The Power of Camp

I’ve always loved attending camp. Not camping, mind you, but going to camp. As a kid, teenager, young mom, and even older mom, the opportunity to pull away from the daily distractions to be in the midst of God’s creation, and be reminded of what really matters has always been powerful to me. I actually met Jesus at camp, and I’ve never been the same since. 

It was the summer of 1980, and I was attending our church’s Jr. High youth camp. As an 8th grader and teenager of the 80’s, I was no stranger to the middle school drama thrust upon so many girls my age. But, camp was an immediate refuge. One afternoon following a worship session, I found myself desiring to be alone, by the stream running through camp. That is where I felt God’s presence. It was in that place, by the running water, that I knew God wanted me to know Him personally. I had been attending church for as long as I could remember, but it was there at camp that I heard God’s voice so clearly. It was there and then that I decided to no longer be a cultural Christian who only knew about God, but rather someone who was going to run hard to pursue a relationship with Jesus. 

Now, many years later, I still have a passion for camp and how God works to reveal Himself through camp.  Times have definitely changed since the 80’s. Life seems to have sped up and our phones, gaming and social media are vying for our kids’ attention. The culture is influencing them like never before. And, if we want the next generation to impact the world for Christ, ministry to reach our youth is needed today more than ever. The statistics are alarming. It is estimated that 40 million young people in the US, who were raised in Christian homes, could walk away from a life with Jesus by 2050. Two-thirds (66%) of young adults who regularly attended church as a teenager dropped out between the ages of 18 and 22.

 Cutting through the noise and pressures to help our children feel seen, known, and loved is critical. I often like to say that Jesus invented camp. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of Jesus withdrawing from the crowds and into the wilderness to pray, and often inviting His disciples to follow, setting the example for us.

Pine Cove exists to inspire campers to walk intimately with Jesus and equip our college summer staff to change the world. As a Christ-centered, others-focused, and seriously-fun summer camp, kids hear the Gospel. Partners like Amy Simmons Crafton’s AmazingGrace.Life ministry has allowed us to present the Gospel and provide scholarships to many underprivileged campers here in the U.S. and Latin America. Through camp and AmazingGrace.Life’s written resources, lives have changed for eternity. Amy met Jesus while at camp, and I am grateful that we are now locking arms to reach so many children for Christ!

By Susan Andreone, Pine Cove

Youth With A Mission

Flora’s clothes were literal rags. She only had one shirt. It was a short-sleeved button-down shirt, with only one sad button remaining. She was very dirty and didn’t have shoes. We had no shoes or clothes left that were her size.

I was in war-torn South Sudan. Our team was delivering food, water, clothes and medicine to some of the world’s neediest refugees. These refugees did not have nice tents to sleep in. We found them sleeping on the ground near a tree if they could find one. None of them even had sleeping bags.

One day, we came to such a tree and found a few hundred people there who were so grateful for the help. I noticed a young girl named Flora kept watching me. I asked her if she wanted to help me give out the food and clothes. She nodded and took my hand. Flora didn’t say much but she stayed by my side the whole day and held my hand often.

At one point, some refugee ladies approached me and told me Flora’s parents were Christians who were killed by Muslims in the war. Flora was all alone—no siblings, no grandparents, no relatives or friends. These ladies didn’t know her but they were looking after her. They asked me to take her with me as they were very poor themselves. This was heart-breaking because I so wanted to take Flora home with me. However, I knew it was illegal to do so. If I was caught, I could be arrested for human trafficking!

The only thing I could do was give Flora the clothes I had in my backpack, my granola bars and the a few dollars I had. I also had a long talk with her about Jesus, his love for her and how He would be her helper and her Daddy. I prayed for her. It was hard to leave Flora that day. She still wanted to come home with me, but Flora took comfort in these thoughts. And so did I.

Even though, I could not bring her home, our ministry decided to send as much help as we could to Flora and so many others like her. We sent medical teams and containers of food and supplies for several years until the war ended. I lost track of Flora as the refugees there moved around. But I know Jesus has not lost track of her. Jesus said his eye is on even little sparrows and he knows the number of hairs on our head. We can take great comfort that God loves people like Flora and he loves us too.

