Sorry for the delay!

I try to post something every week or so.  Lately I have not been able to do that.  This doesn't mean that there has not been things going on with camp and CEF, but that we are trying to sort through some ideas God has laid on our hearts.  I don't mean to be cryptic, but now (at 10:27 pm)  is not the best time to lay out all the details.  Suffice to say that we covet your prayers as we seek God's direction in our lives.  Erin and I still believe camp should go on, but it is clear that we are in a "be still and wait" period.  This is largely due to one piece of news- our house is off the market, and we are wondering what comes next.  When you step out in faith on something you are sure God wants you to do, and then it doesn't happen as you planned, it makes you hit your knees to humbly seek the Father's guidance.  We are doing that now.  Since we are seeking God's will concerning the house, we figured we would put everything on the table-camp, CEF, where we live or want to live-everything.  For now, we will continue doing what God has already shown us what to do.  (could we do otherwise?)  But we could use some direction concerning specific next steps to take.  I am reading a few books right now, and the author made a great point - "Wanna make God laugh?  Tell him your plans.  Wanna make God cry?  Don't make any plans! " Erin and I don't want to be a part of anything that is simply our desires and not God's.  But practically speaking, we must make plans for camp and CEF.  That's where we are at right now.  Thanks for praying!

Other news- the St. Bon Community dinner went well.  Erin and several folks from the church helped out.  It is clear they don't push the Gospel during the event, but everyone tried to be a joyful witness.  70 turkeys were prepared, but the frigid temps and snow hindered some from showing up. There were still at least 500 or so go through the doors for dinner and gifts.

Mrs. Soltero covets your prayers as well.  While the tumor was removed, there is still some cancer in her bones. Lately she has not been able to keep food down and does not feel very well.  Please continue to pray for her as she battles this disease.  Specifically she wants prayer that her faith not fail during this difficult time. 
I will try to not let so much time pass before the next update!  Thanks for your prayers!

More progress

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will be going under ABC as a nonprofit.  This is another answer to prayer. We thank God for his provision. We still have paperwork to finalize, but the folks at ABC have graciously decided to help us in this regard. The goal will be to become an independent organization within two years.  The next steps will be deciding on our name and more importantly, putting a board of directors together.  Pray for us as we seek out members willing to serve in that capacity.  Pray too as we continue to finalize the location.  I have always planned on having the camp in Thoreau, but the gym at Crownpoint is a great location as well.  There is also a gym at St.  Bon, so we are praying for guidance in where exactly we should have the camp. 

In other news, I wanted to let everyone know that Mrs. Soltero is doing fine.  She will be back home on Tuesday, Lord willing.

A couple of prayer requests-
1. CEF - continue to keep the club in your prayers.  There are still only a few kids showing up, and it would be great to see more kids there.  Pray too for workers.  Erin and the ladies can always use more help! 
2. The St. Bon dinner. On December 3rd, the big community dinner will take place.  It's our hope that this can be a chance to share the Gospel and work with others. 

Thank you for your prayers! Have a great Thanksgiving!  God bless! 

Mrs. Soltero

We just received word from Mrs. Soltero- the surgery went well.  The tumor has been successfully removed, and it appears that there was no damage or spreading to any organs.  This is an amazing answer to prayer!  Everyone here is just praising God for this blessing!  Continue to keep her in your prayers.  The dangerous surgery is over, and now she can focus on recovery. Thanks for all your prayers. 

Mrs. Soltero

Just wanted to post to let everyone know when specifically to pray for Mrs. Soltero. She is in California and ready for surgery. She goes in tomorrow at 8am for preop and a procedure to cut the blood flow off to the tumor. It will be a very delicate procedure. Her "main" surgery will be done on Thursday at 7:30am. She covets your prayers!

One step forward, and a few back

<p>Please pray for the CEF club.&#160; Today they had just two kids-one of which was Kadin.&nbsp; It certainly feels like the club is under attack.  Last year the club had about 15-17 kids; the ladies teaching grew tremendously, and everyone was excited to start the new year.  Plans were made to attempt to have two clubs in the area-at the elementary and at Baca. It appeared that another church had about four ladies interested in participating and helping out this year.  After missing the first training session, it was agreed they would go to the upcoming training this weekend. Well, sadly they are unable to go or commit to helping with CEF.  Erin was hoping that after the training, the ladies could help with the teaching rotations in December.  (for insurance reasons, workers must be trained before teaching) So, plans will need to be adjusted.  Erin is looking for more workers willing to commit to the necessary training and club days. Today she lost about five potential workers she had been counting on. It is difficult to get Christians to commit nowadays, and Erin is a little discouraged. It is a time of trusting that God is still in control and we just need to be faithful to the call. So pray for the club. Praise God for the ladies (Esther, Carol, Gina, Norma, Gail) that have stepped up consistently to help, and pray as we are, for more faithful workers. Jesus was right- the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. This begs the question-how faithful are we all being to the calling God has given us?

Progress at last!

Well, it is official.  Rory called the other day and confirmed that the dates of July 9 - 13 will work for him.  So now we have three coaches lined up.  Now to find the rest! I also got an email from a friend I had asked about being on the board.  He is still praying about that decision.  Jim Stanley emailed and gave me a couple of questions to answer, and he will take my response to the elder meeting this Thursday.  I will now contact the principal at the high school to make sure we can use the gym for that specific week in July.  Then I will see about getting a house reserved for the camp staff.  (they will stay at the church, the UIM houses next to Crosslands, or at church members' homes, or a combination of each)  So it looks like a big question has been settled and now we just continue to make more detailed preparations. Pray for us as we continue to seek God's leading in putting the pieces together to get this camp going.  I would really like to have more local coaches as well (maybe some UNM Lobo players?), but I don't know of any leads in that direction just yet.  God will provide what we need, we just need to be faithful to His leading.  Good night, and God bless!

Pray for CEF

Erin is going to BACA tomorrow to see if a meeting can be set up to discuss starting the CEF club at the school.  The school has not returned phone calls or emails concerning this request, so Erin is going personally to see if progress can be made.  It appears there is some resistance coming from somewhere, and wisdom is needed to see how to proceed at this point. Pray for Erin as she tries to set up that meeting tomorrow.  Mrs. Soltero will have surgery on the 10th, so keep her in your prayers too please.  The club at the elementary school has had a low turnout lately and it would be nice to see more kids come to the club.  On the other hand, the smaller group allows for more individual attention, so there is a positive to a smaller group as well.  The ladies teaching the club are doing more, so that is an answer to prayer.  The ladies from the Baptist church are traveling to Albuquerque this weekend for training, please pray for their safety.

Concerning camp, it feels like we are still in the hurry up and wait mode as we await word from others.  I will let everyone know the latest when I find out more info.  I am still working with the three coaches to plan the best dates for the camp.  We are still praying for more coaches, so thanks for your continued prayers as well!  I have talked to the UIM folks that rent out the houses next to Crosslands, and will reserve a place for camp staff as soon as I can finalize a date. It will be this week, Lord willing, as we need to move on to other planning phases. 

That's the latest for now.  Hopefully in the next few days I will have some more substantial news (and progress) to report!  Thanks for your prayers! 

Oops! Has it been a month?

