Guidelines For Personal Cleanliness and Orderliness

1.You are expected to practice proper personal hygiene by taking a bath daily, brushing your teeth regularly, wear clean clothing and socks every morning, keeping your hair combed and cut (hair length needs to be above  collar but no shaved heads), and  either clean shaven or beard trimmed (do not start growing a beard while in Miracle Lake). If you need toilet articles or clothing, you are expected to let your counselor or the Director know.

2. A washing machine is available for your use. Do not run machines at Quiet Time, or on Sunday. Use the dryer only in bad weather. The dryer will not be use after 4:00 p.m. The washer will not be in use after 3:00 p.m.

3. Make up your bed every morning when you get out of it. Keep your room and bathroom (including shower) clean and orderly at all times. When you come to breakfast, be dressed for the day.

4.The staff reserves the  right to inspect your room at any time. These inspections will be conducted randomly.

5. If you are sick and unable to come to class or work, those days will be added on to the end of your eight—week program before you receive your certificate of complication.

6. Proper clothing must be worn in camp area. Shoes, shirts and long pants, must be worn in the dining and worship area No tank tops or sleeveless shirts may be worn to worship or in dining area. Remove caps during meals and inside the house. Short pants maybe worn during summer schedule except worship area.

Guidelines For Courtesy Toward Others

7. No drinking or eating before the blessing at each meal.

8. Kidding, joking, pranks, horseplay, wrestling and fighting may appear to be unrelated. However, any of these may be used by Satan to embarrass, humiliate and/or degrade another student. Experience indicates the behavior pattern may follow the sequence as listed. “ Just having a little fun. ’’ at another student’s expense is not appropriate behavior for any Miracle Lake Christian Training Center student. Studies have shown that a person who is continually, “just kidding,” may indeed have mental deficiencies. No nicknames allowed.

9. Everyone must observe Quiet Time everyday (Monday thru Sunday) from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. No conversations or naps. You will spend this time in your room unless otherwise authorized.

10. Quiet Time also begins at 10:00 p.m. and continues until 6:00 a.m. (summer schedule 9:30 p.m. - 5:30 a.m.) . LIGHTS OUT at 11:00 p.m. (10:30 p.m. summer schedule). If you can’t sleep, keep quiet! Others need their rest.

11. PRIVACY- Each man’s room is his home at Miracle Lake. Respect his right to privacy. Do not take any articles out of anyone’s room without their consent. Do not “hang out “ in anyone else’s room. Your mail will be deposited outside the door of the office at 4:45p.m.  DO NOT come into the office to get it or ask about it. Your family should supply stamps. Outgoing mail should be deposited in the box outside of office before 8:30 a.m.

13. Do not remove food, cups or glasses from dining area. Do not keep food or drinks in your room. This causes sanitation and bug problems. Any food or drinks brought by family are to be shared by everyone. This extra food  or drink will be handled through the kitchen.

14. Turn off all lights and  electrical units when not in use. Take personal responsibility for saving  electricity.

15. Do not drive camp vehicles without permission. Oil, water and fuel must be checked before using trucks, tractors and lawnmowers. If you get a vehicle stuck, cut the motor off immediately and  report it to the staff. Trucks and tractors are not to be operated unless assigned by staff member. 20 mph is the maximum camp speed.

16. The phone at Miracle Lake is a business phone and is not for student use except in emergencies. Do not ask to use it. Learn to write letters. This is a necessary part of  your discipline. Also, NO cell phones, personal phones or communication instruments of any type are permitted. Neither are students permitted to use cell phones, personal phones or communication instruments of any type belonging to visitors. If you are found with a cell phone in your possession you will be dismissed, immediately.

Guidelines Regarding Student Movement

17. You are not to leave the Miracle Lake grounds without permission. There will be no trips to town or weekends off while you are in the eight- week period of training. You asked to come here, so if you leave the property without permission we assume you have decided to leave the program.

