Summertime Fun

I thought that I was going to try to spend a little more time writing this summer; so far, that hasn't worked out so very well.
On the one hand, summer hasn't really started yet. On the other hand, I don't see that I'm going to have any more time in a week or so when it does officially begin.

Ministry stuff has kept me busy during the early part of June. The 1st found me at a weekend Children's camp where the keep asking me back as camp pastor (something like 15 years, now). That camp wrapped up on Sunday evening and then I was back to the same location to share a little message in magic with another children's camp on Monday.

Saturday (7th) I was in Neosho MO for New Salem Baptist Church's Carnival Day. It's been a few years since I've been there and it is always a pleasure to be invited back to a place! I'm impressed with this small country church. It is in a very rural location and yet seems to be doing very well. The young bi-vocational pastor and his wife seem like they genuinely care about the community and I sense that God is going to use them to reach the rural area with His message of love and grace.

On Sunday I traveled to our neighboring community of Nixa and shared the Salvation story at North Nixa Baptist Church on their Children's Day. It was a grand day!
I'm always amazed that God has chosen me to share His story in the ways that He has allowed me to do it. It's hard to understand why He would choose mere men and women to tell this grand story when our tendency is to mess things up very badly and on a pretty regular basis.

And yet, He does.
And they keep coming.
They keep coming to make professions of faith.
They keep coming to testify of their belief by following in baptism.
They keep coming to work and serve Him by serving those that come in need.

It's a pretty good gig that God has given me. I hope that I never grow tired of serving and that the blessings never get old. I'm looking forward to the day that I can do more in the way of sharing His Word through preaching and magic!

This week will be a different kind of busy. There is a lot of work to be done around the house before this weekend's open house for Hannah's college graduation. If you're in the area and want to offer her your congratulations, please stop by on Saturday between 5-8 in the evening.

I need to get things done before Friday. Friday the 13th is my birthday and I've decided to treat myself to a St Louis Cardinals baseball game. I'll get a couple of hours sleep after working the mid-shift on Friday morning and make the drive to St Louis for the evening game.

Yep, it's going to be a busy week!
(I need to shed this ATC thing that takes up like 40 hours every week!)
Soon enough...

Better get busy.

John <><