Wow!  Time flies when you keep telling yourself "I need to blog... " but then you don't.  I have been busy with the ending of the 9weeks and all, but I would rather just be honest.  The truth is, I coasted for a while with the camp stuff.  I was kind of depressed about the whole lack of progress, and in a sick way figured the best way to deal with the lack of progress was to ignore what I should focus on.  It was a total lack of faith and faithfulness on my part.  But God used my wonderful wife to wake me up the other day.  She said, "Matt, not to be mean, but-".  You have to love it when your spouse starts off a statement like that!  (it was already late at night, and we were fixing to go to bed)  Erin then proceeded to tell me how she just didn't see how the whole camp thing was going to get done-especially if I wasn't going to do what I needed to do.  These words of brutal honesty woke me up, and I thanked her and God right then.  The next day I started working more diligently on things I could do to keep the whole camp vision going.  I wish I could say I have a ton of good news to report, but the truth is we are awaiting the answers to several issues currently.

Issue 1- we await the response from Angelo Bible Church and our nonprofit status.  We know it's just basically a matter of time to hammer out the specifics, and we are working with ABC to get this done as soon as possible. Please pray that we can get this finalized in the next week or so.

Issue 2- the EXACT timing of the camp.  I have the high school gym available for the summer, but I can't reserve an exact week until I talk with some of the coaches that have expressed an interest in helping.  In answer to prayer, I talked with a former coach from Cornerstone Christian School, and he committed immediately to helping out.  He and his family are totally excited about coming up.  His quick response was an answer to prayer and a great encouragement. (isn't it amazing how God does that- encourages you at just the right moment?)  I will have more to report next week, Lord willing, as I will be talking with another coach on Wednesday to see if the dates of July 9-13 will work for him.  So far I have three coaches that have committed to helping us.  Pray for us all as we try to coordinate their schedules.  I will also need more staff of course, so pray for that as well!  I want to let you know the names of the coaches so they can be lifted up specifically: Mike, Rory, and Sean.  Sean says he knows a coach from Angelo State University and will ask him if he is interested in coming out as well.   This is another encouraging development.  Pray that it leads to another coach if that is God's will.

Issue 3- board members.  I have talked with three folks locally, but have not gotten a definitive answer from any of them.  Pray that they see clearly God's will concerning their involvement.  I personally would love to have a board organized now, but God's timing is not mine! 

So we have been working on camp stuff, but it feels like we are moving slowly as we await answers to these issues.  In other news, I was able to meet with the pastor of the local Baptist Church, and he said they would be willing to help.  I sent him a brief memo describing specific ways his church could help us in getting the camp started.  I have also talked to Mark Morris, the UIM missionary that has houses for rent.  The plan is to have the camp staff stay in a house or two there at the mission property, which is right next to Crosslands.  (our church for those who don't know-)  I will give Mark a specific date for renting the homes once I have the exact dates for camp.  (Lord willing, by the end of this week!)  So that wraps up the camp stuff for now! 

CEF- Erin and the ladies still have only 5 or so kiddos coming to the club.  It is nice on one hand, because each child can really be focused on.  But it would be nice to have a few more kids.  Mrs. Soltero has gone to California to meet with a specialist there and they plan on doing surgery in a few weeks. 

Lastly, here's some specific prayer requests-
Pray for Erin and I as we continue to do CEF and prepare for camp.  At times we feel alone in trying to get the camp thing going in particular.  Pray too that we can get the nonprofit, exact date of the camp, and board member issues moved on to more final solutions.  I still need coaches, so pray that God gives us the folks we need.  Pray too for unity among the staff as we will be bringing folks from all over to work together.  Pray too that we could find more local support in the form of churches and individuals willing to help.  We want the camp to be long term, so the need is to find local Christians to get behind the camp idea as well.  Pray for CEF and the kids to be reached; pray for Mrs. Soltero and her treatment. 

Thanks so much for all your prayers. I say it a lot, but the it is true- it is encouraging to know others are behind us in prayer.

Got some ideas or leads?

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the delay but it's been a hectic week at school.  I am finally starting to get caught up with stuff, so I wanted to let you know what is going on. 

CEF- pray for the kids to come; there are less kids than last year. This is okay, but it would be nice to have a few more kiddos.  Today five kids were there, and that includes Kadin.  But a small group lets them get to know the kids better, so that is okay too.   Concerning the possibility of a club at Baca, pray for hearts to change.  As it stands right now, we don't have an opening to get the club at the school.  We (pastor Jacob and Erin)  have decided that suing is not the route to go at this point, but that means we must keep this need before our Lord in prayer.  Erin was able to talk with a parent today during the club, and that was a cool development.  Progress is being made, but continue to keep the kids and ladies in your prayers.  Consistent workers and ones willing to take more of a leadership role are specific requests. Also don't forget Mrs. Soltero- she will be undergoing treatment in California soon.

Camp- ah, where to start?  We need a name for our nonprofit organization.  Any suggestions?  One we are considering is "Mesa Ministries. " Another is "As you, so I. " from John 17:18.  We will need an actual name soon, so I would appreciate any ideas!  The name would be for the overall ministry, and later we could come up with a cool name for the camp.

Next, coaches.  I want to start contacting prospective staffing, and I know some of you have coaching contacts.  Let me know about them, or pass on info about this idea and they can contact me.  Bottom line: I need Christian coaches that model Christ and love to have fun!  I want a ratio of four (possibly five) campers to one coach, so if we plan on fifty kids for the first year I will need about twelve coaches working the camp. 

Location- initially we planned to have the camp in Thoreau.  I believe we still should.  (I sent an email to my former principal today to make sure we could still have the camp at the Thoreau High gym.) But I want us to be praying about the option of moving it to Crownpoint.  I have not talked to the principal at the high school in Crownpoint yet, but there is a need for outreach in Crownpoint as well.  I want to make sure we pick the location based on God's leading and not necessarily previous plans.

Other thoughts- pray for the board of ABC as they decide about taking us on.  Pray too for the folks at T Bar M as they continue to assess their role as well.  Pray for me to stay focused on doing camp work each week.  In the busyness of life it is easy to put things off till "tomorrow".  Specifically, I want to have some letters ready to send out to some potential supporters or advisors, but I need to get them polished and ready to go.  (more info to follow at a later date) Finally, pray for my continued protection as I drive to work.  A county sheriff hit an elk the other morning as I drove in; he was fine, but it was a reminder of the grace of God.  I pray for travel safety daily, and would appreciate your prayers.  (by the way, the elk would have been a good trophy- it was a nice 8 point buck...)  God is so great to allow us the privilege of serving Him.  Thanks for your advice, thoughts, and prayers!

Childlike Awareness

Tonight we were praying when Kadin asked God to help the youth to remember to read their Bibles. Every Sunday we meet with the youth and ask the if they have read and spent time with God.  Most don't read at all.  But tonight, Kadin remembered what we hope the youth remember- the need for them to spend time with God.  It's amazing the simple reliance kids have on God.  It's too bad we tend to loose that as we get older! 

In other news, I wanted to share something God showed me a little over a week ago.  I meant to post it last time but remembered only after I finished my last post.  I was reading through 2 Corinthians, and right there in chapter 1, verses 8-11 it hit me.  I don't think it's a secret that our transition to my new job has been difficult.  I am not saying I was as bad off as Paul, but we have been been under a lot of pressure.  This passage encouraged me at just the right time.  I love how it mentions the reason for the suffering (v. 9) and the role of the prayers of others.  It reminded me of everyone that is praying for us.  Thank you!

