Beginning on the Sunday before Easter, God began giving me a little wake-up call when our family took a short road trip with the "Ugandan Thunder", a boys choir comprised of eight young boys from Uganda who are touring the Southeast this summer. The boys provide an amazing ministry, of singing, dancing and praising God.
Our road trip was to a small country church in Gray, GA which is basically out in the middle of nowhere. As we got close to the church, I could see a little small white building with a steeple that didn't look much bigger than a small home. As we turned into the parking lot though, it was obvious that this was no ordinary country church.
Just behind the original church building that I had seen from a distance was a newer gym building that I discovered later was now the worship center. I know that buildings are just buildings, but it was obvious that this part of the body of Christ was impacting their community. The place was crawling with people. I thought of the image of a huge lighthouse that could be seen for miles. It was encouraging to my heart to see God working in that small community.
While I was busy taking all of that in, the members of the church were piling in with food in hand to introduce to Ugandan boys to a favorite Southern tradition... a covered dish supper! Now I've been to my share of covered dish suppers (and have the shape to prove it!), but I have never seen so much food at a covered dish supper in my life. It was amazing to me, but it was overwhelming to those Ugandan boys. It was like sensory overload... they had probably never seen that much food in their life!
As I walked down the line with one of the boys to help him fix his plate, I told him to just tell me what he wanted and I would put it on his plate. His response cracked me up... he said "I want beans please!". The reason I found that so funny was that these boys eat one meal a day when they are in Uganda if they are blessed. That meal is posho, a finely ground grain that is a distant cousin to grits. It tastes really bland and is basically just "survival" food. On a really good day, they might get a scoop of beans on top of the posho to give it some flavor.
When this young boy saw ten tables full of every kind of food you could possibly imagine, he wanted beans. I did persuade him to try some other things and I think they all pretty much caught on to the concept of "all you can eat" by the time dinner was over. It was certainly an unforgettable experience for me to be a part of that with the boys.
After dinner, the boys did their concert (I prefer the word "ministry" really) and it was amazing. I wept like I haven't in a long time. It was amazing to me to watch those boys who had so little, be so thankful and focused of worshipping God. I heard a pastor say once that "we will never understand that Jesus is all we need until Jesus is all that we have". I was witnessing that while I watched those boys exhaust themselves in worship to God.
As we drove back home after the service, It was if God was standing at a white board and teaching me two very distinct things.....
First, when it comes to all that God is, and all that He offers to me, I'm no different that that little Ugandan boy staring at the ten tables of food. My instinct is to just settle for beans when there is a feast right before my eyes. I'd rather be comfortable and my hunger can easily be satisfied by just a few bites of what I know. All the while, God is saying "taste and see that the Lord is good" - Psalm 34:8, and His desire for me is to partake of all that He is. I need to get out of my comfort zone in my walk with Jesus....I need to know Him more and experience the fullness of a life immersed in Jesus.
Secondly, I need to learn to be content and to praise God regardless of my circumstances. These boys, who live in shacks with no running water, no TV, no phones, no toys, no entertainment, and very little food, sing with the most grateful spirit you can imagine and dance mightily before the Lord. They get it.... Jesus is all they have and He is all that they need. If I'm not careful, I'll find my prayer life evolving into nothing more than a "wish list" of things to make my life and walk more comfortable. These boys can't even comprehend "comfortable". Thankfulness is a great first step towards contentment.
As I considered these two truths that God was revealing to me about myself, I understood the passage from Ephesians 1:17-21 in a new light "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
I wonder how I'm doing living out the last part of that passage "the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Am I full with Jesus? Have I tasted everything He is? Is He all that I want, or am I just asking for beans?
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Phone / Internet Problems at Skipstone!
Please accept our sincere apologies if you tried to reach us by phone or email today. Unfortunately, our phone lines were damaged during the storms this weekend and we did not realize that our main line was not working until later today. Additionally, our main internet hub was destroyed, so we only have a handful of computers online today. We are working to resolve the problem and will hopefully have everything back up by late Tuesday afternoon. Thank you for your patience!
Chip Moody
VP of Operations, Skipstone
Chip Moody
VP of Operations, Skipstone
The Blog That Wasn't
I really wanted to title today's blog "Blah, Blah, Blog". We had an incredibly busy week, and instead of a little rest on the weekend, we decided to do something radically different for Easter.... we took a family mission trip!
