Full. Overflowing. Pouring Into. Pouring Out.
July is the time of Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries in full. It is the holy time of complete action. It is when programs and people come together for holy purpose. It is when we pour into peoples’ lives. It is when we pour ourselves out for the holy (“You can sleep in August,” Bill says.)
On the day of this writing, we were involved in five campground day camps for children (huge numbers in attendance in all but one); a two hour staff training session in preparation for another ministry project; a dorm cleaning moment; two shopping supply trips (different supplies for dorm and ministry projects); five hours of office work; a nursing home ministry concert; a campground family evening program; intentional visitation time with an individual international student; an international student ministry outreach (bowling with 20 students); personal devotional time; a few naps; and one staff member found a few hours to visit with her grandparents! And this day is simply an average Tuesday.
Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries is in full action. And in every moment, we pray for God to bring us to those who need God’s presence and love in their lives.
We pray that God work into the lives of those on vacation and those working in our area. We pray that divine appointments abound. And that we “have a lick of sense to recognize those appointments” (Bill’s prayer personally).
We have always taught that people are more important than programs. We have always taught that programs and events are “tools to get people’s attention, earn the right to be heard, build relationships, and then be heard with the Gospel.” We have always taught that intentional ministry means taking the initiative to accomplish the purpose of God’s love. These lessons still abound in Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries to this day. These lessons manifest themselves constantly in our summer staff and in all our volunteers.
JoAnn is a team leader for a day camp team from the mission youth group. She filled that role last year when her team came to work with us and returned for a week this summer. Her team last year struggled with lack of children in her day camp. Her first day here this year experienced no children. Then her second day (the day of this writing), had one child. And they loved on him. And they enjoyed him. And they taught of Jesus Christ and salvation. And he prayed to become a Christian. And JoAnn says “God sent me two years for this one child. It is enough. It was God’s plan. I have goose bumps!”
A full summer. A time of complete action. So many things going on you cannot keep them straight (although Bill does most of the time). People and programs everywhere. Yet holiness is in the single child who allows salvation into his life. Holiness is the individual. Fullness is single love in the right moment through Jesus Christ. Amen!
Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries is totally involved and over-the-top busy. Yet Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries is into the holy fullness. Thanks be to God!
