When does Ambassador Youth Camp really begin? One way to look at it is that AYC starts on Day One, the date you may have circled in bold red ink on your calendar. But the answer can vary depending on who you ask. Everyone has their own special moment when it feels like camp truly begins.

For some, it may be the moment the airplane touches down in America after a long international flight. For others, it starts when the van door shuts and the long drive to the campsite is underway. For many, it is that first step into the bunkhouse, when the familiar musty scent of summer signals that AYC has finally arrived.

As meaningful as those moments are, they are not when camp truly begins. In a sense, AYC should start long before Day One—long before you step onto the campgrounds.

Your camp experience starts the moment you decide to be part of it. Camp begins with what you choose to do beforehand, how you pray about it, and what you practice well before you arrive. Every part of your preparation matters. What you bring to camp shapes what you get out of it.

To get the most out of AYC this year, decide now to arrive ready to grow, connect with others and be challenged beyond your comfort zone.

The Four Ps of Getting Ready

The good news is that preparing for camp does not have to be complicated—but it does take some work. You can boil it down to four key principles: Purpose, Prayer, Practice and Perseverance.

These four Ps are a simple way to think about what you can do before you arrive to make camp more meaningful, less stressful and far more rewarding.

Purpose helps you understand why you are going to camp. Prayer prepares your heart and mindset. Practice develops skills and habits that can enrich your experience. Perseverance will help keep you engaged when things become challenging.

These are not just camp ideas. They are life skills. AYC gives you an opportunity to focus on them—both before camp and during the two weeks—until they begin to be part of who you are.

Purpose – Know Why You Are Going

Purpose is what helps you get the most out of anything—and camp is no different. AYC exists to help teens learn how to live God’s Way, build lasting friendships and grow in confidence and character in a focused, supportive environment. When you understand what camp is designed for, it becomes much easier to decide how you want to use it personally.

Proverbs 29:18 helps us understand the importance of purpose: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” When you approach AYC with purpose, it will feel different. But if you show up without a “why,” the best you can hope for is just a good two weeks.

Every year, I see campers who arrive determined to improve themselves. They end up having more fun! In other words, when you come in with a clear “why,” you do not just let camp happen to you—you use it.

Purpose gives meaning to activities and challenges. If your goal is to build friendships, every group activity becomes an opportunity to connect. Volleyball practice becomes more than just time in the sun when you see your teammates as friends. Even small choices—like deciding ahead of time that you will introduce yourself to someone new, or not sit on the sidelines when you feel awkward—can shape your whole camp experience. An eight-mile hike becomes more than reaching the finish line when your goal is to persevere without complaining.

Purpose gives you clear ways to direct your efforts and helps you stay committed when activities are tiring or uncomfortable.

Before camp begins, take time to reflect. Ask yourself: What do I want to work on this year? What skills or knowledge do I want to develop? Choose one or two personal goals. If you are nervous about being in the water, set a goal to improve your canoeing skills. You may learn more than just a new skill. You may also gain confidence and overcome your fears.

Once you settle on even a basic “why,” the next step is to bring it to God.

Prayer – Get Your Heart Ready

Camp does not start on Day One if you have already begun praying about it. One of the most important ways to prepare is to bring your goals and desires to God before you arrive.

Do not dismiss simple prayers such as, “Help me not to be nervous around others,” or “Help me to do my best.” Spiritual growth does not happen by accident. Growth often comes when you pray consistently and recognize progress over time.

This is one reason returning campers often benefit so much from attending AYC year after year. Not only do they know what to expect, but they can look back and see how God has helped them grow in areas that were once weaknesses.

Prayer prepares your attitude and invites God into the entire experience. If you are unsure whether camp is right for you, pray about it. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (New King James Version). God gives wisdom generously to those who ask.

In practical terms, wisdom is making good choices in everyday situations. At camp, you will face many new ones. For example, surrounded by friends and eager to talk late into the night, staying awake may seem like a good idea in the moment. But without enough rest, you will quickly feel worn down the next day and struggle to keep up with the pace of activities. Wisdom means recognizing that short-term fun can lead to long-term frustration. Asking God for wisdom before camp involves praying for clarity and self-control—seeking His help to make choices that lead to growth, not regret.

