Times of Trouble

I wonder why this tree grew in this particular way. I wonder what happened in the early days of the life of this tree that caused it to grow sideways. Was there another tree in the way? Was there another obstacle of some kind? It is a beautiful tree except for the trunk that did not grow straight up as most trees do but headed across the ground until it could find a way to reach the sunlight of encouragement. Until it found a way to bloom and bear leaves and be useful.

Life sometimes can also throw us a curve ball. We can be side tracked, derailed, frustrated, and overwhelmed. A diagnosis, a death, a relationship issue, or a pandemic can all derail our lives even in just a few weeks. Most of us could not see something like this happening to our country even just two months ago. All of a sudden shopping became a hazardous venture, supplies are in short supply, wearing masks and gloves into stores and banks is now encouraged, and hugging is taboo. This happened overnight. This fear and anxiety and a whole new normal caught us all off guard. Did our trunks grow sideways too? Aren’t we too searching for the sunlight and the encouragement to grow upright and bear fruit and bloom?

There is good news even in this day. Deut. 20:4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory! We have someone on our side in these times. Psalms 18:2 He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Wonderful news that He is our place of safety. Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of Your power; yes I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning, for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. In times of trouble our Lord is with us, protecting us and He is our refuge. He leads us to the sunlight. He calms our fears and gives us His peace. He is available to all who fear. He loves His people and cares about all that concerns them. He has a good plan for our lives, to prosper us and to help us to bloom and be useful even in times of trouble.

The tree was encouraged and determined to find a way to live in the sunlight and do the work it was called to do. The tree stretched its branches and fought for life no matter what the obstacle was. The tree found a defense and refuge in the times of trouble. Possibly we can grasp much from the life of this tree in the face of trouble.

We are in Kansas

The Little House on the Prairie is calling us home. This is the longest time we have been away from the farm. We’ve been gone two weeks in the past but not four. What an interesting time in history to be away from home as everyone becomes more distant from one another and more things are closing. We are incredibly thankful for this time at this camp and with these special new friends but are grateful that the Lord has shown us in many ways that now is the time to get back and experience spring time on the farm.

Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Yesterday we picked up a few items to get us on home at the store here. A young man checked us out with his gloves on. He looked a little out of place and said he was learning on the job. He regularly worked in the tire and lube department but they had closed that down and now he was a cashier. He had a wonderful attitude as I know his job has not been easy at this time. He expressed his gratitude to have the job and grateful they did not send him home. What an inspiration he is to us all. I’m sure he has a young family and he is grateful for his work.

Cooking in preparation for the trip home.

We are grateful to have a house on the prairie to go home to. Having the grandkids come see us would make it even better but they need to stay at their own homes right now and not travel. I’m hoping for some new kittens and a small garden and to find my sewing machine again.

I know many of you have been stuck at home for several weeks already and getting away from home would be wonderful. Home means so many different things to so many people. Homes can be a cardboard box like I saw in Ethiopia, or a 19 foot camper trailer, an apartment, a house boat, or a farm. Home means an enjoyable, happy place where you can live, laugh and learn. It’s somewhere where you are loved, respected, and cared for. (taken from Meaning of Home contest).

In the word of God, the home has both a physical and spiritual meaning. We must build our home upon solid structural and moral foundation to ensure its sustainability over time. Scripture gives us guidance for creating a good home.

Is. 28:16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.

Joshua 24:15 But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

I always stock up on supplies living on a farm so we are in good shape for a 14 day self quarantine. Good to be home.

Drive By Vacation

The State and National parks are closed. Restaurants are closed. Social distancing and self quarantine are open. We wanted to do some touring of the area while we are here but our plans changed dramatically just as all of your plans have changed. We decided to take some scenic drives, pack our lunch in the pickup and see some sights from the pickup. Just the two of us and “looking at the world through our windshield.” I think that is a truck driving song. We did get some nice photos but the weather was overcast and cloudy. Truthfully this was a special time just being together and seeing God’s beautiful creation.

Check out some of our pictures below and do a virtual vacation with us.

