A Testimony in the Making
You never know where the first step of faith is going to lead. When I set out to write my new book, Footsteps of Faith, I had no idea what to expect. I only knew that God had placed the desire to write it in my heart. The book is about the amazing things He has done in my life and at South Mountain Christian Camp. It was released on February 19th, and since then, we have distributed over 1,000 free copies of this paperback to people on four continents around the world. The pace has been dizzying.
Recently, I have been receiving correspondence from readers in the form of emails, Facebook messages, and hand-written letters and cards. Some are old friends; some are former campers; some are total strangers. They range in age from 8 to 80. Yet, almost every note has a similar theme--they were struggling, and the stories in the book brought hope, encouragement, and focus to their own faith. It is a startling reminder of the power of your testimony.
YOU have a testimony to share today too. God has done good things in your life. You don't have to write a book to share your story. You can write a letter or social media post, or you can just tell a friend. However you share it, God can use your testimony to touch someone's life today. And, if you're going through a struggle right now, remember that God is still in control. He will bring you through this. When you reach the other side, you'll have another powerful testimony to share about God's faithfulness and love.
As we enter into the summer months, we still have many unanswered questions. Federal, state, and local authorities can give us no assurances about what we will be able to offer our campers this summer. But there are some questions to which we already know the answer. Is God going to remain faithful? Yes. Is He going to see us through this time? Of course. Are we going to share the gospel with kids this summer? You can count on it. Whether it looks like regular camp, day camp, mini-camp, or virtual camp, we are going to share the love of God with children. God is doing new things, and you can be a part of every encounter through your support of this ministry.
SPECIAL UPDATE - 5/28/20
On May 28th we announced that all six weeks of our traditional summer camp programs for this summer have been cancelled due to restrictions and safety concerns associated with COVID-19.
Over the past months, our staff members have worked diligently and creatively to find ways to operate summer camp this year. When the NC Department of Health and Human Services released their guidance for summer camps, the work intensified as we sought practical ways to implement each of the 45 guidelines. Slowly, we began to realize that there was no way we could meet all of the requirements. The result is that we will not be able to offer our regular summer camp sessions this year.
I want you to know that, even though we cannot hold traditional summer camp, our team is still working creatively to find ways that we can still communicate the love of God and the good news of Jesus Christ to these kids. Several of the cabin leaders who had been hired for this summer have agreed to come help us out as volunteers. They'll be live streaming daily devotional videos, craft projects to do from home, new games for kids to play both indoors and outdoors, and some fun skits campers will enjoy. We're also planning to record short chapel service videos to be posted each night. In addition to this, we are hoping to host some special events later in the summer if restrictions are eased.
Canceling camp does create a serious financial shortfall for South Mountain Christian Camp, but we refuse to put campers at risk just to preserve our bank account. We are cutting expenses as much as possible, but, even so, we will need help. We are stepping out in faith, trusting that the Lord will provide. I hope that you will consider making a special donation to South Mountain Christian Camp during this time of need. Your support will enable us to continue operating this ministry to reach out to children with the life-transforming power of God's love.
You can donate online using the donate button below, or you can mail a donation, payable to South Mountain Christian Camp, to PO Box 9, Bostic NC 28018.
We love our campers. Our hearts are grieved, but we find peace knowing that God is still in control. These events are just another testimony in the making.