Keep praying for CEF and camp.  Specifically prayer for Mrs. Soltero, as she is undergoing treatment for her cancer.  She has been advised by the doctor to not go back to work, and I know that must be difficult.  CEF meets again this Thursday, and the ladies have a training near Albuquerque in a few weeks.  Continue to pray for the kids to be reached through the program.  In camp news, we are awaiting feedback from Drew on some documents I have been working on, and the ABC elders are supposed to meet this week and further discuss taking us on as a ministry.  I will be contacting a few prospective board members this week, so pray that God guides those conversations and decisions as well. 

Lastly, pray for us and our home.  It has been almost 7 months, and only two people have looked at the house through the realtor.  We have had several more just drop by, but it seems like God is wanting us to simply be still and wait upon Him.  The realty contract is up at the end of November, and we are praying about what should be done next. 

I hope I don't come across as being negative.  We are honored to be used however God sees fit.  We want to be sure we are following him, and not trying to fit God into our plans.  God is calling us to trust him even more, and we will do all that he asks.  God bless, and have YOU spent time with God?  ;-)

CEF and camp update

Cef went well last Thursday.  Seven kids showed up, which is not bad considering it was the first meeting.  Erin has some new help from the Baptist church, and it looks like a few more ladies will start helping in the next few weeks.  The Baca club is still on hold for now, so no new news on that front.  We continue to pray for an opening next semester. 

Jim from ABC called today, and we were able to talk about the nonprofit status.  The elders meet in a week or so, and the plan is to get the necessary paperwork done before then so the church can make a final decision.  I have some organizational papers I continue to work on, and will send copies of all the needed papers by the end of the week.  So it appears that we will be under the umbrella of ABC ministries in a few weeks.  I don't want to be presumptuous, since the elders have not had the final meeting, but everything looks good so far.  This is an answer to prayer and it is exciting!  One of the things we need to submit is a name for our organization.  Any suggestions?  One idea submitted was Mesa Ministries, and Erin and I have thrown around some ideas, but we have yet to make a decision.

I also talked to Drew this past week and we are working on getting more of the camp planning in place.  Hopefully we can set up a phone conversation for later this week. 

I also met briefly with my friend about being on the board.  He's quite busy, but I left him an outline of the camp idea and we will meet again soon. 

So despite my lagging, the camp idea moves forward!  It is exciting to see how God is putting this all together!  We serve a mighty God, and with His help, all things are possible!  Thanks for your support and feel free to email us any comments or questions.  (Of course you can leave comments here on the blog as well!)

Latest news

Here's the news from our neck of the woods...
CEF- The club at the elementary school in Thoreau has its first meeting this Thursday.  Pray for the kiddos to come and that they will be attentive as the Gospel is shared.  The club at the Indian school, Baca, is currently on hold.  There are some issues that still need to be resolved with the school board, so we are praying for a start by January. 

While we are disappointed about the Baca club, we can see that God knows best.  If both were to start now, we don't have the staffing to do them effectively.  This leads to an urgent prayer request for one of the key ladies in the CEF group- Mrs. Soltero.  She is the teacher at Thoreau Elementary that offered her classroom for the club.  She has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment.  Pray for her, her husband and the doctors as they go through this difficult time.  Mrs. Soltero has been a key worker and supporter of the club, and her presence is missed.

CAMP- I meet with a friend this week to discuss the camp and his role as a possible board member.  We used to pray together when I taught at Wingate.  The meeting will be on Wednesday.  Pray for God's leading as we discuss the camp and his role.  I am also trying to set up a meeting with a friend in Albuquerque as well. 

In other news, it looks like we will fall under the 501c3 status of Angelo Bible Church.  We are in the process of setting up under them.  This will allow us to focus on camp stuff at this time instead of trying to start our own nonprofit organization.  The plans will be to go independent at a later date- a year or so after the first camp.  I am contacting Jim, the pastor of ABC, this week to see how the last elder meeting went concerning their willingness to take us on as a ministry.  In the meantime I am putting together some documents that the folks at ABC need concerning the camp and our desires.  Pray for us as we continue to get this camp idea off the ground.  I need prayer in figuring out the best way to continue with my new job and the desire to focus on just camp stuff (sometimes I feel overwhelmed with both tasks and I just want to avoid working on things altogether).  Erin and I are still getting used to my new job and the time it takes away from family.  It's been a difficult time as we wonder what God has planned!  But we know His way is best, so we just need to be faithful. 

The House- We did have a couple stop by today and ask about the house.  They didn't want to come in, but they said they would give the realtor a call.  This was the first interest we have had in the house in over three months, so it's an answer to prayer.  We will keep you posted if it turns into something promising...
That's it for now!  Thanks so much for your prayers.  We would be unable to do this without your help.

Busyness

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the delay, but we have been crazy busy this last week and a half!  The movie night at St Bon was a hit, and I was able to talk with a young man for several hours about life and God.  We dropped off a Bible last week, and I hope to spend some time with him this week when we do another movie at the trailer park.

I am entering my second week at Crownpoint.  I truly enjoy the job, but I must admit that the drive is the biggest drawback.  I love the extra time with God- I listen to sermons or the Bible on audio, but I sure wish we just lived in Crownpoint!  Obviously God has other plans for now!  I praise God for the job and the doors He is opening up.  I have met a couple of Christian teachers, and we are planning on starting a pray group once things calm down.  (I will suggest next week before the habit of NOT meeting gets a foothold!)  I teach 6th graders, and it is apparent this is the age to reach the kids!

In camp news, I must admit I have been a little slack.  I feel bad because I feel like I am falling behind in what I want to do.  It has been hard to find time with the new job starting this week.  (I also had to replace the transmission in the jeep over the weekend, but still that's not an excuse!)  Pray for me as I want to contact some folks about being on our board this week. (it is my goal for the week...) I need to make the time to get some contacts made. I am still working on letters to send to prospective people or organizations that may want to partner with us.  Frankly, this is all new to me, so I am learning as I go!  God is still working, and it is exciting to see where He will lead!

Summer is over

It's official, summer is over.   I had my first day of work at Crownpoint today, and it was good.  I still have some things to sort through and set up, but I will be ready for the kiddos on Monday.  I say kids, cause I found out last week I will be teaching 6th grade language arts as well as two 6th grade remedial classes.  The students are just 11-13years old!  It will be fun!  While at the school the other day,  I met the science teacher and found out that her husband is the pastor of the local Reformed Church, so I said we would have to check out their service sometime.  It is nice to know there are fellow Christians on staff.

In camp news, I am sorting through goals and timelines in order to make a workable schedule to go by.  I am also revamping my vision/mission statement so that it is more like a business plan. (not that I know what that would look like!)  Angelo Bible Church is prayerfully considering taking us on as a missionary.  They would not help so much financially as much as they would allow us to fall under their 501c3 status.  This would give us more time to focus on the camp aspect and not getting together bylaws and other requirements necessary to be an independent nonprofit.  We are still praying about which direction to go with the nonprofit stuff, so please continue to pray for us.  Either way, we would still form a board to be under, so pray for us as we seek out folks willing to serve in that capacity.  The goal is to get the board and nonprofit stuff settled in the next few weeks. 

Tomorrow is another movie night at St. Bon.  We will be showing a couple of Veggie Tales.  (if we don't get rained out!)  Pray that the kids would not just enjoy the shows, but that lives would be touched by the truth of the Gospel.

