(singing) ...Happy Birthday Dear Becca...

Happy 20th Birthday Becca! Thanks for your smile, encouragement and the part you've played in our youth group. Its been so neat to see you grow in the last year and to see how the Lord is using in many different areas! Keep seeking and following Him no matter what the cost. Hope you have a fantastic birthday out there in the boonies. ;)

God's strength and my weakness

Hello from Canada! I know it's been a while since most of you heard from me but I blame that on being stranded in the backwoods without technology. Actually we do have technology even up here but spare time is really a rarity up here and I just don't have enough time to be channel 8 and send out news updates very often. Besides, I have much more fun telling you all about it when I get home than ruining it all by trying to explain it over a keyboard or phone. However, I did want to let you all know a little bit of what has been happening up here because God has been doing some amazing things and teaching me a lot in process.

II Cor. 12:9. "And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. . ."

God's strength and my weakness. . . God has been teaching me a lot about that this summer. I realized very shortly after arriving here that if any really good decisions were made by campers this year it would not be because we were the most organized and competent staff but because God answers prayers of people who know they need help. And no, I'm not knocking the staff here at FGBC because I am one of them, but as one of them I realize that there are some problems that are beyond our control and frankly we have quite a few of them here at Forest Glenn this year. However, I think that God puts us in situations we don't really like to teach us lessons we don't really want to learn. One of those lessons for me is that I don't have as much to offer God as I think. I know we always say that we are weak and that God is strong and that without Him we can do nothing, but secretly I like to think that God would have a hard time replacing me. In the three short weeks that I have been up here, God has been showing me what happens when a weak person with a strong ego walks out of his safety bubble. I'm not insinuating that this summer has been miserable or a failure, far from it, God has definitely been doing some incredible things at camp this summer, but He has made very sure that He did it in such a way that I could not possibly steal the credit for it.

I am used to knowing exactly what my job is and being fairly confident that I could do it and do it well. Not so up here. Maybe it is the combination of being in a strange place with strange people (well, maybe not that much stranger than some of you j/k) but there have been multiple times when I realized I didn't really know what I was doing or what I was supposed to be doing and wondered momentarily why I came all the way to Canada to fall flat on my face. Very few times before in my life have I felt so inadequate or seen God do so much. It sounds incredibly cocky now, but I sort of assumed before I came up here that I would be a first-time pro counselor and be able to give all the right questions to all the right answers. Let's just say I'm not a pro and neither are the rest of the staff, but despite that God has done an incredible work, especially during teen camp. Every night it seemed that almost half the kids responded to the invitation. I think there were seven salvation decisions on Monday night alone and several more after that, and on Friday night when they had a open time for testimony from they campers, they had to cut it short because there were so many people who wanted to share what God had done in their life that week. It was really amazing and reminded me a lot of what happened last year at Harvest. Kids were crying and going to their friends to encourage them to make decisions and tellling them about the joy of giving in to God. I talked with several of the other counselors who have been here before and even they said it was really unusual compared to other years of camp.

Well, I really don't have time to tell you much more about it because I really need to get to bed so I'm not dead for the next week of camp, but it really has been an encouragement to see how God's power can overcome our weakness. No, it hasn't always been fun, discovering one's weaknesses rarely is, but it does bring joy and security to know that God can still accomplish his work even if I'm not perfect. For me, this summer has all come down to whether I would rather feel good about myself or experience God's power and see Him work in situations I thought were impossible.


Oh yeah. Pleas pray for a large unspoken request here at camp and also that I would get my voice back. My voice was pretty much gone by the third day of camp (oh the joys of cheering!) and I think I'm coming down with a cold (a little going away present from some of my campers=) so pray that I would make it through the week with good health. See ya later,

Mike

"God's work is not man working for God; it is God's own work, though often wrought through man's hands." - Hudson Taylor

Please Pray...

