In the years just prior to my become Executive Director of Sky Ranch, summer camper attendance had decreased significantly. The camp had been located in Denton, Texas, just north Dallas. This was a beautiful, hilly area, and large homes were being built on the hills surrounding camp. The feeling of going off to camp was gone! When the Board of Directors began to talk about changing the camp location, building maintenance and equipment purchases essentially stopped, and the camp director quit.

An entirely new image to a larger population was essential. I had no clue how to get the word out. Another…”Lord Help!” Though I did not use the phrase then, if this was Living In Partnership With God, it was a very tough challenge, much more than I had bargained for!

Somehow we made contact with the company that owned many of the large billboards in key locations in and around Dallas. They agreed to put a full size Sky Ranch advertisement on every billboard that was not being rented, if we would have a professionally prepared billboard advertisement available to them. It turned out the advertising company had _many_ bill boards that were not being rented. Like overnight there were Sky Ranch billboards all over the city and surrounding area. No question: Sky Ranch had instant, positive name recognition – at no cost to Sky Ranch!!

Another boost came from Sky Ranch Board members and their friends. Many sponsored lunch gatherings at excellent restaurants. Business and professional people would come for a great lunch – and learn about Sky Ranch. The image of Sky Ranch was changing!

I vividly remember that after one of the first lunches, the CEO of a large grocery store chain invited me to meet him at his office. He warmly welcomed me and, after helping me feel comfortable, proceeded to tell me he was very disappointed in my presentation of the purpose of Sky Ranch: to help people come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He thought I down-played this fundamental truth so as to not offend non-Christians present. He went on to say that whereas some would question the value of this purpose, everyone would have respected a clear statement of what Sky Ranch was seeking to do. He was kind, but very firm. I sincerely thanked him for what he just said to me – and vowed to myself that I would never make that mistake again.

As we pushed hard to have camp ready on June 1, someone arranged to have Miss America present for the opening day. Another person arranged to have professional soccer player Kyle Rote Jr., recent winner of the Super Star competition, teach soccer during the first week at camp. More excellent publicity.

A quality color brochure was prepared. Registrations were beginning to trickle in.

Though wonderful things were happening, the over-all picture was very bleak. June 1 was getting closer and closer, and at the new location all that was happening was the building of the dam that would create a 70 acre lake. Nothing else! Except for the camper cabins, every building was being redesigned and relocated, and this was proving to be a difficult, slow process.

I continued to spend time morning after morning alone in prayer. Living In Partnership with God? Being Executive Director of Sky Ranch was proving to be a personal test of Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.”

A great name without a camp able to function would bury Sky Ranch. We pressed on…and on.

Very soon after arriving in Dallas I met with the Sky Ranch Board of Directors. They assured me the engineering for the lake and utilities had been completed and the conceptual plans for the buildings for this camp/conference center were being finalized. The Board of Directors said they would take the responsibility for the funding and construction of the new facility. My responsibilities included the program, equipment, horses, publicity, camper registrations, staffing, the development of the non-existent conference ministry – and to be available for special fund raising events.

Deadline? Five Months!

The specialty of the architect, who had prepared the camp/conference plans, was country clubs. The main lodge was very beautiful, inside and out. Included was a gathering area with a big fireplace, the dining room and meeting rooms. This was a sealed building which required continual air conditioning or heating. It would be an incredible building for upscale weekend retreats, but I could not imagine campers using this building when coming in dirty and sweaty from soccer or horse back riding.

I have a vivid memory of waking up early many mornings and going into our living room and getting down on my knees to open my heart to the Lord. I realized I was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and also realized I was to live under earthly authority unless what I was told to do would cause me to disobey God?s directives. Two examples of this principle from the New Testament: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” Romans 13:1-2 “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Hebrews 13:17

I had to keep reminding myself that I was not responsible for the decisions which the Sky Ranch Board of Directors made. My responsibility was to do what I was told to do with a good attitude. I pleaded with the Lord to give me wisdom as to how to approach the Board, people I really did not know, and tell them I believed the present plans were unsuitable for their intended purpose, thus implying that the time and thousands of dollars spent on them had been essentially wasted. As I shared with the Board my concerns with the present plans, they began the process of coming up with new plans – continually looking to me for suggestions. The days and weeks were slipping by. To complicate the situation, it became obvious there were few significant contributions. Funds available? Essentially $500,000 of borrowed money. The next question became – Chuck, what buildings are essential if camp is to be in operation on June 1? Soon the Board asked me to assume major responsibility for fund raising. I had no experience with fund raising.

I began to struggle with frustration and bitterness. “Lord, I am woefully inadequate to do what the Sky Ranch Board is asking me to. Lord, help me to be calm. Lord, I am totally dependent upon you to guide me, to guide the Board of Directors.” I knew that if this ministry was of the Lord, He would have to act and the pieces would come together. If this was not of the Lord – it was over!

