Several months after my husband went to be with the Lord at the age of forty-nine, I wrestled with the decision of what to do about the non-profit organization which we had founded twelve years earlier. Through much prayer, Bible study, listening to great sermons, and a burning desire to know God’s will, I decided to stay with the work which was to assist pastors and leaders in small membership churches as well as continuing the campground ministry which was available for conferences, camps, and retreats.
That decision came as I pursued an answer from God in my daily devotion time. I obtained a job with an employment agency and on Saturdays, I would go to the campground, which was where our house was, to pack all of my personal belongings as well as the camp office and my husband’s office. The board had decided close the organization, sell the campground, and auction everything.
One Sunday morning, during the time of all of this, my pastor preached a sermon on: “Defeating Discouragement from Overwhelming Tasks.” Using Joshua 1:1-11 as his text, he began to talk about the overwhelming task that had been placed on Joshua’s shoulders by God after the leader of the nation of Israel, Moses, had died. God had given him the responsibility to lead Israel to conquer the new territory. The original Hebrews that had been in bondage to Egypt had died in the forty years of wilderness wonderings except for Caleb and Joshua. God had appointed Joshua to lead a second-generation nation of untrained, unskilled people who also lacked a vision for the task at hand. Certainly, if anyone had a right to be discouraged it was Joshua.
“It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.”
Hosea 13:5-6
Oh God forgive me! I realized I was looking within myself to provide for my needs and the needs of the organization. I couldn’t figure out how to work a secular job to provide for myself and also take on the responsibility of the ministry. No wonder I lacked the courage to act on that burden.
With a new perspective, the Holy Spirit brought to my memory the many times I had stepped out in faith, trusting God, and how faithfully He had provided. I also remembered this scripture in Matthew.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. For this reason, I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or,’ What shall we drink?’ or, ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?” For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:24-34
Now it was time to commit to the Lord and trust Him for direction, sustenance, and timing. I made the commitment to God that I had heard what He was saying to me. I made a covenant with God to follow through with talking to my boss at the employment office. In my conversation with her, I wanted to ask if she would allow me to continue working part-time as I began to get the ministry active again.
On the way to work that day, I stopped by the post office to check the box for the organization. There was only one piece of mail in this commercial box and it was addressed to me. It was a note from a lady who had been a counselor with one of the first mission teams to come to the campground. Her note expressed sympathy at my loss and then she added an encouraging word. She said she knew enough about me to know that I would give my adverse situation to the Lord and He would turn it to my good. She also let me know that every one of the youths who had come to camp that year had made life-changing decisions. That wasn’t all, she included a check for five hundred dollars made out to me personally.
Right there in the post office, I began to cry as I read the note and saw the check because to me it was an indication from the Lord that I was going in the right direction. That indeed He was my provider and already had the answer to my prayer in the mailbox before I asked. I followed through with the commitment I had made to Him earlier that day, by talking to my boss that very morning. She was kind to receive what I said and allowed me to continue working there as I began to find office space and gradually get the organization back into operation.
It was a blessing to see the campground and the ministry continue for twenty more years. The organization has dissolved now, but the campground facility dedicated to serving God’s purpose is continuing as a ministry outreach.
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 2 Corinthians 9:8