.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Your experience here at Deep Roots Ranch matters to us!

God Doesn't Expect Perfection

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:38:03 GMT

In my own personal walk with the LORD I had quite a moment recently. I was listening to a devotional as I was driving my car. Now, as a bit of backstory, I was raised being taught thoroughly the doctrines of the Bible in my school and church. As a young teenager and into my adult years, I had a firm understanding of holiness and purity of heart, mind, and body; Christlikeness and sanctification are or should be two of the ultimate goals of every believer.

But while I fully acknowledged my own shortcomings and humanity, it didn’t change the fact (one I didn’t even realize existed in my mind) that I also believed there was an expectation on God’s part that I would be as close to perfect as possible.

YES, in the Holy Spirit’s enabling power (Gal. 5) as we walk and grow with Him daily, we should be set apart, we should be improving and changing and maturing in our victories over sin; but God does not expect perfection. In fact, in His exquisite sovereignty, He has already foreseen our errors and planned accordingly, working all things for our good and for that very Christlikeness (Rom. 8:28-29).

The passage referenced in the devotional is Hebrews 4:15-16 with a nod to Romans 8:1. Even though I’m familiar with these passages, something in the way the auditor described them completely shifted everything for me as the Holy Spirit gave me just a bit more light.

Because there is no condemnation, the devotional thought concluded “that means when we pray, we can speak honestly to God, and we can say to Him, ‘God, I messed up again. God, I’m scared. God, I feel weak. God, I need help.’ We can speak this freely because Jesus stands beside us and says, ‘Father, this one is mine.’ We do not come boldly to the throne of God because we are worthy; we come with ‘parresia’ (Heb. 4:16), with freedom and confidence because Jesus is worthy. We come because our Jesus is both compassionate and holy. We come because His mercy and grace await us there. That is why we do not crawl or slink into His presence hanging our heads in shame. That is why we do not hide, or pretend, or hold back. Instead, we walk in with humble confidence, knowing who we are, knowing who He is, and knowing that we are always welcome because of Jesus.” 1

He doesn’t expect perfection, or competence, nor does He even demand my best, even though I would try to give it. He asks for love and humble surrender. He’s got the rest covered.

1 “Gracious God”. (May 6, 2026). Dwell Daily, Dwell [mobile app]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/lc/app/dwell-audio-bible/id1343917374

Fun Facts about Steven Rigby!

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:37:59 GMT

Get to know our Founder!

Favorite soda: diet pepsi

Favorite candy/snack: tin roof ice cream, reeses, oreos, snickers…anything chocolate, really.

Favorite coffee: mocha frappuccino

Favorite sport: he doesn’t like sports (except maybe paintball)

Favorite music group: Casting Crowns

Favorite verse/life verse: 1 Cor. 16:13

He can still walk on his hands at forty, does a crazy scary gorilla run, and does a hilarious impression of singing like Louis Armstrong.

He has been a power lineman/worked in the power industry for twenty years.

His favorite way to relax is to do more work. That’s right, this man never stops! Work, in his mind, falls into two categories: the work that is necessary, and the work that is enjoyable.

He enjoys woodworking and carpentry, but could really be considered a jack-of-all-trades as he excels at fabricating with all kinds of materials and working with all kinds of machinery.

Craft Shop

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:37:55 GMT

Are you a creative soul that enjoys fabrication? Would you like nothing more than to walk into a room filled with stacks upon stacks of materials, textiles, paints, beads, hammers, nails, and screws? That is something we hope to have for you soon at Deep Roots Ranch! We’re not just talking friendship bracelets, although we’ll have those too. We’re hoping to have clay, tools for drilling, and leather works too! We want our craft shop to be a place where you can make gifts for everyone, not just your mom ��, although we freely admit she’s the best…where you can unleash the artistic animal inside, or just let your creative juices flow. We hope you’ll feel that the options are endless and you’ll just have to come back to do more!

A Testimony of Waiting

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:37:51 GMT

When God finally put camp on the table in 2023, Steven and I were both roughly thirty-eight years old. Now three years in, and yep, doing the math you can figure out that we are both now roughly forty-one. For years, we thought full-time ministry just wasn’t for us, even though we’d both had a heart for it since we were teenagers, and even though we both attended a Bible college. We would ask God “why…”, when it was so very evident to us that we understood the need for those who would minister, “…why wouldn’t He call us?” And the answer for so long was “Do what you can, where you can, regardless.”

The amazing, wondrous thing is that we can look back over the last twenty years and see all the experience that God has orchestrated so we’d be prepared to do the work of the calling He has finally given us. Had He called us to do this right out of college, we would have been incapable of accomplishing it.

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. (Psalm 33:20-22)

So I want to encourage you today in your waiting. Encourage you to think of yourself as a weapon or a tool that needs tempering. And while with many, He tempers them as He is wielding them, with some of us He waits to wield us until after we have been tempered. We need to recognize that we would not have been nearly as effective as a weapon or tool otherwise.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

This sounds so detached and indifferent, but we (should) know that the opposite is true! Not only do we have the objective care of a craftsman who has affection for His own work, but we have the love of a Father for His own child. None of our dreams are wasted by time when He holds our days in His hands. Persist in His leading as you choose to trust in His love.

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Psalm 63:3)