As a result, I'm starting out the day a tired. In addition to my normal Monday morning routine, we had to get started early this morning to convert two classrooms that were used by a rental group this week back to school classrooms. Needless to say, the rain outside is not helping me feel any less tired!
To say that I've been challenged in a new way in my faith this week would be an understatement. I've seen sacrificial service and obedience to God displayed in miraculous ways. I've gained a new understanding of what it really means to live a "whatever it takes" kind of life. I've come to realize that we need not be angry with our President for saying that "We no longer consider ourselves a Christian nation"... we need to be angry with ourselves! I think the reason that those comments bothered so many of us is that we are afraid that he might be right.
Over the next few days, I want to share some of the things that God used this week to really stretch me in my walk. I've been really inconsistent in trying to get back in the "blogging" groove, so please pray for me this week. God is doing such amazing things, but it has become a major battle for me to fight for the time I need everyday to sit down and share it. In fact, I started this blog at about 8:00am this morning and just now got back to it at 5:30pm.
In the meantime, please enjoy a 4 minute clip of my friend Mark Hall from Casting Crowns as he talks about the song "Altar & The Door". Please say a prayer for Casting Crowns this week as they will be ministering in N. Korea.... yeah... pretty scary place to be right now. I'm praying that God will use them to bring light to a very dark place.
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
As a result, I'm starting out the day a tired. In addition to my normal Monday morning routine, we had to get started early this morning to convert two classrooms that were used by a rental group this week back to school classrooms. Needless to say, the rain outside is not helping me feel any less tired!
To say that I've been challenged in a new way in my faith this week would be an understatement. I've seen sacrificial service and obedience to God displayed in miraculous ways. I've gained a new understanding of what it really means to live a "whatever it takes" kind of life. I've come to realize that we need not be angry with our President for saying that "We no longer consider ourselves a Christian nation"... we need to be angry with ourselves! I think the reason that those comments bothered so many of us is that we are afraid that he might be right.
Over the next few days, I want to share some of the things that God used this week to really stretch me in my walk. I've been really inconsistent in trying to get back in the "blogging" groove, so please pray for me this week. God is doing such amazing things, but it has become a major battle for me to fight for the time I need everyday to sit down and share it. In fact, I started this blog at about 8:00am this morning and just now got back to it at 5:30pm.
In the meantime, please enjoy a 4 minute clip of my friend Mark Hall from Casting Crowns as he talks about the song "Altar & The Door". Please say a prayer for Casting Crowns this week as they will be ministering in N. Korea.... yeah... pretty scary place to be right now. I'm praying that God will use them to bring light to a very dark place.
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Working With One Hand & Warring With The Other
This morning will be yet another attempt for me to climb out of the "quiet" zone I've been stuck in for the last week. Each morning, I've started the day with plans to blog what's on my heart, and each day I have hit "delete" after a few minutes of rambling and not feeling like I was getting anywhere.
My quiet time for the last several days has been centered around the life Nehemiah. As I've tried to understand more about where my journey has taken me these last few days, I can't seem to get away from this incredible passage in God's word.
I've always loved the story of Nehemiah. I think it's because I can so identify with his life, and his calling to do something that most everyone thought was crazy, perhaps even impossible. Listen to some of the things that were said as Nehemiah was attempting to lead the rebuilding of the wall...
Nehemiah 4:2 "....What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"
Nehemiah 4:3 "...What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
Even his own people were growing weary... Nehemiah 4:10 "Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."
I think what is most amazing about Nehemiah was his natural instinct to just go right back to the "word" that God had given him whenever he faced discouragement, difficulty, and even danger. I love his response to his people..."Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."
So was Nehemiah's confidence in God's plan and God's "word" to him contagious? I love the picture that is painted in the next few verses... (v.16-20) "From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"
Even as I revisited this passage this morning, I've been reminded that I cannot do God's work unless I learn to work one handed.... that is, one hand doing the work and one hand doing the warfare!
Isn't it amazing that we would even think it was possible to accomplish anything with any eternal value or significance without encountering some spiritual opposition along the way? We have been fooled.... we've bought in to the modern day thinking that if we just serve God and do what's right, everything will just be great all of the time. The only problem is that there's no evidence in scripture to back that up!