We must all live under the authority of God, of the government, and, for most of us, the authority of a person or organization. Living under authority is part of doing God’s work in God’s way.

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, said “God’s work done in God’s way never lacks for God’s supply”.

Our responsibility is to understand our part in God’s work – and how to do this work in a way pleasing to God. These we must do! The supply end is God’s responsibility.

Repeatedly I have changed jobs / God’s assignments. In the following I am trying to state what I believe have been the key factors involved in my receiving God’s guidance.

My desire is, above all other desires, is to live as God’s child. God requires of me openness to His directions. God promises that if I trust Him, and do not totally depend on my own understanding, He will direct my path – just as He directed Joshua to fight battles, David to become king, craftsmen to build a portable tabernacle for the Israelite people and Jesus to be a carpenter for fifteen years.

God requires my obedience to His guidance. What God desires me to do begins with my doing what the Bible tells me to do. God will never direct me contrary to His written truth. In decision making, I believe that God wants me to use the brain He gave to me. If I come to a conclusion which provides His peace – I must move forward. If I make a wrong decision and want to know what God desires of me, I believe that He will re-direct my path. In scripture we read a variety of ways God communicated with His people: His still, small voice, wise counsel, visions, dreams, hand writing on a wall, the voice of a donkey — whatever it took, God got His message through.

God directed our decision to accept a new responsibility at Sky Ranch through circumstances, brains, wise counsel, and peace. God confirmed His guidance through the provision of our new home, and ultimately, through having Sky Ranch in full operation on June 1.

When I believe I know God’s will for me, I must go forward in faith. Without obedient faith I know it is impossible to please God. And so I move forward, regardless of how impossible the task looks to be. I depend upon God to provide whatever is necessary get His work done – in His way! This attitude must not imply that no work will be required. Noah had to build an ark. Moses had to lead God’s people for 40 years in a desert. Nehemiah had to direct the building of the wall of Jerusalem in spite of huge obstacles. The disciples were to preach, to heal people. In each case, the person involved was only God?s agent. If I work to obey God, the completion of the work is God’s responsibility. I must not worry, must not get up-tight about the task. Jesus said that His yoke is easy, His burden is light. I had to go forward using all of my resources: my abilities, my training, my experience, my personality – all that is me. Just as faith is required, courage is required! I must keep pressing on – and on – until my portion of the task is finished. I believed that God directed me to get Sky Ranch operational again at a new location. To accomplish this in five months, from a human perspective, was impossible.

I believe this is God’s plan for how each of us is to live our lives. God gives each of us unique work to do. We are each a bit different – different personalities, gifts, training, etc. We are the body of Christ, with many different parts: hospitality, caring, teaching, giving, administrating, etc. We are clearly told that no one is more important than the other. We are a body – each to do our work under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God desires to direct our paths.

Our challenge: openness, obedience, faith, courage – no turning back.

On Christmas afternoon we took down our Christmas tree. With the help of my sister Pat, brother David and their spouses we began to pack. On December 26 the professional packers arrived. That afternoon my parents took 17 of our family see the Nutcracker Ballet in Chicago. On December 27 the moving van came. We spent the night with Sally Jo’s brother and family. The next morning, after saying good bye to Sally Jo’s parents, we headed for Dallas. Thankfully my brother David was going with us.

At 9:00 pm on December 29 we arrived at our cold house, crawled into our sleeping bags, and were soon asleep. The next morning we were up early, working to clean up the house before the movers came…at 9:00 am. Unexpectedly four young men associated with Sky Ranch came to help us get settled. As boxes and furniture came in through the front door, we told the movers where to put them, while we unpacked as fast as we could. The next noon Clayton and Peggy Bell arrived with lunch. Clayton was the Senior Minister of Highland Park Presbyterian Church – I had served as Clayton’s assistant in Dothan, Alabama eleven years previously. We worked late into the night trying to bring order out of chaos.

On January 1 we took my brother David to his plane. Suddenly, we were alone. As a family we had gone from Christmas celebrations, our extended families and our wonderful church family, nice home, good school, and familiar surroundings – to being just Sally Jo and me with our children, Carla, Jenna and Dirk, ages 9, 6, and 3. Reality: a new house in a new neighborhood in a place where we did not even know where the grocery store was, much less a doctor. It was tough!

