Week 7 2010

Day 1
A thumbs up from Jo-el says it all. Last week of summer camp for 2010 and all went well last night and for the day today as campers either went to paintball or shot rifles this morning.
Reading from the Psalms this morning in Chapter 29 and was reminded at the power of our Lord. The Psalmist writes "Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, Ascribe to the Lord glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness."
We are to recognize that all glory belongs to God meaning all credit, all honor, any recognition for any part of creation has to go to God alone. Every breath we breathe is to be given credit where credit belongs and that is to God be the glory.
Also, we are to recognize that in him is strength. He is strength! What is anything without Him? Nothing! To say that one is weak apart from God still gives the thought that there might be some particle of power that can come apart from Him. There is no strength without Him. We must recognize that the smallest particle of strength we possess even in our disobedience comes from Him only by grace. How thankful we should be for even the smallest of things.

Now, imagine the possibilities that come from a child of God who is giving Him all glory due and as well depends upon Him for power. We see the possibilities written in the scriptures as many young men and women surrendered to the Lord's will and lived by faith in Christ Jesus and as a result the power of God was made manifest to all and Glory was given to His name!!
My prayer for this week is that all of the campers and staff would give God the glory He deserves and realize the source of strength in all things. And may our lives be such power that even the skeptics cant help but to praise the Son of God in Glory!

Now that's a reason to give a big thumbs up!!
(By the way, Jo-el had just rode the zip-line across the pond)

Day 2
There is nothing quite like the comforts of home. Your bed, your room, even the smells are comforting as they all make up what is your place of rest and escape from the world outside. Well for one week these girls have a new home and even with the camp bunkbeds not being as their own beds at home they still have a level of comfort that is not available in a tent. So last night a portion of the girls chose to go camping and settle for the discomfort of the tents and to awake with the ground wet with early morning dew. They were ready this morning to return to the cabins and to take a hot shower before breakfast.
I read this morning in Ezra Chapter 3:11 "And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel" And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid."
It is no surprise that such a people were ecstatic about the foundation being laid for the house of the Lord. For sure, they had longed for and waited for this day. They were captives in a place not there home. The smells of home had faded but were certainly not forgotten. This one thing however must have been on the hearts and minds of the faithful and that was that the house of the Lord was what most gave the assurance they were home. To be once again in the place where the temple of God was gave them reason to sing, give thanks and shout with a great shout!

Our homes should as well have as their foundation the Lord. The children of Israel were reminded while in captivity of what took place at their home in Jerusalem. The worship of the one true God! Sacrifice and praise to him daily could now be restored. I would hope that we all might understand the goodness and enduring love our our Lord and dedicate our homes to praising him.

Week 6 2010

Day 1
18 teenage girls this week. I see the Lord at work already in the eyes of the girls tonight as I spoke about how the Lord of the universe has planned out this week for their lives for thousands of years and now it is beginning tonight. I can tell that the Lord has gone before us to prepare the hearts and minds of some for the Gospel. I am also more aware than ever that we have an enemy who seeks to devour. He really doesn't have to devour us so much as he devours our time with things that are not of God. It is his hunger for our attention that is where I see he feeds the most. Anything to feed his own pride and to starve our soul from the bread of life. We must guard ourselves here at camp this week to make the most of the time that the Lord has planned out for us. May we "set our minds on the things above and not on earthly things" and if it is our time that feeds the enemy; may we be so preoccupied with Christ Jesus that he starves to death!! To God be the Glory!
Day 2
It's a hard path to walk! It takes focus and balance. The path is marked out for you. With each step you grow closer to the end. The path of the Lord is a difficult one. He showed us the path that we must walk according to His son Jesus. He says "Narrow is the gate and hard is the way that leads to life". Nevertheless, we are called to walk that path. It is no surprise that many consider the path and turn away when considering the sacrifice and difficulties that lay ahead. The girls this week are confronted with the narrow way. A way that will require daily sacrifice and ultimately a complete dying to their self in order to live a life for Christ. It is only from the Lord that they will be given the faith to step onto the path of repentance and salvation.

Week 5 2010

Day 1 Monday
Girls Week!! It is a much calmer atmosphere with the girls. After spending four weeks with boys, it is refreshing to finally have our girls arrive. Not that I don't love our boys but I really appreciate the differences. Last night was a great first night with all the girls arriving safely and with excitement in their eyes. It's almost as if they are expecting God to do great things! And I believe that's what faith is.....an expectation for God to do and to act out what we cannot! Oh that we could walk by faith and not by sight every day!
A little late getting to bed last night, closer to 12am primarily because we went to the rope maze and let them wander trying to find the way out. All seemed well when I dropped off some late night cookies for a snack. I am waiting on the girls to come to breakfast and see how they each slept. I love seeing them come dragging in with their morning eyes and hair.