Pray for a willing, teachable mindset. Rather than asking God to change others or remove every difficulty, ask Him to help you grow through challenges—like fatigue on a hike, homesickness, group conflicts or demanding activities like the high ropes course.

The campers who pray before camp are often the ones who bounce back more quickly after a hard moment, because they have already learned to turn to God for help and perspective. When you approach camp with prayer, you give God room to work with you—and camp becomes more than just activities.

Practice – Start Camp Habits Now

Once again, camp does not truly begin on Day One. It begins when you start practicing camp habits in advance. The goal of preparation is not perfection—it is confidence. When you practice ahead of time, you arrive at AYC feeling more capable and ready to participate.

Camp is active on every level, and preparing beforehand helps you adjust more easily once it begins. Physical readiness starts with staying active and building stamina. You do not need to be an athlete. Simple activities like walking, swimming, biking or light workouts make a big difference. Adequate sleep and cutting down on soda and caffeine are important too. Proper hydration also matters, especially in summer heat. Most teens need about eight glasses of water per day. These small habits make camp feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

Mental readiness means practicing good decision-making and personal responsibility. Choices have consequences. Managing your time well and resisting peer pressure reduces stress and helps things run more smoothly—for you and for those around you. Open communication also matters. Expressing your thoughts and feelings helps prevent misunderstandings and strengthens relationships, an important skill at camp, where teamwork and cooperation are essential.

Spiritual readiness includes developing habits that support growth. Regular prayer is important, but so is consistent Bible reading and reflection. Studying the examples of young people in the Bible—such as David, Joseph, Miriam, Samuel and Mary—can help you see how God works with people your age.

This is why Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Training and discipline build readiness long before a challenge begins.

Practice turns preparation into confidence. When camp begins, you will not be scrambling to adjust—you will be ready to engage and take responsibility for your experience.

Perseverance – Show Up and Follow Through

Camp does not start on Day One if you have already decided to persevere. Perseverance begins before you arrive—when you stick with daily prayer, keep working toward your goals, maintain healthy habits and follow through on responsibilities like fundraising for camp. This is where all the other Ps come together. Perseverance is what turns good intentions into action.

Even with preparation, camp itself will include moments that are tiring, uncomfortable and challenging. This is where perseverance matters most. The Bible encourages us, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). Perseverance is not about pushing yourself beyond your limits; it is about choosing to stay engaged, listen and try—even when something feels difficult or unfamiliar.

That applies to everyday moments at camp. For example, dancing with someone you only met a few days earlier during the Dinner Dance might feel awkward at first. But when you practice during dance sessions and stay involved instead of avoiding the situation, that moment becomes far less intimidating. Perseverance allows growth to happen gradually, often without you realizing it at first.

Perseverance also involves staying engaged during lectures and Bible studies, doing your best during physical activities and treating others with patience and respect. It is about showing up with a willing attitude, not about being perfect.

When you commit to staying involved—even on hard days—you give yourself the opportunity to grow. I have often seen teens arrive at AYC unsure, and within a couple of days, they begin to connect, make friends and enjoy the experience. That is why deciding to persevere ahead of time can change your whole camp.

A Ready Mindset

Camp is about learning, improving and having meaningful fun. You get the most out of AYC when you come with the right mindset—when you have included God in the process, set goals and started preparing before you arrive.

This is your opportunity to decide that you are not going to sleepwalk into camp. What you do before you arrive shapes what you experience once you are there. The Bible reminds us that “whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). You can sow positive habits and reap the benefits!

The effort you put in before camp will help you be ready to try new things, step outside of your comfort zone and make the most of every experience. Ambassador Youth Camp is a training ground for real life—what you build there can carry into school, family, the Church and other future responsibilities.

Begin your AYC experience now by deciding to be at this year’s camp. Then apply the four Ps, follow through and get the most out of it.