The Son & the Sand
http://www.barefootbelievers.com – July 2004
My Office is a Wreck
As I sit at the computer and prepare our second summer newsletter for 2004, I am surrounded by ice chests, bottled water, day camp supplies, multiple stacks of paper… you get the picture – my office is a wreck.
The journey from an orderly office environment to the look of a junior high student’s messy room has been a gradual one. Someone once said a messy office space is simply a sign of progress – well, I don’t know if that’s really true; however, we have made a lot of progress in our outreach efforts this summer. God has really blessed the ministry with a wonderful staff and many encouraging ministry partners.
One reason my office is so very messy is due to our upcoming 4th of July outreach event at the public beach. 75 to 100 “on mission” resort ministry volunteers will be setting up canopies at the public beach on the 4th to provide free ice cold water with a scripture verse on the bottle, free hair wraps, free face painting, and slip discs with a gospel message as well as magazine style new testaments called “revolve” and “refuel”. These creative editions of the new testament are great for putting in the hands of teens on the beach. In addition to these services, our teams will also be participating in the creation of encouraging sand sculptures with a positive message, volleyball games, prayer walking, and musical performances and other creative ministries right on the beach. We would love to see you there. If you can’tt be with us, then please remember to pray with us as we prepare for this exciting annual event.
The summer staff and their various ministry partners (visiting mission teams) have spent the last several weeks ministering through day camps, backyard Bible clubs, creative beach outreach, concerts, and resort worship services at various ministry sites such as the Gulf State Park Campground, Luxury RV Resort, Island Retreat RV, the public beach, romar beach, cotton bayou, and Gulf Breeze RV.
We greatly appreciate your prayers and encouragement. The summer missionaries have received lots of letters, packages, and encouragement from their prayer partners, friends, and family. The summer missionaries have only reached the halfway point of their missions experience, so keep the encouragement coming.
Grrrrreat!!!
It’s Grrrreat! Isn’t that Tony the Tiger’s catchphrase? Well the same can be said about our 2004 summer thus far – it’s grrrreat! By the end of this week, we will have partnered with over 400 students and adults in our ministry efforts. Here’s a list of our May & June ministry partners:
MAY 24-28 BELLVUE BAPTIST CHURCH – GADSDEN, AL
MAY 31- JUNE 4 FBC DECATUR, AL
JUNE 4 FBC HAMPTON, HAMPTON, GA
JUNE 5-12 FBC HOUSTON – HOUSTON, MO
JUNE 6-12 GARDEN LAKES BAPTIST – ROME, GA
JUNE 6-9 BLYTHE ISLAND BAPTIST – BRUNSWICK, GA
JUNE 8-10 RIVERCHASE BAPTIST CHURCH – BIRMINGHAM, AL
JUNE 13-17 MUNFORD BAPTIST CHURCH – MUNFORD, AL
JUNE 15-16 LIVING HOPE BAPTIST – BOWLING GREEN, KY
JUNE 19-26 DWIGHT BAPTIST – GADSDEN, AL
JUNE 20-25 THELMA BAPTIST – WETUMPKA, AL
JUNE 26 KREOLE AVENUE BAPTIST – MOSS POINTE, MS
JUNE 26-JULY 2 LAKEVIEW BAPTIST – SOUTHSIDE, AL
JUNE 28-JULY 2 JUBILEE BAPTIST – DAPHNE, AL
And here’s a list of the July and August teams:
JULY 3-5 NEW HAVEN BAPTIST – NEW HAVEN, MICHIGAN
JULY 3-9 2ND BAPTIST CHURCH – FORT PAYNE, AL
JULY 3-9 ENON BAPTIST CHURCH – FRANKLINTON, LA
JULY 4 CHURCH ON THE EASTERN SHORE – DAPHNE, AL
JULY 8-11 PADEN BAPTIST CHURCH – GADSDEN, AL
JULY 11-17 EASTABOGA BAPTIST – EASTABOOGA, AL
JULY 12 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DAWES, MOBILE, AL
JULY 12-13 LEXA BAPTIST CHURCH – LEXA, AR
JULY 16-18 ELKDALE BAPTIST CHURCH – SELMA, AL
JULY 19-23 YOUTH ON MISSION TEAM – SHREVEPORT, LA
JULY 24-30 FBC TIFTON – TIFTON, GA
JULY 25-30 PLESANT MOUNT BAPTIST, BLOUNT CO., AL
JULY 30-AUG. 4 BETHLEHEM BAPTIST – CUNNINGHAM, KY
Please continue to pray for the abovementioned visiting mission teams & the summer staff : Heather – Evangelism Coordinator, Lisa – Discipleship Coordinator, Michelle – Worship Coordinator, Lindsey – Performance Coordinator, Alana – Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Kristen – Orientation Coordinator, Emily – Follow Up Coordinator, Tiffany – Outreach Coordinator.
I know I say it every summer, and every summer I mean it – this is the best summer yet. The many mission teams, the outstanding performance and encouragement of the staff, and the amazing movement of God’s spirit on the gulf coast have given us an amazing outlook for the future of Gulf Area Resort Ministries efforts on Alabama’s beautiful beaches and the ministry presence in the many wonderful campgrounds surrounding the coast.
Cleaning Up the Office
No, I probably will not be cleaning up my office any time soon. Even if I did clean up, within a couple of days, the office would be back to its natural summer state – a wreck. But even with a messy office, we must continue to strive toward becoming an “organized” and “equipping” organization. Please pray for us as we work out the many logistical details from week to week in July. Thanks again for your enormous encouragement and concern. May God bless your summer.
One Last Thing
6 “Ah, Sovereign LORD ,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”
7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1:6-8
This scripture has been used weekly by one of our summer missionaries at our regular Sunday orientation meetings to be an encouragement to many of the students that are here on mission trips for a week.
God is calling each of us to be on mission for Him. You don’t have to spend a week away from home to experience a God centered mission filled life. You don’t have to go on a mission trip to be challenged to share with others the testimony that God has given you. I hope this scripture passage encourages you to know that God calls us to move beyond our excuses and live for Him. God calls us to live under his protection and direction.
God bless you. Thank you again for your encouragement and prayers. Let us know if we can pray for you and / or serve you in any way.
In Christ,
Jeff Ford