Reading Matthew 21 this morning about Jesus coming upon a fig tree and thought to myself about how disappointed he must have been whenever he visits the fig tree. He gave it the soil in which to grow, he gave it sun every day, brought clouds on some hot days to provide relief from the sun when it grew too hot and rain in season for refreshment and protected it from the locust and from the blight yet when he comes by to receive a little of what he has invested so much in for years, there is nothing. Because of this Jesus curses the fig tree and it withers to its roots.

I see each day as a provision from the Lord. I don't deserve nor am I capable of providing these things for myself outside of God's hand. I am planted and given life only because of Him. Without Him my seed would have never germinated. Without Him, I would have never became more than a seedling. Without Him, the sun would have scorched my leaves. Without Him, the thorns would have overcome me. Without Him, the locust would have taken away all of my foliage and the blight and mildew would have suffocated me. I am created and sustained by Him and only Him! What will I bear when He visits me! How aweful a day would it be for my Lord and my God to visit "this" fig tree and find nothing for which to harvest from my life. I would agree and submit that I would deserve to be cursed by Him for a fruitless life when given so much.
To ensure this doesn't happen our Lord Jesus gives us instruction in John 15 "I am the vine, you are the branch. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned"

Well the girls are here so I better go for now. Pray for us, the early morning cool breeze is suppose to turn into a desert wind by this afternoon. Paintball, Survival Skills and Pond Fishing today!





Day 2 Tuesday
13 girls went camping last night. Sleeping in jungle hammocks and tents. Besides a giant grasshopper that invaded one of the tents everything went well. They bathed in the pond!! Sounds real clean huh!
Tribe Time
Kendall at Rifle

Week 4 2010

First night of week 4 was great! Not one homesick camper and I am told that bedtime was the best yet of the summer for a first night. All were in bed a little after 11pm. Looking forward to another day of great expectation as our Lord God reveals His glory! Today is paintball, archery, and skeet for activities. Pray for safety.

Day 2

Week 3 2010

June 29
Rifle Range!! Everyone is having a great week. A funny thing happened on this day at the range. I was told that several rabbits made their way down range of campers!! With much eagerness they wanted to take aim at the "real" targets. I was proud of our counselors who more than likely really wanted to take a shot themselves but they kept the rabbits alive. What would make a rabbit just wander out onto the range while the shooting is taking place. I think maybe they have become accustomed to the noise and now see no threat. It is a great reminder that we all can become accustomed to the noise and sounds of the world and the sin that surrounds us and so much so that we just wander into the most dangerous areas of life.

June 30Ever sat beside a tree in the swamp with a piece of bacon on a paperclip waiting on a crayfish to bite?
June 31
Last day for week 3. It is so incredible to watch as community forms at camp over such a short period of time with one another. Campers arrived just four days ago and they have formed relationships that for some will last a life time. I am reminded that we are not created to be alone. It was not good for Adam and neither is it good for us to be alone. Our time together is short but I believe it to be God's time and not our own. Our Lord created the universe with his word and in a moment can bring something from nothing. It is this same power that I trust in during our short time together. God can completely save and recreate someone in an instant if He so desires. It is trust that develops over the course of the week that fosters relationship. I believe the same is true of our relationship with Christ. If you and I fail to really trust him....then our relationship will be limited! However, if we fully rely on Him, trust Him in all areas of our life then our relationship grows. Trust Him! I promise He is more than capable to catch you!


Parker Areheart "Trust Fall"

Week 2 2010

27 campers and 16 counselors are here for this week. Just before campers arrived on opening day a storm hit with heavy, heavy rain. Our counselors of course were enjoying the deluge of water from above as campers came to register many of whom are spending their first week away at camp with TC! I must say that the opening night was much better this week as the temperatures were more comfortable. From the first night, I can tell we have a group of campers this week that are very inquisitive and have many questions with which to challenge the counselors. They enjoyed the giant rope maze after dinner as they were also required to get to know other campers names and an interesting fact concerning what was their greatest fear. Much more to come for the day ahead!! I will try to post some pictures.

Monday June 21
Great first day of camp! The word of God is being preached and for the most part we have an attentive and captive group. I am amazed at how I see the work of God so clearly in the lives of the campers. The value of having so many counselors is priceless as we seek to minister this week.
All campers enjoyed their activities with some playing paintball, some pond fishing and the rest shooting rifles. I heard stories like that of Gavin Foxworth who hit his target all seven shots and Zachary Hodge who caught the largest fish of the day. I also saw some paintball wounds and heard amazing stories of war from the paintball field. Praise the Lord that it is not as hot this week as last although it is still quite warm. Water! Water! Water! Tuesday activities are Survival Skills, Skeet, Paintball and Pond fishing.