77.7 foot Empty Cross in Kerrville, TX Very inspirational

Work Together for Good

Projects are being completed and new ones are beginning here in Spicewood, TX even in the midst of the current crisis and social distancing. Tomorrow is the last day of this assignment and some will be heading home sometime this next week. Others are staying for another month. This has been an incredible experience and we see God’s hand in this at this time. We know that His plan for us was to be here in this place, at this camp, at this time in history. We could never find a better camp staff than the one here. Much is at stake for them as they see camp registrations and group meetings being cancelled. It is the same for so many businesses and non-profits. The future is clearly very uncertain and jobs are at stake. We pray that salvations are not at stake.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Farmer, truck and dirt! A winning combo!

One of the projects the Lord placed on my heart was prayer walking this camp each afternoon after we finished our time of work for the project. What a blessing it is to be able to walk and pray for a crisis, a camp, churches, children, schools, and the list goes on. We are praying about staying another month here but are leaning to heading home. This project of prayer walking can continue anywhere we are. Even while we are self-quarantined and social distancing, our wonderful God has called us and equipped us to pray and encourage.

Even though the church buildings may be closed the church is NOT the building. It is us. Let us let our light shine for Jesus and embrace this pause in the fast pace of life and be grateful.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Sourdough Friendships

Sweet fellowship with these other couples makes it hard to believe that we are in our last week to serve here with our wonderful co-workers. One couple had to leave camp today and head home. We feel an empty spot in our campground and in our hearts. We introduced this couple to our style of dutch oven cooking and the tools that are essentials for us. Breakfast was shared between us and that fellowship of breaking bread really solidifies a friendship just as it states in Acts 2:42. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. My new friend is the one that shared her sourdough starter with me. Now that is a special friend. I am now off on a new hobby and whole new adventure. Sourdough biscuits will be served soon. Maybe some sourdough hotcakes will be next.

Sourdough, just as true friendships or relationships, takes time and intentional interactions. It is easy for me to hunker down in my own world and forget to reach out to those who need a friend. I get so caught up in my agenda that I don’t even see the hurt and anguish in someone else’s heart. My new sourdough will spoil if I do not keep it replenished and use it to make new dishes. Friendships will sour and spoil if not maintained and nurtured.

Our wonderful relationship with Jesus needs nurtured and developed. He never changes and He never leaves us but we change and we move away from Him. Thankfully sourdough doesn’t need daily attention but I need the daily attention of my Lord and Savior and I need refilled with freshness from His word everyday. I don’t usually skip meals so I need at least a daily refill of His precious word. This is true everyday but particularly true in the chaos of the days we live in at present.

Jesus calmed the wind and the waves and He said peace be still! In the chaos of today we must pray that Jesus will once again calm the wind and the waves of fear and give us peace.

Showdown with Fear

Devotions this morning were so good and thought provoking. I Kings 18 and 19 is where the journey started this morning with Elijah and the showdown with the followers of Baal. There was a great victory for the Lord and the followers of the Lord. God sent a great rain on the land that had been without rain for several years. There was a great famine in the land. And God sent rain when Elijah prayed. Elijah was threatened by Jezebel after all of the victories and he fled. Elijah was afraid for his life and he asked God to take his life. Will we also let one person stop us from trusting God. Will we hide in fear? Will we get back up and choose to trust God?

Light rain today caused some minor difficulties for our work here at the camp. The men continued their outdoor project of finishing up the base of the hexapod and the steps. This is an amazing structure that looks like a ton of fun for kids. This week there will be kids here at the camp and they will get to try out the structure and the zip line. Our grandkids would really enjoy something like this.

The women worked on washing some paneled walls in a building of meeting rooms in preparation of painting the paneling. We haven’t finished our cabin yet but it is hard to paint outside in the rain. This building will also be in use this week but not the room we are painting.

This is a very busy camp. There were a couple of different adult groups here this weekend and this week may find close to 300 kids here. It’s so exciting to hear of the lives changed for Jesus in this place.

Saved

God’s

Grace

Through

Faith

Jesus

Alone

The bell tower the men first worked on will be used in such a great way. On the last day of camp everyone that has received Jesus as their Savior while at camp gets to ring the great bell. That would make a powerful statement to all!