During teen camp the Lord really convicted me about something. Actually he has convicted me about it before but I never actually did anything about the conviction...until camp. In the past I have asked some of you to pray for my cousin Elisa. She is unmarried, has two kids, each with different Dads and pretty much is living a life without thought of eternity. The Lord has convicted me many times about talking to her but I have always put it off. She comes from a Christian home and she knows everything there is to know about Christianity. Therefore I kept telling myself that there was no point in talking to her about God because she already knew it all and had rejected it. (Basically...I was just chickening out) However, the Lord has continually prodded me about writing her a letter to just let her know what He has been doing in my life. At camp a few weeks ago, I finally submitted and promised God that I'd send her a letter, letting her know where I stand and how much God means to me. Now that my life has returned to its normal routine, I had an opportunity, last week, to sit down and write her a letter. To be honest...it was hard to do. She is family and they are the hardest to witness to, because you care what they think about you! After writing it though I knew I had done the right thing. I didn't tell her any new, never before heard truth. I simply shared with her what God did for me last summer, at camp, and what He has been doing since... despite the many, many times I mess up. I shared Prov. 24:16 and reminded her that God is faithful, has an incredible love for us and is constantly trying to draw us back to Him. I don't know if the letter did any good or not. All I know is that I feel much better having finally obeyed Gods directing. But I do want to ask you all to pray for her. Pray that she would just think about some of the things I reminded her of in my letter. Pray that she wouldn't read it and think that I am trying to be preachy or condescending, but rather show her that I care. God wants to restore her relationship with Him and wants to see her grow closer to Him in the same way that He wants us to. Pray also for her kids...Chyna and Caden. God loves them too! Thanks so much guys for your prayers. They DO make a difference!

Chrystal

PRAYER- Its hard to stumble when you're on your knees!

Happy Birthday Eric Kark!

Free Comment Graphics by ShoutPix

Keep searching God out, and let Him be your best friend!
Thanks for your part in the youth group!

A Lesson from a STUBBORN Cow

Yesterday I was bringing the cows into a different field and this one cow was being very, very stubborn. So I came up with a scheme! I put his best cow friend in the other field and shut the gate...Sure enough! The stubborn cow came running; moo-ing about how he was so lonely!!! That brought me to the thought of how stubborn we are until we see what God can take away from us! Then we usually obey, because we see the power of God and what he can do to us in an instant when we're stubborn and try things our own way. It's never satisfying when we have to buck God in order to do what we want.

Jowin (Jordan D.)

"Believers must take time and effort to hike into the forest of Gods Word and to harvest the logs of truth from that massive timberland. They must by reflection split the logs and stack them in the fireplace of their own heart while they pray for illumination from God to set those logs ablaze. The resulting fire will provide the light that directs their paths and the heat that fuels their passion for God. Unfortunately many people only accumulate a few sticks of kindling from their pastors Sunday sermons- not because he doesn't present some great truths from God's Word, but because they reflect little upon those truths, even during the message! Even when God does ignite those splinters of truth, their fire blazes only momentarily because there is so little truth for the Spirit to burn." - (Jim Berg-Change Into His Image, p. 93)

What Happened?!?!

Have you ever had a time where everything made perfect sense to you? You knew what you needed to do in your relationship with God and you were determined to do it. You saw your true state and how weak you are. You saw how great and powerful God is and you knew you could not do anything apart from Him. You saw sin for what it really is and you were determined not to have any part in it. Basically everything was as clear as glass and you knew you were going to live your life in a way that pleased God! And then the next thing you knew you were completely confused and nothing made a bit of sense and you had no clue as to how you had fallen so hard! All you knew was that you no longer had a peace in your heart and you no longer had a zeal to do the things for the Lord (that you used to do with such a passion!) Everything seemed muddled and you knew you wanted to do the right thing but at the same time you'd lost sight as to what was important. Have you ever felt that way? I have! In fact, I feel that way a lot. Right after I get things taken care of in my relationship with God, I feel confident and energetic. I can see my purpose, the goal, and the things I need to do in order to stay there. I'm happy and content. And then BAM! Suddenly I'm confused, unhappy and discontent and I am left wondering what happened! This is the story of my life! However, during camp, the speaker at teen camp gave an illustration that hasn't left my mind for more than a day since then and I know the reason why! It perfectly describes what happens so often in my own walk with my Saviour. Here is the illustration...

