Camp’s impact lasts long after summer
By Maura Lyle
Staff member, WorldSong Missions Place
One night during GAs, someone from WorldSong came to tell us about camp. She told us about all the fun things we would get to do, and I went home that night and told my mom all about it.
That following summer, I attended mini-camp, and my mom and little sister attended Mom and Me. Since then, WorldSong has been a huge part of our family.
I was a camper for 7 years, making lifelong friends with other campers who later became my coworkers. In 2015, I applied to be on staff. I had always looked up to my cabin leaders. I wanted to be just like them and make the same impact on campers as they had on me.
After my first summer on staff, I knew there was no way I was going to do anything else with my summers. WorldSong has continued to push me and grow me and become a refuge for me and so many others.
One of my favorite WorldSong memories happened in 2016. At the end of candlelight, it was raining outside so we prayed as cabins in the chapel. After everyone finished their time of prayer, we all started singing and worshipping without any music or instruments leading us.
It was one the purest forms of worship I have ever experienced. It was genuine and glorifying to God, and it was so cool to experience girls from second grade to high school pouring out praise, drowning out the sound of the pouring rain.
Another favorite memory isn’t a single moment. It’s watching the amazing growth that happens as girls and boys grow in Christ and become strong leaders searching to know and love Christ more.
For so many years, I was wrapped up in choosing camper’s choices, ziplining and making new friends that I missed the whole point. It wasn’t until I was on staff that I saw how God was using WorldSong.
I have learned so much about myself through my time at camp. I have learned how to love others, how to serve and how to glorify and praise God in everything I do.
WorldSong has taught me that our faith is not confined to one place or to certain people. The relationship we have with Christ is deep and more than just something to read about. His love is something that should set us on fire, and we should show His love to others every chance we get.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Adapted from a blog post at www.worldsongdailynews.wordpress.com. WorldSong Missions Place in Cook Springs is a ministry of Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). WorldSong offers camps for boys, girls, teens and families. For more information or to register go to www.alabamawmu.org/camp.
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Sowing seeds of grace
At your Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes (ABCH), we are in the ministry of planting seeds. We seek to be so generous with the overflowing grace of God that this grace gets scattered over every child we serve.
Sometimes our sowing is deliberate. Other times, the seed is scattered like birdseed out of a feeder and we hope it finds fertile soil.
We do all we can to soften the hearts of the children from hard places who are in our care so that the seeds of the steadfast love of God might find a place to take root and grow.
Sometimes, we actually get to help harvest the fruit that the planting of God’s Word has had on their lives. Many times, we trust that God has prepared other workers to bring the harvest of the seeds we have planted.
We are so thankful for supporters like you who desire to see every child in our care become rooted in Christ. Your prayers are our fertilizer. Your generosity encourages us to continue planting.
For more information about how you can help ABCH ministries, go to alabamachild.org/rooted or call 888-720-8805. Thank you for helping us!
—Rod Marshall
EDITOR’S NOTE — Rod Marshall serves as president and CEO of the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries.
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My Jesus Story
When my wife, Josey, was in the nursing home, her friend Connie would go there to visit and talk to her.
Connie wrote down what they talked about. She told me before my wife passed away she had a surprise for me.
At the funeral she read “Josey’s Letter from Heaven.” It begins, “to my dearest family … I’m writing this from heaven. Here I am with God.”
The words Connie shared have helped ease the pain of Josey’s death a little bit, and I’ve shared the letter with others.
I believe it brings comfort to them like it did me when they lose a loved one, especially if they know where their loved one is now.
“Josey’s Letter” says, “if you meet somebody who is sad and feeling low just lend a hand to pick him up as on your way you go.”
It helps me to know that I’m helping someone else by sharing the hope Josey had through “Josey’s Letter from Heaven.”
Larry Gentry
Crestview Baptist Church, Prattville, Ala.
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The large majority of pastors oppose sports betting and pastors are willing to put their ministry where their mouth is by being ready to help those hurt by gambling and to discourage people from participating.
Scott McConnell
Executive director, LifeWay Research
Providing a tax exemption does not “connote sponsorship, financial support and active involvement of the [government] in religious activity.”
Judge Michael Brennan
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Chicago
Our plan was to build an English church; God’s plan was apparently to build a Hispanic church and God’s plan is always better than ours — always.
Pastor Billy Austin
Vance Baptist Church, Vance, Ala.
Modern culture is opposed to those who seek to live their faith as Scripture commands.
Cleve Mallory
YMLink.org
It’s a wonderful day, because God has made it happen.
Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi
8-year-old New York state chess champion and Christian asylum seeker from Nigeria
Reach those who the Lord has given unto you. Don’t try to reach those others are already reaching.
Pastor Jeff Meyers
FBC Opelika
I believe very strongly that God’s plan for the family is … for parents to raise the children in the home. And one of the things that interferes with that is parents often don’t know what to do.
Jess Dickinson
Commissioner, Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services
Let me recommend boredom to you. This is the time when you can hear the still, small voice in your head. It’s the time when you are convicted, encouraged and reminded by the Holy Spirit of those things you’ve learned during busier times. Quiet periods can be the times when you plan or think creatively about things you’ll need to do another time. With practice it can be a time when trivial things like viral videos no longer break in to your awareness.
Gary Ledbetter
Editor, Southern Baptist Texan
The one major I was trying to avoid was theology. My dad is a pastor and now so is my brother. Then in my senior year of high school, I felt God calling me to it at a summer camp. A lot of what I study at University of Mobile is teaching me the ins and outs of the Bible and Christianity. These classes are helpful because they teach you how to grow and help your ministry thrive. I hope, after I graduate, I can become a student pastor and help students find their faith.
University of Mobile
#MyWhy — Connor
Have you ever thought about what a scar is? A scar is simply a wound that has healed. God heals wounded people, then He uses their scars to help others who are hurting.
Pastor Keith Shorter
Mount Airy Baptist Church, Easley, S.C.
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From the Twitterverse
@LifeWay
We can’t respond to everyone, but know that we’re grateful. We look forward to continuing to serve you with trustworthy resources, like we always have, but in new ways in the near future.
@DustyMcLemore
George Clooney: “I don’t believe in Heaven and Hell. All I know is that as an individual, I won’t allow this life — the only thing I know to exist — to be wasted.” Exactly what Prov. 14:12 warns!
@revandyfrazier
By the grace of God, He has put people into our lives that love us through heart-refreshing encouragement. If you have those kind of people in your life, thank God and thank those special people today. (See Philemon 1:7)
@joeyhanner
A man of great courage is a man of great love. The Bible says “everyone will know you are my disciples because of your love for one another.” John 13:35. Love is not a weakness but a strength, I can be Strong Spiritually and physically while at the same time show compassion.
@shanesjournal
In knowledge — the more I learn about Christ, the more keenly aware I became of how far short I fall of His glory. In relationship — the more time I spend with Him, the more my heart is molded to His heart so that the things He loves become the things I love.
@pastorkja91
Even when the assignment or geographical location doesn’t match the caliber of pastor or preacher that you are … remember God called you to be faithful there and God will give you fruit there.
@RevKevDeYoung
It is often the case that people come to faith in steps, not usually all at once.
@SWBTS
“I want to be a seminary that is building bridges, not burning them … an agent of reconciliation and unity in the Southern Baptist Convention.” President @AdamGreenway
@globalhunger
Hunger does not discriminate. Global Hunger Relief feeds families in the U.S. and internationally.
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