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)
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,24 since 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.
There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests get together to work toward the same goals. –Idowu Koyenikan
Bell Tower Installation
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.
Cross on Lake Travis
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!
My three leaders!
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.
Green is a beautiful color! My six year old grandson, Luke loves green. I love green grass and trees! This spot at Highlands Lake Convention Center is so beautiful. I think the birds love green also. They are singing and praising God! So many different varieties! We also found flies and bees at our picnics today. They loved the smell of food. We are right on Lake Travis.
Cactus in a Tree
Our new friends from South Dakota said that it is a saying in their town in winter to get in a snow plow and keep heading south until people start asking, “what is that you are driving?” Then you know you’ve gone far enough.
Everyone is so friendly here. We’ve met several great people already and two of the couples we will be working with. Our project has changed since we arrived for the men. I am not sure what the ladies will be doing, maybe painting. Glad I brought some paint clothes. Hope we are painting green!
We are not in a good wifi spot so I will have to make some effort to get these updates posted.
First day of travel was perfect! We left the snow behind and headed south. The highway was good and the traffic was light.
The first night finds us at Panfork Camp in Wellington, TX. We will overnight here and will try to make the last leg tomorrow and arrive in Spicewood, TX. It did get to 40 degrees today but not all that warm with the Northerly breeze.
We just set up camp for overnight and prepared our evening meal inside the camper as it was too cold outside.
Panfork Campground, Wellington, TX
Nineteen feet long and seven feet wide with no slideouts is tight. Everything must be done in an orderly manner and everything must be in its place, including the farmer. He keeps winding up in the places that I need to be! If only he would stay put. We will surely find a way to do this as we’ve been at life together for 47 years now.
We are so thankful too that we found the propane hose that we needed to repair the propane situation.
We are excited to meet the couples that we wil be working with this month.
1 Corinthians 15:58 TPT
So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.
Whew this Kansas weather is something! Yesterday it was 45 degrees and today we have a blizzard. Snowing again! Today was the day to put the final touches on the camper loading and prepare for our departure tomorrow morning. So thankful for a big shed to work in to get out of the driving snow.
A couple of complications entered the picture today. One was a propane hose leak on the camper. We are at least 90 miles from the nearest camper dealer and no one else seemed to have what we needed. With the blizzard underway we didn’t want to make a long journey today. Good thing my farmer husband is resourceful. A little western Kansas farmer ingenuity and the leak is fixed and we can continue with our departure in the morning. We are thankful to our gracious Lord for helping us again today.
The second was having to drive his freshly waxed pickup on our muddy country roads. He sure did mess up that wax job. Wax on, wax off at least it was good exercise. Farmers almost never complain about rain in our area though. Moisture is a much needed blessing here.
Tomorrow we will be
“On the road again, like a band of gypsies we go down the highway,
We’re making new friends, goin’ places that we’ve never been.
The life we love is working for Jesus with our new SOWER friends.
We just can’t wait to get on the road again.” Thank you Willie Nelson.
It seems like the days and days of preparation for this new adventure have gone on and on. We are now on our last week of preparation. One week from today we will begin the journey to our first assignment as SOWERs.
With snow and ice coming down outside the house this evening we hope and pray that the weather will be improved next week. We are thankful to be traveling south. Some warmer days sound so good.
Some of the grandkids bringing life to Ronald the snowman.
We’ve been packing and unpacking and trying to organize our 19 foot camper with everything we might possibly need on our one month assignment. We’re sure we’ll know more about what to pack and what not to pack after we’ve spent this first month.
He needs a red handled screw driver while I NEED a place to put my blow dryer for my hair. He needs a good level and I need my computer. And it all must fit in that 19 feet. We will spend some quality time in some very close quarters.
Finally the time has come and a new adventure begun. Playing in the snow on the prairie.
Preparations have started for the adventure ahead. We’ve both been retired about a year and have been enjoying this new season of life.
We’ve celebrated most of the seasons we’ve shared in the 47 years we’ve been married. We are farmers on the prairie and have done many jobs to keep a small farm afloat. Twenty years with a windmill and well repair business, plumbing, service station repair, and manager of a medical clinic for 26 years are some of the wonderful adventures we’ve experienced. Raising four children and now loving twelve grandchildren fill our days.
Now a new season is upon us. As a retired couple with a camper we have joined SOWER (Servants on Wheels Ever Ready) ministry with other like minded retirees. We love to camp and try new recipes with our Dutch ovens. Now we can camp with a purpose. We will be working with other couples to assist Christian camping organizations with needs that they have. This ministry sends workers all over the United States. We do construction work, repairs, office work and anything else the camp has a need for.
February 2020 finds us piling up the Dutch ovens and sprucing up the camper as our first assignment is March 1.
Where the Dutch Ovens Roam 