This is the start of a new year, which always brings about excitement and a hope for the future. It also brings about the possibilities of change and the “letting go” of things in the past. We say goodbye to the old year and all its troubles and achievements, then say hello to a new year with new ways of doing things, even if it’s not easy!
The last year has been a year of waiting on Father, resting in His arms and a general “cleaning up” of our house, family, ministry and work situations. He is so faithful to hold us during the chaotic times, and loves to have His kids come close and ask for His great hand to guide! As we look to “downsize” our home and get rid of the “clutter” in our lives (physically and spiritually), we are excited about what God is going to bring!
When you became a parent or a leader of kids, you were not given a handbook on how to raise or train them. You mostly had to learn by experience, and trust those who’ve gone before you to give thoughts and help. We learned how to bathe, feed, change diapers, wipe runny noses, calm a crying child, etc. We spent so much time attending to the physical and emotional needs of our children, but it was hard to feed the spiritual side!
One thing children look forward to each summer is getting out of school and enjoying the fun the summer months bring. Part of that fun may be summer camps for many kids. Camp is a great place to get away from the normal routine and see things from a different perspective. It’s also a place where new relationships are formed, some of them having everlasting impact on their lives!
Our Kids Camp this year had the theme: MOUNTAIN MOVERS. We studied Moses in depth and how he moved the mountains of fear, low self-esteem and doubt by going UP the mountain to meet with God. There he encountered pure truth and received his calling. By being obedient to the Lord’s direction, Moses became strong and confident, able to accomplish the great assignment God had for him. He then went and brought OTHERS to the same mountain to encounter God for themselves! What a lesson we all learned this summer!
Isa 59:1 Don't think that the LORD is too weak to save you or too deaf to hear your call for help! (GNT)
This last February, I spent two awesome weeks in the Andaman Islands off the coast of India ministering to adults and children, leaders and everyday people, men and women, in city and country areas. It was amazing and historic! God moved in ways I had seen before, but also surprised me with new tests and new concepts at the same time. It was an incredibly full two weeks.
When you are a child, you never know what to expect. Adults are constantly telling you what to do, where to go, what to wear, when to be somewhere and how to do things. It’s difficult to “have your own opinion” around adults because SOMEONE is always has a different mindset that you do, and because they are “mature”, they usually get their way. It can be a real hindrance to growth, and places a stumbling block to a child’s imagination and flow of God-given creative ideas.
The story of one of the little girls in our kid’s ministry is a good example of how children can learn to trust in God. Samantha’s family was “babysitting” a pet iguana for some friends while they were away. They would feed it, play with it, and care for it everyday. I’m not a lizard fan, but am quite sure the kids loved having it around! One day, when Samantha went in to feed the iguana, she found it lifeless and cold, its head in the water bowl. Of course, it scared her, but her poor little heart just ached for this pet.
In June of this summer, Fire For the Nations hosted a summer camp in Vanleer, TN just outside of Nashville. It was an amazing week, with children from several states in attendance, and our very special guest, Jesus!
Most of these children already had personal relationships with the Lord, but were ready to take it a step further and wanted a deeper knowledge of Him. Several were just beginning to understand who God was and why they needed a Savior. It was a time of new beginnings for all of them, as their journey was about to go deeper in many different levels!