We are currently helping people in her country get out of poverty by starting small businesses. Each business only costs $100! There are many verses in the Bible letting us know how much God cares for people in need. There are also many verses letting us know if we are blessed, he wants us to be a blessing to the poor. One of my favorite parts of scripture is found in Matthew 25. Jesus said when we reach out and help people in need, it’s like we are helping Jesus himself! That’s how important it is to God that we help the poor.

Our ministry is called MercyWorks and is a part of a larger organization called Youth With A Mission. We work all over the world helping people and sharing the life changing message of Jesus.

Ywamtyler.org, mercyworks.org

Debbie Lascelles is the Director of MercyWorks. She has  a passion to help vulnerable women leave poverty and hopelessness behind as well as seeing lives transformed by the Gospel. She has been to 55 nations including many of the poorest countries on earth. She is married to Chris, and they have three teenage kids, Haley, Kip and Caden. They live in Lindale, Texas and work full time with Youth With A Mission.

Amazed by Grace

Trials and tribulations happen just as rampant and severe to those of us who serve others as they do to those we serve. During these times Satan’s ploy is to get us to think we have nowhere to turn. Whether it’s burnout due to the overwhelming needs of others, shortage of staff or funds, or personal issues, those of us who serve others need the same grace we dispense to others.

Oftentimes, when I am going through trials, scriptures pop into my mind, and I say, “Yes, LORD, but what does that look like?” During one arduous trial I was enduring, Psalm 91:14 popped into my mind. “Because he loves me says the LORD, I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.” As I meditated on that verse the phone rang. It was Amy Crafton, “Vince,” she stated, “AmazingGrace.Life would like to make it possible for YBC to take 50 kids to Kids Across America again this summer.” I responded, “Amy, I just can’t, I just buried my sister after burying my brother a few years ago, my marriage is in shambles, my daughter is being bullied at school, my son is having learning issues, and I’ve been sharing the vision God gave me for a new facility and no one seems to be listening. I’m just not in a good place right now. I don’t see how I can do it.” Amy’s response, “Vince, you’re doing the Lord’s work, you’re just under spiritual attack. Thanks for letting me know how to pray for you and when you get time, I’d like to hear about the vision God has given you.” I thought to myself, “That’s the last time I’ll hear from her.” I was wrong.

In addition to prayer, God used Amy and AmazingGrace.Life to provide for YBC in many tangible ways. In addition to support from Amazing Grace Life, YBC has had many friends hear about us from Amy, and they have come alongside us in serving the underserved.

As our building campaign progressed, we needed additional donations to close the deal. Just in the nick of time I received a letter (which I still have) from Harold Simmons with a check enclosed to close the deal. We moved into our facility, and the ministry continued to grow. We have had other burdens to cross and always God has been faithful in carrying us through. We can truly say we exist today as a testament to our Faithful Father who sees us, hears us and takes care of us through the body of Christ.

Each time I think of Amy a line from my favorite poem, “IF” by Rudyard Kipling comes to mind:

“If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch”

AmazingGrace.Life is in lockstep with the work of the Holy Spirit. I am amazed by the changes it has made in my life and those YBC serves in the following ways:

· Children hear a clear presentation of the plan of salvation at YBC.

· Thousands of children ages 4-12 have become Christians at YBC.

· Parents marvel at the prayer life and scripture memory of their children once they join YBC.

· 28,800 after school meals served.

· 11,000 meals served.

· 21,000 hours of homework help.

· 92% of regular attending students improve in reading, writing & math.

· Faithful attending students maintain an 80+ GPA or higher.

· 100% of students who remain in YBC until 18 graduate high school.

· YBC has college graduates from NYU, SMU, UT Arlington, UT Dallas, Baylor, the University of Houston, El Centro, Richland College, Dallas Theological Seminary, Perkins School of Theology at SMU, and we have a student who earned a scholarship to study abroad in Singapore.

· YBC has students either enlisted or honorably discharged from various branches of the Armed forces. (Army, Air Force and Navy).