The drive to Crownpoint is pretty, but not something I want to do all year.  We are lowering the price of the house again in the hopes of getting more interest and a sale.  I found out today that there are no teacher homes available in Crownpoint, so we would have to live in Thoreau or the trailer park in Crownpoint. So that's kind of an answer to prayer!  We have one less option to consider once the house does sell! ;-)

That's it for now.  Pray for me as I learn my new job and balance it with my greater desire for ministry.  Pray for Erin too, as she will be starting school with Kadin next week as well.  God bless!

Weekly Update

Hello all!  I am trying to figure out the best way to keep up a blog and remain faithful to my other responsibilities.  For now I will try to post an update at least once a week.  So here's the latest--

CEF-pray for the school board at Baca.  They are hesitant to allow the club access to the school.  The next meeting is in August, and a decision will need to be made.  Erin feels it would not be right to force the school to allow the club, so we are praying that God will work through the board members and allow the club to proceed.  Just because we can do something legally for Christ does not mean it's the best move to make- especially in a small community.  So we need prayers lifted up for the final go-ahead.

CAMP- our family went to Angel Fire this past week and we got to talk to my family about camp stuff.  After talking with my family, one thing became clear- we should focus on running with the original idea.  We will have a basketball camp for one week in the summer- a skills camp for the older youth in the area.  The tentative date will be July 9th- 13th.  I say tentative because I have not talked to my former principal yet, and with school starting I will not talk with her until after the first week of school.  Making an actual decision and date is an answer to prayer.  Things may still change some, but the overall camp will not.  Although the camp will be focused on skills, I plan on incorporating much of what I saw at T Bar M.  They do a sports camp for younger kids, and we will follow that model closely.  As I type out these ideas and plans, I am aware of James 4:13-17.  I need to make plans (doing the good I know is needed), but ultimately this is all dependant upon God's will and timing.

We still have much to do- from deciding on nonprofit stuff to finding board members. (Not to mention making actual plans!) So pray for us.  We don't want to rush off ahead of our Lord, but we also must start trusting that He is guiding specific decisions we must make.  Thank God that He is sovereign!

COMMUNITY DINNER- December 3rd.  Those of you that have been on the email list long enough may remember this one....  Last year St. Bon was unable to put on their annual Christmas dinner.  We tried to see if all the churches could work together to put on a dinner at St. Bon, but things just did not work out.  Well this year Erin has already been asked to help plan the dinner.  The date has been set, and now Erin is beginning the process of contacting churches to see who is willing to help.  Pray that all the details work out in such a way as to make this a community dinner that shows how churches want to share not only God's word but His blessings as well.  Pray for Erin to not feel overwhelmed as she and the secretary from St. Bon (Cindy is her name) plan the event.  If any of you would like to help, just let us know:)

Lastly, I wanted to share something God graciously reminded me of- Blessings.  As we traveled back from Texas a few weeks ago, a rock hit our windshield.  (It was the second time- I stopped to fix a chip in the windshield on the way to Texas.)  Our immediate reaction was anger, but then both Erin and I started thinking.  We were excited to see what a chipped windshield would reveal about God's plan.  Erin called the insurance company to set up a time to get it fixed.  The man comes out to our house and fixes our windshield.  He notices my old 47 Jeep.  Long story short, my jeep gets sold for the asking price because we got a rock in our windshield.  I have been trying to sell it all summer, and God used a rock to do what I couldn't!  Isn't God cool?

Pray with us as we make a final decision

Hello everyone! Erin and I went to my room at Crownpoint yesterday. We were able to start organizing my stuff and laying out the classroom.  It was a productive day.

This morning I began planning work on the camp.  I wanted to share specifically what I am thinking about and bringing before our Lord.
We are prayerfully considering two options.

Option 1- Two weeks of camp. Week one would be a basketball skills camp for older youth. (Ages mid-high school)  The camp would focus on basketball, but with skits and "huddle time", where the drills taught would be tied back to what the Scripture and the Gospel teaches.  Week 2 would be a camp for the younger kids in the community.  It would be a sampler pack-with various sports taught throughout the week.  Having a second week of camp would allow us to reach all ages in the first summer of camp. 

Option 2- we would just have camp for one week next summer.  It would be the basketball skills camp and target the older youth. (It would be like option one without the second week for the younger kids.) 

I am personally leaning towards the first option.  But I don't know how to do one week of camp let alone two!  I am also aware of what Johnny Polk and others at T Bar M said- "Don't over-promise and underdeliver."  Our God is able to more than we can think or imagine, so I am struggling with the choice that must be made soon.  Now that you have read this post, you can pray more specifically for us.  Comments through the blog or by email would be greatly appreciated.  I am at the point of actually planning what an overall day of camp would look like and identifying needs- like skit curriculum and props.  But before we can plan more thoroughly, we have to make a decision and start reserving the necessary facilities.  So we are at the point of needing prayer before we make the final decision.  Thanks for your help!

Back Home

We are back home now for a few days... (We actually got home on Friday) Erin and I have been praying about what the camp will look like.  We need to make a decision soon, so we can move on to more specific details.  Continue to pray for us.

On Tuesday evening, we were blessed with the opportunity to talk with folks that have been praying for us over the last year.  It was great to be able to put a face to the emails we have been sending out.  We were able to talk about our vision, answer questions, and take down suggestions. It is such a blessing to be able to meet with fellow believers.

It is nice to be home.  We have been relaxing as much as we can, although that's hard to do when we have so much to digest and plan.  Our last day in Texas I started looking into the nonprofit stuff.  We are still thinking about a name for our organization and the camp.  The nonprofit would be an umbrella for all the ministry outreach we do out here, with camp being the main focus.  I think it can be organized along those lines. 

On the way back from church, Erin suggested I meet with the church and update everyone about what has been going on. (And share outreach opportunities)  I think that is a great suggestion, and I will give our pastor Jacob a call to see what we can do.  (He's been talking at a camp for the last few days, so I will probably call tomorrow.)  We have been given some great ideas for searching out land and workers, so we will be working on those leads as well. 

That's it for now.  Not a whole lot going on up front- just a lot of organizing and planning.  Pray for those we are considering to be board members.  I have not talked to anyone yet about being on the board but we will start that process soon.  We want to be accountable and we need fellow believers willing to take on a larger role in helping make this vision a reality.  Again, thanks so much for your prayers and support.  This endeavor would not be possible without prayer.  We are nothing in and of ourselves.

Updates made easy

Hey guys! I just figured out there are two ways to get emails when I post stuff to this blog. The first is to become a follower. This is the easiest method. The link for that is on the right side of the page. Enter an email address and click follow. I believe this option sends an email as soon as I post something. The other is to use "Follow by Email" at the bottom of the page. This option sends an email during the day to alert you if I have posted. Both methods require an email address. (obviously!) For the "Follow by Email", the instructions are below.

I believe the "Follow by Email" is more private, since you don't appear as a follower of the site as you do if you sign up using the "Follower" link (did you notice I have a couple of followers? Thanks to you two!). Perhaps someone more blog savvy than me (i.e. my sister) can let me know what the major difference is between each method. :)

Here's what you do:
1. Go to the VERY bottom of my this page. (it's to the right of the "Links worth looking into")
2. At the bottom you will see a title entitled "Follow by Email". Under the title there will be a spot to enter your email address.
3. Enter your email and click "submit"
4. After submitting, you will be taken to a new screen. You will have to enter a random word to complete this step. (just follow the instructions!) Enter the random word.
5. Next, you will have to log into your email account that you entered in step 3.
6. Log into your email, and you should have received an email from FeedBurner. It should be titled "FeedBurner Email Subscription". Open the email and click on the blue link. That's it!