A middle aged couple could be seen driving down the road one day. The husband sat in the drivers seat and kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The wife sat in the front seat, all the way to the right, with her arm leaning on the door and her head resting on the glass. She gazed out the window at the passing scenery. The couple drove this way for a good hour, hardly moving and without saying a word to each other. As they cruised thru town they pulled up to a stop at a red light. In front of them sat a car that was plastered with streamers and balloons. Tin cans were tied to the back of it and on the windows, written in white letters, were the words "Just Married". The wife leaned forward to look at the couple inside of the car and then sat back with a sad sort of smile. She opened her mouth for the first time on that car ride and said "Look at them! All snuggled together on the front seat! They are so in love! Remember when we used to be that way? You'd put your arm across the back of the seat and I'd be content to sit right next to you, with my head on your shoulder, and we'd just talk and talk for the whole extent of the trip; happy to simply have some "alone time" together" she paused, glanced at the gap now between them, on the seat, then said "Remember those times?" The husband nodded "Yes, I remember" He said with a sad smile to match his wifes. Then he pulled the car forward, drove through the intersection, and kept on driving. His wife looked out the window again and then gave a long sigh. She turned to look back at her husband and asked softly "Whatever happened to us talking and sitting in that way?" The husband kept his eyes on the road and as he continued to drive he replied quietly "You know...I never moved."

The application here is obvious. You wonder what happened when you fell so hard? You wonder how you became so confused? The answer is simple- You moved away from your Lord. He never left you. He never pushed you away...YOU did that to Him! He has stayed in the same spot all along, by your side, and you are the one who took your eyes and focus off of Him. Get in the right place, get the right focus and you will not find yourself falling anytime soon! Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved!"

Chrystal

Does God Still Work in Miraculous Ways?

Mon. evening I was at my boss's house listening to him recount an event that took place a little less than a week ago. He was headed home and was pulling a rather large planter with his tractor. As he was coming down the short hill to his house he hit a bump that made the planter bounce. This bounce caused his rear tractor tires to lose traction and he started to fishtail. He jackknifed and flipped his tractor while going about 20 mph. The tractor had a roll cage but he was not wearing a seat belt. He said he remembered looking down while he was sliding and seeing the pavement 4 inches away. He also remembers looking up and seeing the planter coming over the top of the tractor. He was sure he was going to be crushed, but the tractor stopped sliding before the planter rolled over the tractor. He escaped the crash with a brush burn and a very sore side. During the whole thing he never left the tractor. Never slammed into the roll cage. His arms were never twisted by the steering wheel as the tractor rolled. He was able to get out of the wreck by himself. He said he thinks their must have been an angel holding him as the tractor rolled.
I was rather awed after hearing him tell the story. God is still as alive as he was back in the bible times. He still protects us in miraculous ways. I know that God did miracles, but I often don't really think of them as real events. I thought of pastor's message on Sun. God has enabled men to walk through flames, raise men from the dead, and turn huge armies to flight with three hundred men. Do I really believe that he could and would do that today. At camp last week Tim Hawes preached out of Hebrews 11. Noah had never even seen rain and yet he still had the faith to build a boat that took him 100 years to finish. Abraham and Sarah believed that God was able to give them a child even though it was physically impossible. Abraham believed that God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead if he sacrificed him. I was encouraged by remembering that I serve a God that has unlimited power. I was also challenged. Do I really believe that God caused a man to see that was blind from birth, and that he has that same kind of power today. Serving God never gets boring because he constantly sends challenges our way that require us to make a step of faith. As Mr. Fry said,” Isn't it fun serving the Lord. There is nothing that will bring more joy than serving him with everything you have.”
Greg

God Bless America

"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependance upon the overruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord." - Abraham Lincoln

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Going to be Difficult

Wow! looking at the blog it would seem like everyone else has just as much of a busy summer as i do! =] I hope you all are staying in God's word, and enjoying Christ's company through the busy times! I can't say my devotional life has been the best... it's been really hard to make the time... notice i didn't say it's hard to find the time, but i've had a hard time making it! And, even when i do, I am really struggling with enjoying them like i have in the past... I'm sure many of you know what i mean. So, you all can pray for me in that area! Anyways, I read something today that i thought was good, so i thought i'd share it... its from My Utmost for His Highest...

“Enter by the narrow gate … . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life …” (Matthew 7:13–14).

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10), and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.

I don't know how many of you have been checking the blog lately, but, for those of you who did... I hope you got something out of that!
~ I will be trying to pray for you all when i get the chance!
Rachel~

"Education has been given us from above for the purpose of bringing to the benighted the knowledge of the Saviour. If you knew the satisfaction of performing a duty, as well as the gratitude to God which the missionary must always feel in being chosen for so noble and sacred a calling, you would feel no hesitation in embracing it. For my own part I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay?" - (David Livingstone)

Trust God

So many times I try to get over a temptation on my self. Equip yourself with Gods word and trust God to get you through. Just like the Israelites. They had to equip themselves with the things that God told them to and trusted God to get them through, and they had victory, but when the didn't they were defeated.