Tuesday June 22
Last night around the Big Oak with the breeze blowing off the corn field was fantastic. Birds sung overhead with a clarity and pitch that brought to mind the wonders of God's creation. At one time we had a song bird up in the canopy singing a melody akin to the greatest worship song ever sung while bobwhite Quail called to each other from three different locations over the sound of cicadas strumming a chorus of praise. Wow! I hardly wanted to teach in order just to sit and listen to the sermons of the wild! That was just sitting down at the oak.
We sang and worshiped a real risen Lord and taught from the scriptures 1 John 1, John 1, and Matthew 3 concerning Jesus. The question was ask "How many times have you heard the name of Jesus?" of course the answer for everyone was 'many times'. The name of Jesus is to be above every other name in our Life including parents and friends. It is to be above the most loved name in our life. Think about a name in your life that brings forth a well spring of love and devotion and compare that name with the name of Jesus as it enters your ear and travels to your heart. Which one draws the most love? This should be a challenging question for us all and cause us to consider the name of Jesus and His place in our lives. Is He Lord of Lords? Is my love for Him greater than any other affection in my life? The name of Jesus.......no other name I so long to hear.....than the name of Jesus!!
Wednesday June 23
Today we took 12 campers canoeing into Sparkleberry swamp and I think of how it must have looked for Jesus to be accompanied by his disciples. A small caravan of learners and a teacher. The canoe trip was a day of learning for most. Learning either to paddle or most importantly to cooperate with one another. I am well aware of the trials that come with trying to maneuver a canoe through trees and toward a particular location when you have someone in the same canoe that is working against you. It is humorous at times to see the frustration build as each camper works so hard to paddle but its fruitless because they are not working together. They dont mean to be opposed. They are not trying to cancel out each others efforts but due to their lack of experience and just plain ignorance they go in circles. That's when frustration sets in and you can see the best of friends and even brothers become enemies sitting in the same boat. They can flail their paddles and ask the deepest questions of one another "What are you doing?", "Where are you going?". All in all the canoe trip always starts out rough but ends with a group that is bound together in adventure and by the end we have adjusted and all works well as we paddle together. Many lessons learned!
Thursday June 24
The Holy Spirit is amazing at how he leads and guides in perfect timing. I am learning each day just to trust Him. Last night as I was listening to worship and meditating on what I was to preach the Spirit of God lead me to take off the wall a picture of Mari E. Daniel a missionary from India who visited the camp last summer. I tucked it in my Bible just seconds before I came out to preach. 2 Corinthians 5:13-15 (For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; If we are in our right mind it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died: and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.) Daniel is a man who lives by faith, no longer living for himself but for Christ. He travels around the world with no means and many times not knowing where he will stay or how he will arrive at his next destination. What would possess a man to live such a life? The love of Christ controls him!! He is beside himself!! He must go and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Daniel visited the camp last year and was brought by a good friend of the camps named Dennis Stratton. He came to camp last year on June 23. June 23!! Exactly one year to the day. I am thankful for the Spirit as He leads me and enables me to preach God's word. I dont understand everything the Spirit asked me to do such as to take a picture off the wall and put it in my bible but I have learned that when I am obedient He will bless me with further instructions and often I get to see the fruit of my obedience.
This week was a great week deserving of many praises. I praise Him for salvation marked by a repentant heart which mourns over sin and is fascinated with the Savior. I leave salvation to the Lord because I must! It is He who saves but praise be to Him who is the author of our salvation. To Him be the glory and honor and praise forever. Amen. It is wonderful to see our Lord at work as His word begins to cut deep into the hearts of all those who receive it.

Week 1 2010

I failed to post during the first week of camp for a number of reasons, 34 reasons to be exact! We had an amazing week with all 34 campers and 14 staff for our first week of the 2010 summer season.
Wow! HOT!! That is what really described the first week of camp. I have never experienced a time at Big Oak for worship that was as hot as Sunday June 13. I would even say dangerously hot with not a hint of a breeze. The corn has grown high in the field and blocks the breeze from the field and the air was still and muggy. Sounds great, right? All were drenched in sweat as Daniel Kuzbary delivered a message about God and Man that begins to tell the story of this wonderful Gospel message.
As we groaned in the heat, I was reminded of the worth of the message being preached. Many people will wait in line for days in the extreme heat or cold for concert tickets or the newest electronic device. Parents will brave 5am lines the day after Thanksgiving to get what their child wants for Christmas but what are we willing to endure for the sake of the Gospel?!! I would say that our actions reveal our worship and treasure.
My prayer is that as the seed of the Gospel grows in the hearts of many this summer that it might become a treasure as valuable as water that eliminates thirst, bread that ends hunger, a priceless pearl, a light with endless power and that we might be willing to as the Apostle Paul says consider everything else as loss compared to the surpassing knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Summer 2010

Summer 2010 is set to be one of the most abundant and fruitful seasons in the life of Tracy's Camp ministry. For this summer, we are preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have mentioned to several people that I feel like an expectant farmer who has labored to prepare the field and now commences to cast seed among the rows. Not only is the seed the best seed imaginable being the Gospel message but the forecast for this years crop is filled with the blessing of God's abundant rain and ultimate growth. I know that some parts of this field will be soil not ready to receive seed but I cannot help but be excited about what God is sure to produce in the hearts of these that hear His Gospel this summer. To Him be all Glory and Honor and Praise Forever and ever. Amen.