Summer 2021 Newsletter

Ready or not here comes summer. I am ready. Even more than ready. I relate this time of the year as a roller coaster going up the hill and almost to the top. Reminds me of those days at Six Flags. I would always anticipate the uphill climb as my stomach would begin to turn and the anticipation began to mount higher and higher as the roller coaster went higher and higher. Then bam, we were like a fly in a blender, a termite in a yoyo, rolling uncontrollably until we reached the end of the ride. That’s camp. I often tell people that we run camp until June 1, then camp runs us for the rest of the summer. What we have prepared to that point is what we will deliver all summer. Not only is this physical part of camp what we prepare but the spiritual as well. You can only withdraw what you have deposited. The summers are long, hot, physical and demanding but the rewards are worth every minute of the prep and time we have invested in seeing young lives changed. We anticipate full camps each week of the summer at Lakeview Camp and also a great week of Camp Padre and Camp U. We just returned from doing our Game Day Challenge tour and were able to reach lots of students on the school campus with a message of hope through character education and building strong relationships with team building games and activities. Below is an outline of a message I have been speaking to our leaders about being Stronger Together as we work hard and pray hard to see God’s will be done in young lives all summer long. Please be in prayer that this summer will reach a generation that will rock a revival that will heal our nation and bring peace to our towns, cities, schools and communities. Together we will reach the world as lives are changed for the glory of God. As always please continue to support our ministry in your prayers and giving in any way you can. It takes each of us in our God given assignments to carry out the amazing tasks of providing and preparing a place for the spirit of God to form and develop a child and a student to what God has called them to be. We have to Be Strong, Stay Strong and Finish Strong to accomplish the plans God has for our lives as we roll into the summer camp season.

Be Strong

1 Cor. 12:12 says we are one body with many parts doing the work God has called us to do. Paul says that we all have different gifts, callings, talents and skills but collectively working together makes us stronger.

On sports teams not all players can be the same position. We can’t all be quarterbacks. There must be a receiver to catch the ball and score.

Life is many times like sports. In a game if you fall down you get back up because you are trying to score. There is a goal line to reach. Same in life, if you get knocked down you get back up because there is a goal line to reach, a score to make.

Phil. 3:14 Paul says, “I press on toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Stay Strong

Long range goals help you overcome short range failures and obstacles are frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.

When a muscle tears it develops scare tissue to heal the muscle. When a bone fractures calcium rushes to the break to help the bone and make that part of the bone stronger.

Finish Strong

Matt 7:24-27 says, “The wise man builds his house on the rock. It stands the storms but the foolish man builds his house on the sand. When the storms come the house crashes.

2 Cor. 5:1 says “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed we have a building made from God, and eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

2 cor. 12:10 says, when we are weak God is strong.

Let’s all be stronger together as God builds us and directs us to accomplish his will in and through our lives this summer.

Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.”