Fast forward a couple of chapters in Nehemiah's journey and you'll find that he is still working with one hand and warring with the other. His very life was being threatened, yet he stood firm.... "They were all trying to frighten us thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." - Nehemiah 6:9
As the wall is finally completed, Nehemiah was quick to remember the source of his strength..."So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." - Nehemiah 6:15
It's interesting to note that the great work that God chose to accomplish through Nehemiah was so astounding that it shook the surrounding nations. And the battle plan was simple.... work with one hand and war with the other!
God help me to never attempt to do your work without your power.... Lord, strengthen my hands!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
My quiet time for the last several days has been centered around the life Nehemiah. As I've tried to understand more about where my journey has taken me these last few days, I can't seem to get away from this incredible passage in God's word.
I've always loved the story of Nehemiah. I think it's because I can so identify with his life, and his calling to do something that most everyone thought was crazy, perhaps even impossible. Listen to some of the things that were said as Nehemiah was attempting to lead the rebuilding of the wall...
Nehemiah 4:2 "....What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"
Nehemiah 4:3 "...What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
Even his own people were growing weary... Nehemiah 4:10 "Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."
I think what is most amazing about Nehemiah was his natural instinct to just go right back to the "word" that God had given him whenever he faced discouragement, difficulty, and even danger. I love his response to his people..."Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."
So was Nehemiah's confidence in God's plan and God's "word" to him contagious? I love the picture that is painted in the next few verses... (v.16-20) "From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"
Even as I revisited this passage this morning, I've been reminded that I cannot do God's work unless I learn to work one handed.... that is, one hand doing the work and one hand doing the warfare!
Isn't it amazing that we would even think it was possible to accomplish anything with any eternal value or significance without encountering some spiritual opposition along the way? We have been fooled.... we've bought in to the modern day thinking that if we just serve God and do what's right, everything will just be great all of the time. The only problem is that there's no evidence in scripture to back that up!
Fast forward a couple of chapters in Nehemiah's journey and you'll find that he is still working with one hand and warring with the other. His very life was being threatened, yet he stood firm.... "They were all trying to frighten us thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." - Nehemiah 6:9
As the wall is finally completed, Nehemiah was quick to remember the source of his strength..."So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." - Nehemiah 6:15
It's interesting to note that the great work that God chose to accomplish through Nehemiah was so astounding that it shook the surrounding nations. And the battle plan was simple.... work with one hand and war with the other!
God help me to never attempt to do your work without your power.... Lord, strengthen my hands!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Biological Weapons
I'm not sure if it's the cloudy morning, the remains of yesterday's tasks that wait for me on my desk, or my first two hour work-out since joining the gym, but I'm struggling to get myself in gear this morning.....
I'm not a big fan of the television show "24", but I have watched it on occasion. I got home about 8:45 last night and just wanted to "veg out" (and I don't mean eating vegetables...yuck!). I saw a preview on TV about last night's episode of "24" and was intrigued enough to watch it.
Since I haven't watched the show much before, I can't tell you exactly what the storyline was, but last night's show was about a government contractor that built some biological weapons and planned to use them against Washington. Jack Bauer ended up getting infected by the chemical when a storage container ruptured. His fate is yet to be determined, but it's not looking good for ol' Jack. (from what I hear, this is the point of the show!)
I am intrigued by the idea of biological warfare. I've heard about biological weapons for most of my life. I've seen depictions in movies and television shows of what a war fought with biological weapons might look like. It's extremely scary for most people to think about the possibility of that ever happening, especially on our home soil.
As I was running on the treadmill early this morning, I was thinking about the show last night and how powerful those biological weapons could be. In an instant, they can literally infect massive numbers of people.
Then an interesting thought came to me..... what if believers around the world thought of themselves as "biological weapons" for the cause of Christ?
After all, we are the children of God - 1 John 3:1-3 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."
In Matthew 5:13-14, we are given a vivid description by Jesus himself about what His believers are supposed to "be".... "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
We are called to be salt.... not to just our neighbors, but to the EARTH! We are called to be light.... not just to our friends and family, but to the WORLD! Would it be a big stretch to think of believers, who are truly being salt and light, as weapons in the hands of God to penetrate the darkness that attempts to hold the world captive?