Now when I post to the blog, you will receive an email with the post in it. Pretty cool. Don't ask me how it works though! Still visit the blog every once and a while for old time's sake! (I am not sure if I update other stuff, like the calendar, if you get that as well...let me know!) God Bless!

Next Steps

Pray for us as Erin and I consider the next steps concerning camp. We left camp on Saturday, our minds full of things to consider. We are in the process of sorting through all we have seen and been told. Here are some of the things we are thinking through-praying through-
1. The need for our vision to come under a nonprofit organization- either our own, or under another organization.
2.  The need for a board over us- people that share our vision and will hold us to the task.
3.  Setting goals for camp. We need to set short and long term goals to get this camp off the ground, and we need wisdom in deciding on the goals and the various priorities.
4.  Workers. We need workers willing to partner with us on a variety of levels- from camp workers to churches willing to partner with us.
5. Our family.  I need to constantly be aware of the need to balance the passion of my vision with the responsibility of being a Godly husband and father.  For those of you that know me, I often jump into things without looking back.  It's a necessary quality to follow a vision, but lousy if I jump and leave my other duties behind. 

We are on an exciting journey!  Our emotions run the gamut from cloud nine to feeling overwhelmed.  But we serve a mighty God, and all we need to do is trust and obey.

No coincidences

What an awesome God we serve!  I'm humbled that He wants to work through such a broken vessel.  Being here at camp has confirmed what we already knew- that God wants to do something big through humble, but available servants.  We are so blessed to be a part of what our Lord is doing. 

Erin and I had the privilege to go to dinner tonight with the camp director.  He taught me so much in such a short amount of time.  (it was a humbling experience and very encouraging) Our meeting was not just something that happened to fall into place.  It was exactly what Erin and I needed at the exact moment we needed it. (in fact, we were on the way to a Verizon store to fix Erin's phone when Drew texted to let us know an opportunity to meet came up)  I don't think it is an exaggeration to say this meeting has changed our lives and the lives of others.  God is moving.  Pray for Erin and I as we have upcoming meetings with Denton Bible Church and hopefully some other folks as well.  Pray for me to be articulate and clear in presenting our calling, vision, and mission.  Pray for guidance as relationships and decisions are made.  We have much more to share, but for now we need time to process what God is showing us. (And time to pray.) Stay tuned! Thanks for all your prayers! We could not do anything without prayer warriors keeping this whole adventure before our Lord and Savior.

T Bar M observations

I just wanted to briefly share some things we have seen today at camp.

Erin and I thank God we have the chance to be here this week.

1.  Relationships-Today was our first full day at the camp, and already we can see the importance T Bar M places on relationships. It's pervasive-from who they hire to how the staff interact with the campers. Drew always told me this is what distinguishes them from other camps, and it is true!

2.  The Gospel- for camp, Wednesday is the day that the Gospel is presented. It was truly amazing to see how the staff presented the Gospel to the campers.  Today the Gospel was the official emphasis, but from our observations yesterday, we could tell the whole program is geared towards the Gospel and the Word.

3.  Fun!  This camp is a blast!  It is apparent that fun is a focus. But what is cool is that even the fun moments are used to bring in teachings from God's word. It is clear that the fun is with a purpose, and that purpose is to create teachable moments with the campers.

Pray for Erin and I as we go through the rest of the week.  We need God's guidance as we try to figure out how He wants us to incorporate what T Bar M does into the camp at Thoreau. I will post more as our minds are able to process more of what we have seen and discussed here at camp. (we haven't even seen the Lake Travis Camp... That trip is tomorrow)

Connections

Today got me thinking about the connections or relationships God puts in our lives.  Think about the wisdom, insight, and planning it would take to produce the network of Christians needed to work together to get the various tasks God ordained from the beginning of time to be done.  As Erin and I have embarked on getting the camp thing going and CEF, it has become obvious that we could have done nothing without the contacts/relationships (connections) that God has developed (in fact, preordained).  And I am not just talking about our own friendships- I am simply recognizing the fact that without the relationships from parents, friends, coworkers, etc, the work we are trying to accomplish for the kingdom would be impossible.   Yet it is only possible because our God is in sovereign control of ALL things.  It makes you rethink those relationships you are developing or already have.  We know there are no coincidences, and that includes the people God puts us in contact with.  It's going to be amazing to see where our Lord takes us from here!  Erin and I had a great visit with Nancy today, and I had a great visit with a coach interested in the camp.  Nancy pointed out how there are so many inroads already prepared that can become resources for the camp.  My friend Rory basically affirmed the same thing- the camp idea is doable; we just need to follow, obey, and trust the Lord.  It's going to be amazing to see how God uses current and future relationships to accomplish His will.  What a privilege to be a part of it all!  How important it is for us all as Christians to be about developing relationships (even producing disciples).  It is the relationships we have that God works through to accomplish His will for His glory.   If we refuse to go out and build relationships (with believers and unbelievers), what are we telling our Lord?  Let's pursue our relationships on all fronts- for the kingdom work won't be done without it!

The blessing of Fellowship

We were at Angelo Bible Church this morning.  Jim's brother in law gave an update about the work going on in Kenya.  (Jim's sister and husband, Kevin, are missionaries over there.)  It was great to hear about the work God is doing in Kenya.  We serve such a great and wonderful Saviour!  We talked with Kevin after the service and discussed the possibility of having a mission trip from Crosslands go to Kenya.  I don't know how our church members could afford the plane tickets, but it would be amazing to have Christians from African and American tribes meet and share what God is doing among their people. Won't heaven be an awesome place- with people from every tongue and tribe there!

While at church, I was asked to share what God was doing in our neck of the woods.  It was a blessing to be able to share the TBarM and CEF news.  Erin and I count ourselves blessed to be in the position we find ourselves in.  We have our questions and concerns, but we know God will reveal His will as we need to know it.

I let too much time go by

Sorry!  I let too much time go by since the last post!  Now that I have taken time to write again, I have too much on my mind.  But here's a brief insight into what I have been thinking about over the last few days-
1.  Treasure and hearts- I gave a sermon on this a while ago, and I am wondering how we can get Christians to wake up and treasure the eternal things.  The kids from Idaho and Texas got a glimpse of this idea last week and I pray they continue to put God first in their lives.

2. The desert and Moses- I am not trying to feel sorry for myself, but I sometimes feel like Moses in the desert, waiting for the burning bush! Erin and I have a willingness to serve, but with the possibility of moving to Crownpoint, we wonder what God has planned. All we can do is continue serving God in the areas he has shown us. We just wonder what is next. I am excited about the ministry opportunities at Crownpoint and am willing to jump in, but I want to be careful that I don't get ahead of my Master's will!

3. Sin. I have been reading through the prophets and have been struck by the sorrow God has over the sins of His people, yet the Israelites are oblivious or even hostile in their rebellion. I read this week in Ezekiel how God will make his people loathe their sin while they are in captivity. It made me think of my own sin and lack of awareness. So I added that to my regular prayer this week - a loathing of my sin.