18. Students are not permitted to be outside of their living quarters after 8:45 p.m.

19. Students are not allowed to keep their vehicles at Miracle Lake during their eight - week training period.

Guidelines Against Things That Are A Detriment To Your Program

20. The use of tobacco is not permitted by staff or students at Miracle Lake. Substance abuse is one of  the  primary areas that we deal with at Miracle Lake. I1984 U.S. surgeon General C. Everett Koop wrote, that nicotine has an addictiveness similar to that of heroin or cocaine.  Nicotine has very powerful effects on arteries throughout the body. Nicotine is a stimulate, it raises blood pressure, and is a vasoconstrictor, making it harder for the heart to pump through the constricted arteries. It causes the body to release its stores of fat and cholesterol into the blood. Statics show that eight-five percent of those who remain in bondage to tobacco will go back to drugs and alcohol. 

21. Do not cultivate  improper relations with the opposite sex while you are in the Christian Training Center Program at Miracle Lake. Romance and rehabilitation do not mix. Do one thing at a time. Get your life straight first then work on building relationships with women. You can easily be distracted from your purpose of being here.

22. Non narcotic medications can only be used as prescribed by a physician and under direction of Director or Counselor. Be very sure to turn in all  medication upon arrival.

23. Possession or use of any drugs, alcohol or tobacco products are grounds for immediate dismissal.

24. No audio or visual electronic devises are permitted.  

25. Undesirable literature, books, and magazines which are  contrary to the Bible are strictly forbidden. This includes pornography. You can’t clean your head out if you continue to feed it garbage.

26. Do not engage in extended conversations about your past life in alcohol, drugs, jail or prison.  If you wasted fifteen years in that kind of life, you will be wasting another fifteen minutes talking about it.  You have come to Miracle Lake to get away from that life-style, not to cultivate it.  Talk about the present and future, not the past.  Philippians 3:13, 14 will tell you how to look at the past and how to look into the future- “...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:8 will tell you what to think about in the present- “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, ...honest, ...just, ...pure, ...lovely, ...of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

27. Only water is to be drunk between meals.  We want you to eat and drink all you need at mealtime but we work when we work; we eat when we eat, and we play when we play.  Establishing good work habits are a vital part of rebuilding your life.  A lack of discipline in your work habits reflects a lack of sincerity in your effort to change your lifestyle.

28. No playing cards are allowed on the premises.  Some games are games of chance.  Some games are games of skill.  Some games are a combination of chance and skill.  There is absolutely no chance or gamble in the Christian life – it’s a sure thing because it is lived by faith in God’s eternal word.  You are here to learn to live by faith – not by chance. Miracle lake furnishes games to be used on game night.

29. Students are not allowed to bring pets with them to Miracle Lake.

Guidelines For Living Quarters & Kitchen

30. You will be given a list of house rules by the house manager.  He will also post a list of kitchen chores (cooking and cleaning) each week.  You are expected to read through these rules carefully and abide by them.  You are expected to abide by kitchen chore assignments also.  Each person must cooperate in order to insure harmony while living together in a dorm atmosphere.

Guidelines for Visits

All Visitors must be approved through the Director and his Assistant.

31. Regular visiting hours are Saturday 1:00-5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00-4:30 p.m.  When family is coming from great distances, other arrangements may be worked out with the Director.  Other visitors’ schedules may require alternative hours as well.  Visits are for people to visit you a Miracle Lake, not for you to visit with them in town.  Visitors are expected to observe the same rules as the students.

32. Visitors will be limited to - (a) family and friends  who need to participate in scheduled counseling sessions with the student and M.L. Counselors  (b) someone from Field Services of the Departments of Paroles and Probation.

33. Someone on the staff will meet with you and members of your family from time to time to define needs, evaluate progress and establish goals.

Guidelines For Monitoring Your Growth

34. You will grade yourself daily by the use of the Daily Moral Inventory.

35. You will be evaluated daily in these areas- (a) room cleanliness, (b) class participation, (c) work habits, and (d) general attitude.