As I sit at my desk today, I can see a large countdown clock of when summer is coming. Today marks exactly 1 month until our first summer staffers will arrive. This will be my fourth summer at Forest Home, and it is the one I am most excited for. We have a phenomenal program team in place, who have been working so diligently on crafting the best summer we have ever had. We have hired what looks to be an amazing seasonal staff. One of the questions we ask in our interview process is, “What is the Gospel Message”. At Forest Home we refuse to compromise the Gospel message of God’s redemptive love. During so many of the interviews I love hearing the passion in people’s voices as they share God’s plan. His solution for sin, the gift of His son, Jesus Christ, the resurrection and conquering of death. I am so glad that all of our staff know so well what God has done and what He is doing in their lives. I can’t wait for this passion to spill over and be shared with everyone that comes up this mountain to hear the voice of God.
But even with passion in people’s voices of what God has done, I know many people have a hard time sharing the gospel. We have no issue talking about the new iPhone, the new Netflix original, or how their sports team is doing. But we struggle talking about the most important thing. So I ask that you keep our staff in prayer as they prepare to ascend the mountain. Keep them in prayer to not have any fear of rejection, but an unashamed passion for Jesus Christ that spills over in all that they do. This is a prayer that I also pray for myself daily, that God will use me for His Kingdom and that I will make no excuses when He calls me to do something difficult. It is a prayer that has encouraged me and given me great strength in difficult times. If you are at a point in your life where you need to experience the love and strength of your Creator, I encourage you to pray the same thing in your life. Just remember, the way God gives us strength, is by giving us difficult opportunities to face, and giving us the strength to overcome them.
