Heading North ... Again

This weekend will make the third trip this summer to the Grand Oaks campground just outside of Chillicothe MO. I'll be there to help kick off the Harrison-NGR Associations' Children's camp for 2012. I was privileged to be there for their youth camp at the beginning of June and also for the week of the Linn-Livingston Association Youth Camp at the end of June. I'm looking forward to being there again this coming week. All-in-all, this will be my fourth camp of the summer.

In addition to Monday night's program at the camp, I'll be at Union Baptist, Coon Creek on Sunday morning and Jamesport Baptist Church on Sunday evening. I have had several opportunities to serve in this area of the state and have really come to enjoy these trips. From the small country churches to the camps and college ministries, I have been greeted warmly, enjoyed great hospitality and continue to get invited back. I've always said that as much as I enjoy going to new places, getting invited to come back to a church or organization is an even greater honor.

The long drive will not seems quite as long this time as Chris will be making the trip with me. It's rare that our schedules allow for her to make these trips, so I'm looking forward to having her company and introducing her to my ministry partners in Northern Missouri.

As my exposure to different Associational campgrounds around the state increases, I hope to be able to do more camps in the coming years, serving more associations and churches. I've been to Bates Creek Camp in Southeast Missouri a few times, Baptist Hill on a regular basis, Pulaski Association Camp, as well as a few other smaller camps. I am very pleased to be able to add Grand Oaks to the growing list of campgrounds and hope to be able to serve other associations that use these facilities. I also hope to be able to serve in individual churches for revivals or special events.

Once again, I have to say that if ministry is supposed to feel like work, then this ain't ministry! Truthfully, I have such a good time that it's hard to believe that God actually lets me play and still call it ministry! There really is no experience like watching the Holy Spirit move and open the eyes of a young person so that they are able to see and sense the love and grace of our Mighty God.

To have been privileged to watch this hundreds of times over the past decade is a blessing that I am unworthy to have received.
And yet, I serve fully expecting to witness it again each and every time I am granted the opportunity to share the gospel of salvation through Jesus, my Lord and Savior.

John <><