SALVATION is:

By Grace alone,

Through FAITH alone,

In Christ alone.

Prayer Walk

A prayer walk is an activity that consists in walking and praying at the same time. It’s done not for the physical benefit but for spiritual exercise. Although both benefits are available. Prayer walking is praying for your city as you, praying for neighbors and businesses along the way, it may be praying through a prayer list or listening to the Holy Spirit and praying as He guides you along the way. A prayer walk may include a time to just listen. Our Heavenly Father has a still small voice and we live in chaos and the noise level is overwhelming. We need to pull away from this world and quiet ourselves to hear His wisdom and insight.

Our pastor at our Foursquare church challenged us in the message Sunday to take prayer walks and to pray and intercede for our nation, churches, families and the world around us. As he continues to show us in Acts 2:42 the first believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Prayer walking is the powerful dynamic of praying on-site with God’s insight.

Prayer is front line warfare. It is the ultimate weapon in our ‘struggle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in high places.” Eph. 6:10

Here are some of the sights I see as I prayer walk at this beautiful camp in Texas. It is sucha joy to walk and pray for the SOWER team, the staff, for the kids here this week, for those at home and for our prayer concerns from home.

Teamwork

No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.
HE Luccock

Here are a few pictures of some of the projects we are working on. The first week is in the books and it was great. We have a great team here and the staff at the camp are wonderful and they are feeding us very well.

Sow Seeds of Prayer

Seeds of prayer are multiplied by the Father

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.

Sometimes I feel I have nothing to give God. Don’t we all have days like that when we feel inept and inadequate? The word says in Colossians

Colossians 3:23-24 New International Version (NIV)

²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Even in these difficult times we can encourage ourselves and one another to plant a seed and expect a harvest.

I can plant a seed of prayer today for someone I care about or maybe even someone I don’t know. I can plant a seed prayer of faith, salvation, healing, love, a seed prayer of forgiveness, blessing or encouragement.

Even today when I feel inept I can plant a prayer and ask the Lord to multiply my seeds into a great harvest! Thank you, Father. You are a good farmer. You are the best farmer.

Synergy or Two Dry Land Farmers on the Lake

There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests get together to work toward the same goals. –Idowu Koyenikan

The beginning has finally begun! We have been in preparation for this for several months. Actually the Lord has probably been preparing us for this all of our lives. We are so thankful to be in this season of life and able to do all we sense God is calling us to do.

This mornings devotion was such a great way to start the day. I love Nehemiah and all that God was able to accomplish through one man dedicated to God’s purposes. His heart broke at the knowledge of the devastation of his people and of Jerusalem. His beautiful prayer asking God for favor with the King is dynamic. He prayed and fasted and sought the Lord for his next step. Nehemiah’s leadership and humility is such an inspiration.

There are four couples here with the SOWER ministry. We are so thankful for the experience we find in these couples. One couple, John and Anita have been with the SOWERS for 16 years. Anita used to be a specialty clinic manager so we can certainly relate to each other. Our general leader couple Dan and Kathleen were at this camp for three months last year so they know the staff and the area well. Ken and Barb have been in ministry all of their lives and have been with SOWERS for three years. As you can see we two newbies are in a great group.

The women are staining a deck on a cabin and will be painting the cabin and trim also. A couple will be living in it this summer when they arrive to help staff this huge camp for the summer. We ladies will also be doing some other painting and staining jobs with some new water stations that are being built. It seems that summer camp in Texas with thousands of kids playing and learning about Jesus, water stations are essential. One thing I don’t understand though is how these other gals can do this work and not have the stain all over them. Somehow I seem to really get into my work!

The men are building a large bell tower in front of the auditorium. This camp was given a huge bell that a church had in the area. One of the traditions here is that at the end of each camp those who received salvation while here at camp are to get to ring the bell! This new bell will make an even larger sound than the old one. I think they had 600 some salvations last summer!

They appreciate their power tools! More Power!

We are really enjoying our first week at Highlands Lake Camp and Conference Center in Spicewood, TX. This place has the greatest staff and the ministry here on this 200 acres on the shores of Lake Travis is inspiring.