I don't think it's a stretch at all.... listen to the words of Jesus as He gives us the Great Commission(an authoritative order, charge, or direction) in Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Doesn't it sound as though God's plan for redeeming the world includes you and I as believers? He could have certainly done it without us, and He does it in spite of us, but His battle plan was for us to be "Biological Weapons" - children of God that are infecting the world with the gospel of Jesus. I guess you could say that we are designed to be Weapons Of Mass Discipleship! (I know... it's corny!)
Am I a "Biological Weapon" for the cause of Christ, or have I allowed my life to get so out of focus that I'm more of a hindrance to the cause than I am a warrior?
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
I'm not a big fan of the television show "24", but I have watched it on occasion. I got home about 8:45 last night and just wanted to "veg out" (and I don't mean eating vegetables...yuck!). I saw a preview on TV about last night's episode of "24" and was intrigued enough to watch it.
Since I haven't watched the show much before, I can't tell you exactly what the storyline was, but last night's show was about a government contractor that built some biological weapons and planned to use them against Washington. Jack Bauer ended up getting infected by the chemical when a storage container ruptured. His fate is yet to be determined, but it's not looking good for ol' Jack. (from what I hear, this is the point of the show!)
I am intrigued by the idea of biological warfare. I've heard about biological weapons for most of my life. I've seen depictions in movies and television shows of what a war fought with biological weapons might look like. It's extremely scary for most people to think about the possibility of that ever happening, especially on our home soil.
As I was running on the treadmill early this morning, I was thinking about the show last night and how powerful those biological weapons could be. In an instant, they can literally infect massive numbers of people.
Then an interesting thought came to me..... what if believers around the world thought of themselves as "biological weapons" for the cause of Christ?
After all, we are the children of God - 1 John 3:1-3 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."
In Matthew 5:13-14, we are given a vivid description by Jesus himself about what His believers are supposed to "be".... "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
We are called to be salt.... not to just our neighbors, but to the EARTH! We are called to be light.... not just to our friends and family, but to the WORLD! Would it be a big stretch to think of believers, who are truly being salt and light, as weapons in the hands of God to penetrate the darkness that attempts to hold the world captive?
I don't think it's a stretch at all.... listen to the words of Jesus as He gives us the Great Commission(an authoritative order, charge, or direction) in Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Doesn't it sound as though God's plan for redeeming the world includes you and I as believers? He could have certainly done it without us, and He does it in spite of us, but His battle plan was for us to be "Biological Weapons" - children of God that are infecting the world with the gospel of Jesus. I guess you could say that we are designed to be Weapons Of Mass Discipleship! (I know... it's corny!)
Am I a "Biological Weapon" for the cause of Christ, or have I allowed my life to get so out of focus that I'm more of a hindrance to the cause than I am a warrior?
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Monday, March 30, 2009
How $225 Changed A Life Forever
Wow! We had a super busy weekend at Skipstone. We had a group of sixty students and leaders from Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City here for a weekend retreat. We facilitated the zipline for them on Friday night, and some team building activities on Saturday. On Sunday, we attended the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro and spent the afternoon leading their student ministry leaders through some team building activities. It was a fun, but exhausting, weekend!
Something very neat happened while we were at FBC Jonesboro. During the morning worship service, they had three young girls who were baptized. The first was a cute little girl who had to walk on her tip toes to keep her head above the water. She read her testimony of praying to receive Christ as her personal Savior after talking about it with her dad at home.
As they introduced the second girl, I could tell that Shondi was thinking about something. The girl was a little older, and her testimony was that she had been coming to church with her grandparents since she was very young. She had heard the gospel many times, but in Sunday School one morning she heard it for the first time with her heart and she prayed to receive Christ.
As the third little girl was presented, I could tell that a "light bulb" came on for Shondi. She recognized the last two little girls as campers from last year at Skipstone. They were sisters, whose grandparents sent them to camp last summer at Skipstone.
As the third little girl began to share her testimony, she confirmed what Shondi was thinking... she recalled praying to receive Christ as her personal Savior while attending camp last summer with her sister!
Now I'm sure this doesn't have the same meaning for you as it did for us, but when you invest your life in something, the "fruit" of that labor brings an overwhelming sense of joy and reassurance that your labor is not in vain. We were so blessed to know that through the ministry of Skipstone, we were able to be a small part of this young girl's life. It's not often that we get to see how the decisions made each Summer at camp end up changing a life or a family.
