Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better by Brant Hansen is a must-read! During the Prayer & Vision Casting retreat, the national team read and discussed this incredible book. Check out some of our favorite quotes

Do we fall prey to the tyranny of busy? The whirlwind of a hurried life?
Why does time often seem the most difficult to manage?
In the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren wrote, “Never confuse activity with productivity.”

Dawn, a T.R.A.C.life mentor from Austin, Texas, recently took her mentee to get their nails done together. Ashlynn left the salon, saying the day was her best ever.  
Simple things.
Moments many of us take for granted.

Thank you to everyone who completed the short CrossTalk survey. Here are the results from 43 responses. While the curriculum is complete for 2024, we will incorporate as many recommendations as possible in the future. However, as you can see, the responses are split on the preference for offering a rotation every 4-5 years or having a new topic every year.

Recap: Summit 2023 – Panel Discussion
NOTE: Camper Placement Coordinator binders are
NOW available on the Teen Reach website
under T.R.A.C. RESOURCES on the STAFF PAGE.

Panelists: Sylvia Gray, Retired Social Worker, Covington, LA
Roger Franklin, T.R.A.C. Norman, OK
Kathi Franklin, T.R.A.C. Norman, OK
Amy Jones, Eastern Regional Director

The Andea condor is the largest soaring bird in the world. Impressive indeed at 33 pounds with a 10-foot wingspan.
When researchers strapped cameras on these massive birds, what they discovered was amazing.
They only flap their wings 1% of the time. The other 99% of the time, they soar.
How do they do this?

The 2023 CAFO (Christian Alliance for Orphans) Conference was an event full of connection, learning, worship, and more. You can watch the recorded sessions at CAFO.org.

One of my greatest takeaways came from the More the Enough Initiative. For a community to be more than enough for foster care, the following is essential:

A former camper recently reached out to us at Teen Reach to thank us for giving her the book “His Princess: Love Letters from Your King” by Sheri Rose Shepherd.
When asked which letter impacted her the most, Jenna* was quick to respond. “My Princess . . . You are Free to Love”.

Fourteen years ago, Teen Reach added a pregnancy clause to T.R.A.C. so pregnant teens could attend camp. One of these teen moms is now 32. Three weeks ago, I got a call because her car broke down. Without a vehicle, she would get evicted because she couldn’t get to work.

Last summer, volunteers from T.R.A.C. picked up Dom from a group home on Thursday afternoon so he could go to camp. Dom immediately told one of the other campers in the van he was an atheist. He wanted nothing to do with God. The only reason Dom came to camp was to swim.

We can rack up an incredible list of personal achievements, get our picture on the cover of Fortune magazine, win the Nobel Peace Prize, build a billion-dollar company, the list goes on . . . but none of this is worth much without love.

This question is one I often get regarding the time I give to Royal Family KIDS Camp and Teen Reach Adventure Camp. The story I have shared many times is my why.

I wanted to thank all of the people that helped make the Camps possible for my two children, Malachi and Nevaeh. It was such a great experience for them! They both came back from camp feeling so loved.

Imagine the untapped resource of epic proportions, ready to transform the strength and impact of Teen Reach. Did you know 48 million Christ followers feel trapped in a cycle of hopelessness in their retirement years?

A vessel. Think water pitcher designed and created for the purpose of containing something. A utensil. Think fork or knife designed and created for the purpose of doing something. Containing or doing? As Christ-followers, we’re never referred to as ordinary utensils; rather we are chosen vessels.

We all have a story that matters.
Romans 8:28 was our memory verse this year at camp: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Recently my car picked up a call over Bluetooth as I drove my mentee home after ice cream and pinball. Since my daughter recently moved out, I asked Destiny if she cared if I answered. When I hung up a few minutes later, Destiny’s question floored me.

Meet Sylvia Gray from our Covington, Louisiana, family who will be joining us on Saturday, October 14, for our panel discussion: Building and Sustaining Relationships with Social Services, Blessing Them and Building a Camper Referral Network.

Wendy and her husband joined T.R.A.C. last summer as camp grandparents where they met Harmony. At age 15, Harmony was a first-year camper who was impressed with the rare sense of community she felt at camp.

Jeremiah 29:11 has been a defining verse for my life. Through God’s grace, my life story has been a fulfillment of His promises.