For the last two years, Pine Cove Christian Camp has been an integral part of our growth with the Lord. Yesterday, we arrived at family camp and it has already proven to be just as uplifting as it has been in the past.
One of the things we have always loved about Pine Cove is that we get to sit with young adults and share not only our walks with the Lord, but also hear about theirs. Each year, I find that we learn something from the young adults here that have given up their summer to serve families.
Last night, our first night here, I had the opportunity to visit with a young woman whose camp name is "Wigs." As I was sitting on the porch watching the girls swing with a few other friends, she just sat down beside me and said, "So tell me about you." Wow! Where in the world would I start. I tried to do the basics, family, ages, what we do, but that's not really who we are. It was impossible to not share what God has been doing in our family for the last 4 years, so of course I did my best to condense it in as short of a version as possible. She had lots of questions, but eventually a moment came where I could ask about her.
What an amazing story she had! As she shared how all her life she was pursing her plans to be able to financially sustain herself, God laid on her heart that she was to pursue music instead. It wasn't her plans as she always felt that accounting was her route and that music was just an interest she had. Then she said something that I will never forget.
I asked her, "So, after you graduate, what do you plan on doing? Will you teach?"
Her response was so simple. "Well," she said. "Since this wasn't my dream it really doesn't matter. It was His plan for me so I will just follow that plan and see where it leads. If it leads to teaching, great. If not, it doesn't matter as long as I'm following."
Whoa! She essentially said the same thing that our family is working through right now. Here this young lady in her 20s is following the Lord in a way that we are just embarking upon in our 40s. Who knows what she could accomplish for His kingdom with this perspective.
Now, I know what you might be thinking. Well, she's in her 20s, her parents probably support her, doesn't have a family, etc... I can see that way of thinking. But wouldn't it be amazing if we all just took a moment and didn't look at our lives through the perspective of what "I" can accomplish but changed it to what "He" can accomplish. She's not someone who is saying I'm not going to work, what she is saying is that whatever she does, it will be for His Glory and not her own.
Since last week, many of you have read our blog or seen our Facebook announcement and I'm sure there have been mixed reviews. The spectrum ranges from "God is amazing in what He can accomplish!" to the other end of "Have they lost their minds?" In all honesty, we've been on both ends of that spectrum too and anywhere in between.
But what Wigs said spoke the same truth that Peter and I are feeling. Right now, this is where He is leading us and our deepest desire is to follow wherever He leads, wherever or whenever that may be. None of us know tomorrow, but we do have this moment to live each day, wherever we are to further the kingdom through our words, actions and love for others.
What do we know today? We know that God has developed in both of us a servant heart and that heart has been led to serve orphans and widows in Zambia. It would be much easier for us to do this at home, but this isn't what He has led us to. He is growing us, in our marriage, our family and in our faith. He has asked us to meet Him in Zambia to be His instruments and serve Him daily. Wherever that leads, we want to follow. Since it was never our plan, as Wigs said, "It really doesn't matter, we'll just follow His."
If you would like to walk alongside us in prayer or even financial support, please visit our other pages on this blog. We also encourage you to visit the Every Orphan's Hope website to learn more about the ministry we are preparing to join as full-time orphan care missionaries.
Above all, may each of you use this day to reflect the light of Christ in all you do. May God continue to grow each of us for His ultimate glory.
"Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - I Corinthians 10:31
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