Well, that is enough for now! We are going to be at TBarM soon, so pray for us as we observe the camp and see what we can incorporate into the plans for a camp in Thoreau. Also, please continue to pray for us and our house. It seems like it may never sell, and we are eager to move to either St Bon or Crownpoint. But we don't want to get ahead of God and if he wants us to stay put for now, then we will praise God for letting us enjoy our beautiful home (and a long commute to work where I can listen to sermons while I drive :)) . We need God's wisdom in seeking what to do ministry wise, so please pray for that too! It doesn't seem to make sense to move us to Crownpoint when so many ministry opportunities are opening up in Thoreau. But we know God knows best and will follow wherever he leads! Lastly, feel free to contact us and let us know how we can lift your needs/ministries up in prayer. I am toying with the idea of adding a prayer page to blog, and it would be cool to make that page not just center on our needs alone! God bless you as we all seek to fulfill the Great Commission!

Lessons from last week

Hello everyone!  Just wanted to talk about some of the things God taught us the last week.  This was a very tiring week, but also quite productive.  Here's what I have learned-

1.  Don't worry!  At the beginning of the week, I was a little worried about the work projects. (Since that was my responsibility.)  God spoke through Erin Saturday night.  She simply said, "Don't worry!"  Thankfully I took her advice and did not stress over what to do.  Guess what happened on Monday?  By Monday I had learned we had two contractors in the Idaho group.  Brian was willing to take on the big carport/decking project, and I could take care of the smaller ones.By noon, Don (the man from our church who had planned the projects) was able to stop by and fully explain each project.  If I had given in to worry, I would have been stressing for nothing.  By Monday afternoon we had more than enough work to do, and the week's worth of projects were lined up.  God came through just in time.  Imagine that.  This reminds me of the disciples and the storm.  They woke up Jesus and he calmed the seas.  Then he addressed the real issue- their lack of faith and trust in him.  They were too impatient and too eager to end the storm they were in.  Sound familiar?  It does to me! 

2.  God is Sovereign.  Despite our lack of ability, God's plan will be accomplished.  I don't know if I have said it before, but I love the quote: "It's not ability but availability that God needs."  This was shown to be true throughout the week.  If you think about it, it is amazing that a bunch of kids that have never worked together can spread the Gospel effectively.  Erin and Jim helped immensely, but much of the work was done by 12-19 year olds!  We need to remember this when God tells us to do something.  He is in control and will provide all we need if we will simply obey!

3.  As stewards, there is always room to do better.  This week also showed how each group- Crosslands, Idaho, and Texas could (and must) do better.  I can mainly speak only towards the work project, and I can say that we need to plan better.  Don did a great job of getting the materials list together for the projects, but it is almost impossible to think of every needed board and tool.  It was frustrating thinking of the multiple trips taken to town for just a few items.  Lee, the leader from Idaho asked if we ever got materials for a discount or free.  We had never really thought about that.  Perhaps we could have saved even more money by simply planning in advance (6 months or more) and asking businesses for help.

Communication between all the groups needs to be improved.  By ensuring we are all in agreement ahead of time, much confusion and frustration can be avoided.  This trip was a learning process like they all are.  It is simply amazing how God can use us despite ourselves.  Everyone was in agreement that the good accomplished on the trip far exceeded any frustrations.  We just need to strive to always do better for our Lord.

It is such a blessing to have mission trips come. I am not talking about the work they do or even the VBS's; the blessings come from being able to gather together different groups of believers and being able to see how God uses willing servants. The instant friendships, the overcoming of obstacles, the kid's realization that God can use them makes mission trips worth it. It was a privilege to be a part of it all. May we all realize that the mountain top experience of mission trips does not have to happen once a year- it can happen anytime we are sold out to our Saviour. (The mountains come with valleys too though! Otherwise there would be no mountains!)

CEF NEWS

I wanted to pass on the good news.  It looks like the legal researching of the question of having a club in a federal tribal school has been settled.  The next step will be to take the paperwork to the board.  Continue to pray that God will work in the hearts of the board members and that the final approval would be given without further hesitation.  It would be the first club in a tribal school, we believe. 

More work pictures

Here's some shots of the ramp being built. This project would not have been possible without Brian and Larry.  It will be such a blessing to have this entryway for those who need it!

Some work project pictures

Here's some shots of the painting that was done...
Most of the paint was applied to the wood or the ladder and not themselves!  The groups almost finished the whole carport-before they ran out of paint!  (They put on over 11 gallons!)

This is what it is about

Here's a picture of one of the youth that knows what mission trips should be about...relationships!

Wednesday and Thursday Update

Sorry for not posting the few last days- it's been very busy!  On Wednesday, the groups got the ramp ready for concrete.  That involved compacting the soil and building the forms.  Meanwhile, the kids not working on the ramp continued to paint the pastor's carport.  On Wednesday night we had Navajo Tacos, a yummy meal prepared for our guests.  After the tacos, we had a church service where we sang and the kids shared testimonies about what God was doing through them or to them.   The evening ended a short challenge from Jim and with singing songs together.  By the time the day was over and the songs finished, it was well past 9pm.  It was a great time of fellowship with new friends. 

Thursday, the concrete truck arrived and the ramp was poured. The carport was almost completely painted and the area cleaned up around the church.  A sound booth area for the church's audio equipment was also built. The concrete was almost fully cured before one of the youth stepped on it!  Luckily Larry was able to fix it! 

Concerning the three VBS's, they went well the last two days.  One child accepted Christ as their Savior on Friday!  Praise God!  This was the first time the group from Idaho had done a mission trip with VBS, and the kids did really well.  (Their trips to Mexico involved house building, but not putting on a VBS.) 

On Thursday, we had our first movie night.  All day it was windy, and I figured we would not be able to put up the screen.  It was a block party, so Erin and I left the church around 6:30 to set things up.  It is amazing to see the impact a little basketball on Fridays can have on relationships.  During the last hotdog party, many of the kids did not hang out much with us.  But this time was totally different.  Many of the local kids came up immediately and some offered to help.  We served about 85 hotdogs and went through 10 gallons of drinks.  Then as the day ended, the winds died down.  What an answer to prayer!  It got calm enough to set up, and several local kids helped me put up the screen.  I asked Jim or Kyle if they would like to present the Gospel before the movie started, and they were both eager to help.  Kyle talked at the beginning of the movie, sharing the Gospel, and Jim wrapped things up at the end.  I was able to talk to several kids that night and was able to share the Gospel with two former students.  The movie ended around 10:40, and I was home a little before midnight.  We had about 40 local kids there as well as the 40 or so youth from the Idaho and Texas, so the courts and playground area were full of children.  It is apparent that God is working at St. Bon, and relationships are being formed.  Keep praying for the kids in the area- progress is being made.

Finally, I have a ton more I would love to share.  So much has gone on these last few days.  It will take time to post it all, but I will post more in the coming days.  Thanks for your patience! 

The Joy of Fellowship

One of the things I love about having groups out is the immediate bond that can develop thanks to the common Lord we serve and the same Spirit within us.  We had a great time of worship on Sunday.  Having three groups of worshippers from three states created a glimpse of what heaven would be like.  As the last two days have passed it is neat to see how quickly friendships can form because of our common goal and bond with our Lord.  Mission trips are important because it lets young people see the possibilities that can come about as a result of working together for the Lord.  It has been my prayer that the youth and even the leaders see how there is no better thing to do than serve our Lord.  It is my hope that they realize that nothing else really matters.  It is truly amazing what can be done when Christians decide to purposefully work together.  It's just too bad we don't do it year round!