If I'm honest, I probably wasn't as attentive during the sermon as I should have been. My heart was heavy for the hundreds of other kids out there who are in situations just like that little girl. They live in homes where mom and dad may not be the primary spiritual influence, or maybe they are no spiritual influence at all. Were it not for loving grandparents, who seized the opportunity to invest in the spiritual development of those girls, they may never have come to know Christ.
One thing that most people don't realize about the ministry of Skipstone is that more than a third of our Summer campers come to us on some kind of scholarship. That means that we don't turn children away who can't afford to come to camp. That also means that we are responsible for raising financial support every summer to make that possible. After all, it doesn't cost any us less to house, feed, and provide staff and programs for campers on scholarships.
That being said, we are projecting the need for 250 scholarships this summer. That may not sound like a huge number, but if you do the math it works out to well over $50,000 needed in the next six weeks just to cover the cost of camp for kids like these two little girls.
In the past, we have just absorbed whatever shortfall we have when all of the scholarship funds are in. My heart is heavy that the ministry will not be in a position to do that this year. Unless God's people step up and give generously, we will undoubtedly have to turn some of these kids away this summer.
Now I realize that some of you are thinking "where is your faith? Surely God will provide for those needs!" and your are right. This ministry is built on a foundation of faith. God will meet those needs, and God works through people! We would be foolish and unwise stewards to cripple the ministry of Skipstone by absorbing a $50,000 loss when God has already provided the resources to meet this need. My part is to make the need known. His part is to move the hearts of people to action.
Will $225 for a week of camp really make a difference? It certainly did for those little girls... an eternal difference. Is the need really as great as we say? Here is an email we received this weekend from another loving grandmother.....
Dear Mrs. Moody,
"I am contacting you because I read your story and it truly touched me, just the goodness of God got to me. A couple of years ago I sent my grandson to your camp before it became Skipstone and he counts it as the best thing that ever happened to him in his short life. He is now a ninth grader and lives with us again and boy did he have a tough time before he made it back to us. He's a great kid with so much energy and is open to try new things which I love. Unfortunately, I am disabled and my husband was laid off from the mill so camp is a luxury that we certainly cannot afford but he deserves it, I'd even say he needs it. Do you have any scholarships available? I'll understand if you don't as I know times are very tough but I'm praying you do. I won't mention it to my grandson, so he won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out but I hope it does. Thank you in advance for any consideration given."
Could God be speaking to you about giving a scholarship this summer? Would you be willing to sacrifice $35 worth of "something" (eating out, entertainment, etc) a week for the next six weeks to be a part of making a difference in the life of a child? If you had been sitting where we were sitting Sunday, and had seen the joy on the faces of those little girls, you wouldn't think twice about it!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Something very neat happened while we were at FBC Jonesboro. During the morning worship service, they had three young girls who were baptized. The first was a cute little girl who had to walk on her tip toes to keep her head above the water. She read her testimony of praying to receive Christ as her personal Savior after talking about it with her dad at home.
As they introduced the second girl, I could tell that Shondi was thinking about something. The girl was a little older, and her testimony was that she had been coming to church with her grandparents since she was very young. She had heard the gospel many times, but in Sunday School one morning she heard it for the first time with her heart and she prayed to receive Christ.
As the third little girl was presented, I could tell that a "light bulb" came on for Shondi. She recognized the last two little girls as campers from last year at Skipstone. They were sisters, whose grandparents sent them to camp last summer at Skipstone.
As the third little girl began to share her testimony, she confirmed what Shondi was thinking... she recalled praying to receive Christ as her personal Savior while attending camp last summer with her sister!
Now I'm sure this doesn't have the same meaning for you as it did for us, but when you invest your life in something, the "fruit" of that labor brings an overwhelming sense of joy and reassurance that your labor is not in vain. We were so blessed to know that through the ministry of Skipstone, we were able to be a small part of this young girl's life. It's not often that we get to see how the decisions made each Summer at camp end up changing a life or a family.
If I'm honest, I probably wasn't as attentive during the sermon as I should have been. My heart was heavy for the hundreds of other kids out there who are in situations just like that little girl. They live in homes where mom and dad may not be the primary spiritual influence, or maybe they are no spiritual influence at all. Were it not for loving grandparents, who seized the opportunity to invest in the spiritual development of those girls, they may never have come to know Christ.