Through prayer, hands on ministry, and a series of 11th hour reprieves, Amazing Grace Life has played a major role in YBC’s longevity. As a result, we will celebrate 25 years of changing lives in April 2020.

Vince Gaddis

Youth Believing in Change

Living the Christian Life

I was at the end of my rope. My marriage was falling apart, I was starting my own photography business, and my dad was dying of cancer. My mom invited me to a Bible class and that’s when my life began to change. It didn’t change overnight, but it was the beginning of my journey… Following Jesus. Sandy came into my life in 1992; she had been teaching the Bible class for many years. There was something about her that I wanted and needed in my life. It was Jesus! Over the course of the next 28 years, she taught me how important it is to trust the Lord Jesus, to depend on Him, and to be available to Him. Then, He could use me for his ways and his purposes.

As my journey in life moved along, my father passed away, and my marriage ended. I was so hungry for the Lord. I was in four different Bible classes a week. I was reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (that changed my life!) I also did a workbook called, Experiencing God, and that had huge impact on my life as well. It taught me to look to see where God is working in my life and follow HIM. So I did. Sandy and I began to meet two or three times a month at Starbucks. I called it, Starbucks with Sandy. I hung on every word she said, because I knew she spoke Truth, Truth that comes from the Bible. She poured into me things that the Bible teaches that I never knew. For example, she taught me about prayer and why it is so important to pray and develop that intimate relationship with Jesus. She taught me to study the Scriptures, and how taking time out of your day is important, so that you can hear the Lord speak to you. She taught me to share the Gospel, that exposing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people is something that will change their lives forever and for eternity if they accept Jesus as Savior. Sandy says that there are two parts to being a Christian. The first is the day you ask Him into your heart and believe that He died on the cross for your sins and rose again in three days. The second part is following Him and learning about Him through the words of the Bible. That is why I think the Lord placed it on my heart to spread the Gospel to as many people as I can. The Bible talks about sharing Him and now I try to share everyday!

Over the past 30 years I have learned that trusting in the Lord, depending on Him, and being available to Him, is a real game changer. I can truly say my life would not be the same without the relationship I have with the Lord and with Sandy! She is my mentor, my rock, and my go-to here on earth. I’m so glad that I get to celebrate her 100th birthday this week!

Struggling

It’s not fun, but we all do it at some point in our lives. We have that in common with every human being. Although our struggles can be different than our neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members.

How do we deal with it? Start by praying. Ask the Lord to give you HIS peace and comfort. Ask for the Lord to hold you up and give you his strength, guidance, and encouragement. Stay focused on Christ, not your situation. If you believe in Jesus and you are following him, here are some verses from the Bible to comfort you:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving present your requests [struggles] to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

We can’t control what other people do, or say, or lie about. But we can pray about the situation, and ask God to cover us in his peace. Recite this verse, and pray for the Lord to help you focus on him and not what you are struggling with.

Jesus told his disciples (and was preparing them), “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world. I am telling you this, so that in me
[following me, praying to me, having a relationship with me] you may have peace.” John 16:33

Christians struggle just as much as everyone else. But having Christ in our lives allows us to experience his peace, even in the midst of what we are struggling with. Be specific in your prayers. When you start to feel alone or anxious about something, turn your thoughts to Jesus, and recognize him for who he is. He is our Creator, he is our Father, and he knows our struggles.

Difficult times, crises, and hard times bring us closer to the Lord, or they should. When I am struggling with something, I really lean into the Lord. I pray a lot more, read more Bible verses that pertain to how I am feeling, and I am laser focused on Christ. One of my prayers is, “Lord every time I think about _____, turn my thoughts back to you. Cover me in your peace and surround me with your angels.”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will keep your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-7

Sometimes I will repeat that verse in my mind, to remind myself to TRUST in the Lord. It’s not about me. It’s about him, and trusting in him and who he says he is to help me during my struggles in life. If we have chosen to follow him and we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, he promises to be there for us. He loves us and we are his, when we ask him to be in our lives. I can’t imagine my life without Christ.

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13