Untangled

I just finished a wonderful weekend with seventy strangers in the middle of nowhere. How’s that for a first line. I’d never done anything like this before, but several months ago, a youth pastor named Jerry Varner from Richmond asked if I would come to their annual fall discipleship retreat to speak to his group. He shared his vision for the weekend and explained his thoughts on the theme “untangled.” Even as we spoke, ideas began to generate in my heart and brain. So, I became their guest for a weekend at Watermark’s Camp in Scottsville, Virginia.

It was inspiring to share my life for a weekend with so many youth and adults who were eager to know God and His will in their lives and the world. The teenagers could be described using the fruits of the spirit, and their leaders’ compassion and heart for Christ showed in everything they did. The staff of Watermark’s Camp, and especially the owners, Travis and Angie, are exceptional people. I would call them exceptional Christians, but they simply live the life of Christ followers that really should be the normal-, which truly is exceptional in this world.

I encouraged the youth at this camp to live a life that is Untangled and Unleashed for God. Now, I press on trying to continue on my journey, Untangled and Unleashed for God. In the next few weeks, I’d like to share a little about the message of this weekend in shorter posts. For now, thanks to Southside Nazarene Church for taking a chance on me and sharing in the ministry of the gospel with me. Thanks to Watermark’s Camp for the great works they are doing for God in Scottsville, Virginia. And thanks to Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Earlysville, Virginia for providing a home for my family and me and equipping us for this ministry.

Pastor Jerry had some very great things to say about this weekend as well. You can read about it here on his blog at the Journal of Student Ministries. So, as did he, I will send all the credit to God and pray that he continues to use me in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth. Grace and peace.