VBS picture and news

Here's a shot of VBS yesterday afternoon at St. Bon.  Notice the kids playing basketball instead of participating.  Today the kids did not play basketball, so there was one less distraction.  Erin said the youth did better presenting the material today.  On the work side of things, the pastor's carport has a new roof, and the underside is partially painted.  I hope to take pictures of it tomorrow.  The handicap ramp is ready to be formed up, and the youth painted all of the trim around the fellowship hall.  It was a great day.  Today was cloudy this afternoon with it trying to sprinkle- perfect weather for putting on a roof...much cooler than yesterday afternoon.  We thanked God for the cool clouds and wind, but no lightning or rain. 

Good first Day.

Today went well.  We got a lot of work accomplished, and each VBS had a good amount of kids show up.  Two men from the Idaho group, Brian and Larry, are experienced contractors, so once things got rolling, fast progress was made.  The only slowdown was our attempt to bust out the existing sidewalk so that we could build a ramp that will lead into the fellowship hall.  The concrete was old but well made, and it took hours to see progress.  But once the kids saw progress they did not want to stop until the whole sidewalk was removed!  Ten tons of gravel were spread on the road leading to the church, all in one day!  And, most importantly, no one was hurt!  The youth are learning how to work various tools and it was fun to work with them all. 

Erin went to the two VBS's at St. Bon today.  She said each VBS had kids, and the youth did well for their first day.

I have a lot more to share, but honestly I am exhausted from today's work, so I am going to go to bed!  (It's 10pm right now.)  Thanks for your prayers!  I will post more tomorrow!

More work pictures

Here's a few of Brian and Larry building the deck...  Both are contractors, thank the Lord!

Work Project Pictures

Here's a few shots of the projects started today. 

San Angleo and Idaho groups arrived safely

Both groups arrived this evening.  We were able to visit with them for an hour or so.  There are 27 kids and 9 adults.  Please pray for us all.  Some things to keep before our Lord- 1.Unity- that everyone works toward the common goal of reaching the Lost and glorifying God in all we do.   2. Safety- one project involves tearing off a roof and fixing it.   We want everyone to be safe at work and the VBS'S.  3. Me- I am in charge of organizing the work projects and getting them completed.  I will need help to get the work done and wisdom in placing kids in the right project for them to work on.  4. The youth-that they will see how great it is to be used of God; that this trip may even produce kids willing to enter full time missions. Thanks for all your support!  Together God is using us all for His glory.

Calm before the Storm

This past week has been a little slow.  I entered my last post enroute to Colorado.  We went there for some rest and more importantly to pick up our oldest, Kadin, who had gone up earlier to spend some time with Grandparents.  We spent a couple of days there and got home yesterday.  Today was a church cleanup day in preparation for the two groups coming tomorrow.  Next week will be busy- and we need prayer support.  We will be doing three VBS's- two at St. Bon and one at Don and Norma's house near Prewitt, NM. (Prewitt is about 10 miles east of Thoreau and Don and Norma go to Crosslands.)  Two churches are coming out-our home church from San Angelo and a group from a church in Idaho.  They should arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon.  There will be about 30 kids together with their sponsors. In addition to the VBS's, we will be doing several work projects at the church.  Please pray for the Gospel to be shared clearly and for safety as the kiddos work.  Many have not swung a hammer before, so the work projects are always fun!  Pray too for Spiritual protection and provision.  We can do nothing without the Lord's help, and we are in enemy territory.  It is our prayer that there be no storm next week, spiritually speaking.  But if the past is any indication, we know trouble may be brewing.   Praise God our Savior is in control of all things!

There will be lots of events going on in the evenings and we hope to be at the St. Bon bball courts many evenings in the coming week.  A movie is planned for Friday as well.   It will be exciting to see how the Lord brings about His plan in the next few days!  

In other news, I have been working on the sports camp idea.   I really need some successful college coaches and high school coaches willing to come out for the camp next year. I still don't have a firm date for next year yet, but I hope to have more concrete plans in place by the end of summer.  Continue to pray for God's leading as I plan and meet with various groups this summer.  We are heading to TBarM in a few weeks and meeting with folks at Denton Bible Church as well.  It becomes harder to plan details for a camp as I get down to specifics-ideas are great to talk about, but I am starting to see specific needs that God is going to have to fulfill-like coach staffing and planning of the actual drills/skills to be taught.  (not to mention funding!)  I am clueless about sports, but just want God to lead. I know He will!  If you know anyone that may be interested in helping with getting a camp going let me know!  

Our plans, God's plans

This past Friday was supposed to be our first summer movie at the bball courts at St. Bon. But on Thursday the winds blew into our state and they made it impossible to do the movie. (our screen is 10x20 feet and would make a great sail!) Some of the kids were disappointed, but I told them that we would have to do the movie some other time. We played a game of basketball instead and had a great time. It's amazing the impact we are having on the kids- they love playing with us-especially the little ones! The older students I have taught also enjoy the time of hanging out and playing ball....

All of this got me to thinking about plans. I know what it says in James, and I usually acknowledge the final say is the Lord's. But therein lies the key. I like to make plans and I know that as faithful servants we should make plans for the Glory of our Lord. I know that the events at the courts we have planned and the CEF clubs are in God's will. But the timing is another question. As we look at moving to Crownpoint, it's easy to start making more plans about doing things for the Lord. But the other night I came across this gem in Ecclesiastes. (I started reading through this book in my quiet time.) So here it is-

Ecclesiastes 5:2-Don't be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

At the time that I read it, I immediately thought of my prayer life and the need to shut up and just listen to the Lord instead of always talking. But I think it also applies to my desire to plan. I have such a limited perspective and I need to be careful about plans- even those that seem to be for or from God. Ultimately it comes down to planning and timing, but I am learning to be more flexible on the timing. In my mind I can easily see how sellng the house, moving to Crownpoint and starting new ministry there is a great plan. But it may be that God has something different and better in store. I just need to be still and obey. I am not saying that I shouldn't plan-just that I am learning to be much more careful as I do it. It's a great lesson but one that I am in the middle of learning.

CEF Update and other News

Just wanted to let everyone know that CEF is still working on a letter to address the concerns of the school board.   Pray that the club will be allowed into the school.   It would be an amazing opportunity and would open doors for other clubs elsewhere.   May God's will be done!

In other news, Erin is trying to get a couple of youth to go to Broken Arrow Bible Ranch.   It's an small adventure camp run by United Indian Missions. (it's on the way to Zuni- about an hour from here) This coming week is teen week, so it would be a perfect time for the two young ladies to experience a Christian camp.  Pray that all the details can be worked out and that the ladies will meet Christ at the camp.

Our house still has had no takers, so continue to keep its sale in your prayers.  (we are beginning to wonderful if God just wants us to stay put for now!) Thanks to everyone for your interest in events out here and your prayers.   God bless!

Last day at Zuni Camp

We went to Zuni this afternoon to watch the end of camp.  I was able to have a good discussion with Monty about using the camp method to share the Gospel.  He showed me the Bible they were going to give the students.   It was a sports themed New Testament, full of pictures of athletes and their testimonies.   When the kids got them, they immediately started to look through them.   It was great to see!   Yesterday Roger presented the Gospel and several kids responded. 