One thing that most people don't realize about the ministry of Skipstone is that more than a third of our Summer campers come to us on some kind of scholarship. That means that we don't turn children away who can't afford to come to camp. That also means that we are responsible for raising financial support every summer to make that possible. After all, it doesn't cost any us less to house, feed, and provide staff and programs for campers on scholarships.
That being said, we are projecting the need for 250 scholarships this summer. That may not sound like a huge number, but if you do the math it works out to well over $50,000 needed in the next six weeks just to cover the cost of camp for kids like these two little girls.
In the past, we have just absorbed whatever shortfall we have when all of the scholarship funds are in. My heart is heavy that the ministry will not be in a position to do that this year. Unless God's people step up and give generously, we will undoubtedly have to turn some of these kids away this summer.
Now I realize that some of you are thinking "where is your faith? Surely God will provide for those needs!" and your are right. This ministry is built on a foundation of faith. God will meet those needs, and God works through people! We would be foolish and unwise stewards to cripple the ministry of Skipstone by absorbing a $50,000 loss when God has already provided the resources to meet this need. My part is to make the need known. His part is to move the hearts of people to action.
Will $225 for a week of camp really make a difference? It certainly did for those little girls... an eternal difference. Is the need really as great as we say? Here is an email we received this weekend from another loving grandmother.....
Dear Mrs. Moody,
"I am contacting you because I read your story and it truly touched me, just the goodness of God got to me. A couple of years ago I sent my grandson to your camp before it became Skipstone and he counts it as the best thing that ever happened to him in his short life. He is now a ninth grader and lives with us again and boy did he have a tough time before he made it back to us. He's a great kid with so much energy and is open to try new things which I love. Unfortunately, I am disabled and my husband was laid off from the mill so camp is a luxury that we certainly cannot afford but he deserves it, I'd even say he needs it. Do you have any scholarships available? I'll understand if you don't as I know times are very tough but I'm praying you do. I won't mention it to my grandson, so he won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out but I hope it does. Thank you in advance for any consideration given."
Could God be speaking to you about giving a scholarship this summer? Would you be willing to sacrifice $35 worth of "something" (eating out, entertainment, etc) a week for the next six weeks to be a part of making a difference in the life of a child? If you had been sitting where we were sitting Sunday, and had seen the joy on the faces of those little girls, you wouldn't think twice about it!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Saturday, March 28, 2009
"Reign On My Parade"
The last couple of days have been pretty crazy around here, thus the two day hiatus from blogging.
Shondi and decided to take some time off on Thursday since our weekends have been so busy lately with hosting groups at the camp. I say we took "some time off", because we always end up finding something "work related" to do if we are anywhere near home! We did manage to pull of a lunch date and an hour at the gym together (I know.... seems a little counter-productive doesn't it?). We did enjoy just spending the day together. Our offices are right next to each other, but some days we only cross paths a couple of times in a whole day!
I got a late start Friday because of the rain. When it's raining hard, I try to be a gentleman and shuttle folks from the parking lot to the lobby so they don't have to "swim"! When I finally got to my office, I tried to start blogging, but the "life" switch had already been turned on and my office was a revolving door. After a few failed attempts to focus, I just gave up on blogging and got busy with the day's work.
As I sit here in my office on a quiet Saturday morning, the rain and thunder are singing a song outside my windows. It's funny how much you hear people talking about the rain, or lack of rain, whichever the case my be. The AJC (of which I'm not a big fan) even has a Weather VENT now. It's a place where people can comment on, or complain about, the weather. I happened upon it today and I thought one particular post summed it up pretty well "I love the weather vent. It's the epitome of complaning without any result."
It's amazing what the weather brings out in us and tells us about ourselves. We complain when it's hot and dry in the Summer. We complain when it rains too much, especially if it ruins "our plans" for the day. We complain when it's cold in the Winter (but want it to snow!). We complain about raking the leaves each Fall, and about the pollen that covers our cars in the Spring. We want the weather to "cooperate" with us, so that we can do our thing. If you don't believe it, ask yourself if you've ever said "well if the rain holds off" or "if mother nature will cut us some slack". The reality is that we have all probably complained about the weather at some point in our lives, because it has caused a change in our plans.
As I read that "Weather VENT" this morning, and even thought about how the storms that are forecast for later today are altering my plans, I was drawn to a verse in Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." It's true isn't it? We can plan our day out, schedule out our week, and even strategically map out our future, but it's inevitable that our plans change. One of the phrases used almost daily around Skipstone is "Okay guys, change of plans....".