Jordan D

Showing Your Love

ok....this is going to be short and sweet because I have places to go, things to do and people to meet! ;) However, I wanted to thank you all for your prayers. God has been good and though I often feel frustrated at how slow I am, in advancing in my walk with Him, He has never given up on me. Camp has been going well....its been busy, tiring and sunburning, ;) but overall I have learned a lot and am excited to see what God is going to do during these next couple weeks of junior counselling. One of the quick thoughts I wanted to share with you though is something Pastor Linville said in one of his messages. This really has been staying at the front of my mind recently and though its simple, its point is powerful and convicting. Ok, here it is..."Every temptation is an opportunity for you say 'Lord, I love you more than this sin!" Whenever we give in to our flesh we are basically telling God that we do not value his opinion of us, we do not care that we are breaking our relationship with Him and we do not find Him satisfying. Ouch! Talk about stabbing somebody in the heart!

Chrystal

Happy 14th Birthday Zach!

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Happy birthday!
Keep growing/learning! We are praying for you!

"Friends don't let friends___"

I Cor. 4:21, 5:1,7 “What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness. (5:1) It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. (7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be anew lump. . .”

On Sunday Mr. Albaugh mentioned that the Corinthians were a trouble church. I've been working in II Corinthians and some of the passages weren't making sense. The first two chapters talk a lot about Paul's joy and the Corinthian's joy and it didn't seem to tie in with what he was saying. However, when I was reminded that Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was a letter of rebuke, the second letter made a lot more sense.

II Cor. 1:23-2:4 “Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of you joy: for by faith ye stand. But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”

Paul's purpose for reprimanding the Corinthian Church was that he might have joy when he saw them. He didn't rebuke them for the fun of it or just because he could – in fact he is careful to say that he doesn't have dominion over them – rather Paul rebuked them so that he could have good fellowship with them when he came. He wanted his visit to bring joy and not sorrow. This means two things. First it means that the Corinthians were Paul's friends (on his part at least) and he wanted their fellowship, but more importantly it means that even though they were his friends, he knew he couldn't really enjoy their fellowship if they persisted living in sin. Sure, he could have pretended that all was well and dandy and overlooked their sin and kept them happy for a while, but he knew that in the long run it would destroy their relationship. Tolerance is a buzzword today, everybody is saying tolerance is the only way people can get along and be happy, but tolerance really doesn't work well among friends, at least not when sin is involved. Tolerance of sin will either drive friends apart or wear them down until they are both stuck in the same pit. Either way, it's not pretty. Paul knew this type of tolerance doesn't work, and that is why he confronted his friends and urged them to repent. How often do we ignore sin in our friends lives and make all sorts excuses for them in an attempt to keep them happy so we can enjoy the pleasure of their company? It doesn't work. Sure, if you confront a friend on a big issue you may lose a friend, but chances are you would have lost them anyway unless you had soon joined them. In II Corinthians, God gives us an example of a man who loved his friends too much to turn a blind eye to their sin. That is why “Friend's don't let friends ____” When was the last time you told a friend that God has a problem with something they're doing? It's been way to long for me.

Mike

Famine

In order to have plants grow you need not only the seed but sun and water, we can water with a hose but we cant bring out the sun. The world is having a famine and we need to go and water the crops with the word of God, and that's the farthest we can go. God has to bring out the sun and produce other Christians, BUT GOD WILL NOT WATER IT! WE HAVE TO. We have to fulfill our duties to bear fruit.

Jordan

“Yes—But …!”

“Lord, I will follow You, but …” (Luke 9:61).
Isn't that how we are a lot? I mean, we are "willing" to follow Christ, but as long as it's not hard to do, and as long as it goes along with our plans. sometimes God will tell you to do something that is totally against your common sense. what would you do? would you hold back? It's kind of like when you have a habit... if you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And its the same spiritually. Again and again we will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time we will turn back at the true point of testing... until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender.
sometimes Christ does ask us to take a step in the dark. Are we willing to take that step and follow Him?
To our common sense, what Christ asks us to do may seem mad, but trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, take it!!

Rachel

Setting Appointments and listen

Last night, Gabe mentioned setting an appointment with God, and how we have to do what it takes to keep that appointment. My mind went back to when Mr Huber said, "That sometimes it is good to turn everything off and listen to God." Set an appointment for reading the Bible, praying, listening, and always meditate on our God!
Jordan