I listened to a sermon on discipleship the other day and want to share what I learned.  Platt was talking about how the Gospel spread in the book of Acts.   God used ordinary people. I especially liked the passage in Acts 8 that tells us that the Christians scattered after the death of Stephen.  The apostles stayed in Jerusalem, but the rest scattered.  That means that the Gospel was mainly spread by ordinary folks like me and you. If they could do this, why don't we? It was a convicting reminder.  I am praying for more boldness in sharing the Gospel.  I am looking forward to the opportunity this Friday at movie night,  but am also a little fearful of not doing my best for the Lord.  I sometimes get nervous as I share and I just want to be sure I am clear.

The "Read this..." page is finished for now!

I am not sure how many of you have noticed, but on the right side of the blog, there is a page that says: "Read this to understand what started us on our latest journey with the Lord". (If you use a phone to access my site and see the mobile version of the blog, it is the second tab at the top of the page.) Well, that page is finally complete. We wanted to give a brief overview of the last year or so of our life, and that page is designed to let any newbies get caught up to speed on our exciting journey with the Lord. (No offense if you are new to the site!) Please drop us an email or comment if you have any questions or suggestions! I am learning how to do this blog stuff on the go (literally- I use the wife's phone for it all), so this will always be a work in progress. We pray this blog can be a tool to inform others about the great need out here and to let you all see how God is working! Good night!

Zuni Camp

We traveled to Zuni today to observe the sports camp put on by American Indian Missions Inc. Southwest. Roger and Monty are two great Christian guys I have been blessed to meet in the adventure of building a sports camp. They have been putting on a Christian camp in Zuni for several years now, and we went down to see how they did things. The Zuni take pride in preserving their culture and religion, so presenting the Gospel there is difficult. Pray that doors will be opened and that the hearts of the youth there will be drawn to the truth of the Gospel. The camp lasts three days from 9 to 3. They are doing another camp at another Pueblo, but they have already been told that they can only have two days of camp because their traditional ceremonies start on Saturday. The tribe also said they may not be allowed to pass out Bibles at the end of camp. (They always give the campers a tee shirt and Bible.) Pray that the camp goes well-it is the first ever Christian camp in the Pueblo- and that Bibles can be passed out as well.

In news closer to home, we had youth group last night. We are going through the first few chapters of John, and are currently on John 3. We have discussed the Gospel and its meaning. For some of the kids, this is new stuff. They have heard of Jesus before, but when you start talking about having a personal relationship with Christ, several did not understand what I was talking about. Even the youth that go to our church are not reading their Bibles regularly! Pray that the seed sown will get watered and produce fruit- for salvation and a deeper relationship with their Savior.

We covered the verse in John 3:27- "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven." I thought immediately of our personal situation. I shared with the group what happened with my job and why we chose to go to Crownpoint. When I look at this verse and others from Scripture, I can have peace in the midst of our confusing situation. I shared all this with the youth, trying to get them to see how God is sovereign. We are in the midst of an exciting journey, but at times we feel very weary and confused. I cannot imagine going through this without God though, and we are so thankful for the promises in Scripture. I am getting used to the idea that God has a new plan and He will reveal it to us as we need to know- I just need to follow through with what He has shown us to do!

Picture from camp

Here's a shot from the camp... Zuni has one of the best gyms I have seen in a long time!

A lesson from Kadin

Erin and I were talking this evening and she related this story to me... (This is when they went to St. Bon for Friday basketball.) 
Kadin walked up to a friend at the court and basked, "Have you been doing what I talked to you about last week?" (Kadin puts his arm on the kid's shoulder)  "Have you been obeying God's laws?" (Reading your Bible and obeying your mommy and daddy)  "You do have a Bible right?"  The kid did not know quite how to respond!
We have been going to the basketball court at St. Bon on Fridays for four weeks now.  Our two kids look forward to going and Kadin sees it as a chance to tell others about Jesus. (Which it is!)  God taught us a great lesson through our son tonight- his eagerness to share God's love and follow-through was touching.  Christ was right-we must come to him as children and be willing to keep that obedient spirit- to talk with others about spiritual matters as a part of normal conversation.  Erin and I walked in obedience when we started doing this Friday night thing.  We knew we wanted to reach others for God's glory.  The amazing thing is the unexpected impact it has had on our two sons. 
There were about 40 kids there tonight, and it is exciting to think about the relationships being formed and where God will lead from there!  We just wanted to pass on this little story.  It's not about making big plans to reach others.  It's about being obedient in the small things and letting God use us (and in this case, Kadin) in normal activities to show his love and concern for the lost.

Here are some more shots of the Crownpoint area

Just wanted to put up a few more pictured of the area we may be move to

Tabled

A school board member called Erin to let her know that the cef proposal has been "tabled" due to unfounded worries about having religious club in the school. Ed-the director-will be looking into the legal aspects of this to alleviate their worries. Pray that fear doesn't win out. Thanks

They presented

Norma and Erin presented the CEF program to the board... Now they will discuss the proposal amongst themselves.  Pray that God moves in the hearts of the members-some of whom are Christian-and that His will be done!

Pray for Erin and Norma

We are trying to get a CEF club going at the Bureau of Indian Education school in Prewitt.  The have already met with the pricipal, and this morning they go before the school board for final approval.  The meeting starts at 8:30.  Pray that we can get this club going for the coming year.  It would be the first on in the federal school system!  God is working! 

Crownpoint Mid School and high school field

Went to Crownpoint today

We went to my classroom today and moved almost all of my stuff into my new room. We were able to meet several workers as we moved my stuff in-the janitors were cleaning my room-and we had a nice visit. We took some pictures of Crownpoint and as soon as I figure out how to post them I will.

We are still praying for God's will as we consider the various options surrounding my job relocation. Please pray with us. I am praying for peace as we make the right decision. It is hard to move to Crownpoint and still see how God will work in the lives of the youth we are just starting to reach. We are seeking His will concerning these concerns. I know God has a plan and that we don't want to be forcing our way over His. We will follow one step at a time.

Here we are...

Hello and welcome to our blog! We wanted to create a place where folks could keep up with the exciting events going on out here in NM. Much has happened in the last few days.

God is leading us in a new direction, and we are not sure yet how things are going to pan out. We praise the Lord that Matt has a job, but moving to Crownpoint was not part of our plan. It is exciting thinking about what God is doing and the opportunities Crownpoint will present.

For those that do not know, Crownpoint is further into the Navajo Reservation. It's about 30 miles north of Thoreau on highway 371. That means it's about 60 miles from Gallup and 80 miles from Farmington. It is a city larger than Thoreau composed mainly of government housing. There is great ministry opportunity here. Unfortunately, we don't live there yet, so it will mean an hour commute until we sell our house.

On Thursday of last week, I was given a choice of where to work- Gallup or Crownpoint. We chose Crownpoint because we believe there is more ministry opportunity there. It's just that we thought we would be moving to the St. Bon trailer park. We had it all planned out and now it appears God has other plans. It is exciting and scary to be in a position of following God one step at a time. But that is where He wants us for the time being.

Well, I am writing this kinda late and this is all new to me. I am going to end for now and try to add more details tomorrow. We are going to Crownpoint tomorrow, so I will try to get some pictures for everyone. Good night and God bless!