Life never seems to happen like we plan. Often God allows us to go through storms that alter our course. Sometimes He allows us to find the end of ourselves in the deep waters of circumstances. Occasionally, we may go through dry seasons in our life, when nothing seems to be going right. Often we are distracted by the "pollen"... the residue that rests on us as a result of living in a sinful world.
When we go through those times, our perspective is that God is somehow trying to "rain on our parade"! We wonder why He allows things to happen that mess up our plans. After all, if we are spending time with Him, and attempting to live for Him, doesn't it make sense that He would want to bless our plans?
It all goes back to the thing that God is teaching me about perspective. I can only see what is behind me and where I am right now, and my perspective is limited even in that. But God's perspective is so much different than that. He sees everything in my path, and often He sends a storm, a flood, or a drought to direct my steps to the path that will ultimately be the best for me.
Here is the whisper....It is not God's desire to "rain" on your parade. His desire is to "REIGN" on your parade.
If we will surrender our plans to Him, we'll see the storms for what the really are.... divine interventions sent from the hand and heart of God to direct our steps.
Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
Let Him REIGN on your parade today!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
Shondi and decided to take some time off on Thursday since our weekends have been so busy lately with hosting groups at the camp. I say we took "some time off", because we always end up finding something "work related" to do if we are anywhere near home! We did manage to pull of a lunch date and an hour at the gym together (I know.... seems a little counter-productive doesn't it?). We did enjoy just spending the day together. Our offices are right next to each other, but some days we only cross paths a couple of times in a whole day!
I got a late start Friday because of the rain. When it's raining hard, I try to be a gentleman and shuttle folks from the parking lot to the lobby so they don't have to "swim"! When I finally got to my office, I tried to start blogging, but the "life" switch had already been turned on and my office was a revolving door. After a few failed attempts to focus, I just gave up on blogging and got busy with the day's work.
As I sit here in my office on a quiet Saturday morning, the rain and thunder are singing a song outside my windows. It's funny how much you hear people talking about the rain, or lack of rain, whichever the case my be. The AJC (of which I'm not a big fan) even has a Weather VENT now. It's a place where people can comment on, or complain about, the weather. I happened upon it today and I thought one particular post summed it up pretty well "I love the weather vent. It's the epitome of complaning without any result."
It's amazing what the weather brings out in us and tells us about ourselves. We complain when it's hot and dry in the Summer. We complain when it rains too much, especially if it ruins "our plans" for the day. We complain when it's cold in the Winter (but want it to snow!). We complain about raking the leaves each Fall, and about the pollen that covers our cars in the Spring. We want the weather to "cooperate" with us, so that we can do our thing. If you don't believe it, ask yourself if you've ever said "well if the rain holds off" or "if mother nature will cut us some slack". The reality is that we have all probably complained about the weather at some point in our lives, because it has caused a change in our plans.
As I read that "Weather VENT" this morning, and even thought about how the storms that are forecast for later today are altering my plans, I was drawn to a verse in Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." It's true isn't it? We can plan our day out, schedule out our week, and even strategically map out our future, but it's inevitable that our plans change. One of the phrases used almost daily around Skipstone is "Okay guys, change of plans....".
Life never seems to happen like we plan. Often God allows us to go through storms that alter our course. Sometimes He allows us to find the end of ourselves in the deep waters of circumstances. Occasionally, we may go through dry seasons in our life, when nothing seems to be going right. Often we are distracted by the "pollen"... the residue that rests on us as a result of living in a sinful world.
When we go through those times, our perspective is that God is somehow trying to "rain on our parade"! We wonder why He allows things to happen that mess up our plans. After all, if we are spending time with Him, and attempting to live for Him, doesn't it make sense that He would want to bless our plans?
It all goes back to the thing that God is teaching me about perspective. I can only see what is behind me and where I am right now, and my perspective is limited even in that. But God's perspective is so much different than that. He sees everything in my path, and often He sends a storm, a flood, or a drought to direct my steps to the path that will ultimately be the best for me.
Here is the whisper....It is not God's desire to "rain" on your parade. His desire is to "REIGN" on your parade.
If we will surrender our plans to Him, we'll see the storms for what the really are.... divine interventions sent from the hand and heart of God to direct our steps.
Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
Let Him REIGN on your parade today!
Whatever It Takes,
Chip
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