The next morning I found my new office and spent the day trying to understand Sky Ranch’s situation, complicated by the fact that it had been without a director for several months. I was no longer a pastor, but the “Executive Director” of a non-profit organization which had one employee, a rented office and a couple hundred acres. On June 1, in five months, we needed to have built a lake, put in the roads and utilities, built and furnished essential buildings – including a barn, stalls and pens for 40 horses, built fences and a rodeo corral, bought 30 or 40 low cost horses in good health and safe for campers to ride, bought the necessary saddles, bridles and other program equipment for the operation of a camp, hired 4 year around staff and 40 summer staff – and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars – while getting the word out: Sky Ranch was starting over again in East Texas. Oh Lord, what have you gotten me into? Our family into? Yet, we believed this assignment was from God: it would get done…on time.

Sally Jo was busy meeting the needs of our children, for if the kids did not have a reasonably good day, it would have made future days much more difficult. They, like we, did not know anyone, nor did they know where many of their things were – including the games and creative craft materials they enjoyed. The kids had no patterns and there were no places where the house was in order. Sally Jo worked at cleaning, laundry and putting what had been unpacked by five people into the right places. When the games were finally found, our children asked their mom to play with them…and she did.

Jenna’s seventh birthday was January 4th… We needed to be ready with wrapped presents (we brought some with us), a cake with candles – and whatever else could make a party – when there were no friends to invite. After cake and gifts we drove two hours to the new ranch location – then back to Dallas to the Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor where the staff sang “Happy Birthday” to our Jenna.

Our move was not very different than the move of any family to a totally new situation, apart from the fact that I was essentially changing vocations and starting up a new company – in a multi-building facility, which I was soon to learn, had to be redesigned before being built. At such times we must depend on our God given brains, the God given wisdom we pray for, and the fact that we need Him to go before, often in ways of which we are unaware. No wonder God said to Joshua when he took on the responsibility of leading a great nation: “Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be though dismayed, for the Lord they God is with you, where ever you go”. As God was with Joshua, so God is with us. Courage is required!

When we become aware of new people in our neighborhood, our school, our church – we need to put ourselves in their shoes. What can we do that will make their transition easier? Cookies, flowers from our yard, information about the area, an invite for a meal – perhaps all of the above! It takes courage for any of us to reach out with open hearts and hands to our new neighbor – the family next door, down the street, at church or at school. When we, who live In Partnership With God, reach out with Christ like love and compassion, our love will not be forgotten.

(This Sunday morning I welcomed a person I did not know to church. It turned out this was his first time in the church. He had been born in Dothan, AL – where I served as Assistant Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church. We had much to talk about – boiled peanuts anyone?)

We have the dates and other information through Sally Jo’s annual diaries.

October 3: Sally Jo and I made our first trip to Dallas, returning the next day. During this time we had dinner with the only two people in Dallas we knew, met with members of the Sky Ranch Board, visited the new Sky Ranch site, and very briefly drove by houses, particularly in the Richardson school district which was recommended by three Board members who lived in the area.

When we told Sally Jo’s parents that we would be moving to Texas, Sally Jo’s dad, a Realtor himself, recommended another real estate agent to handle the sale of our house – and suggested that we listen to the price recommendation of the real estate agent – the agent worked on commission and therefore wanted both the sale of the house – and as large a commission as possible.

October 15: our house was inspected and three days after we put the house on the market, we had a buyer.

October 16: I returned to Dallas with the specific of purpose of buying a house. It was a bit of a shock to have Mike and Glen now almost laugh at me when I said we would like to buy a house in the Richardson school district. These men lived in the area and knew how expensive it was. Never-the-less, they recommended a residential real estate agent from the area.

As she took me around the school district, I was convinced that this was where we should live – good schools, convenient to stores, minutes for where the Sky Ranch office would be, and an easy 30 minute drive to down town Dallas. The Realtor and I spent the day looking at houses. Mike and Glen were right. Even the most modest house was expensive. The next day I flew back to Illinois – no progress. The real estate agent agreed to send us the new listings. This was 1975, before fax machines, e-mail, and the ability to check real estate listings on line.

When we received the listings we would look carefully for a house we could afford. Nothing! Time was running out!

November 19: we saw a listing for a four bedroom home with 1 ½ bath rooms and the price had been reduced – again. It would be affordable!! We could easily live with 1 ½ bathrooms!! I called the agent and identified for her the house we had found in the listings. I asked if the reason it had not sold was because it only had 1 ½ bath rooms. She said the information was incorrect: she had been in the home – it had 2 ½ bathrooms and the house was in very good condition.

The next morning I was on a plane to Dallas. The house found in the listing was located a block from the grade school and 3 blocks from the junior high school. As the Realtor had told me over the telephone, the house had 2 ½ baths and was in excellent condition – with two pecan trees in the fence enclosed back yard. My offer was accepted immediately, and we had our house. Had God caused the error in the real estate listing so we could get a good home at an affordable price? How could we know? I do know that when we sold the house seven years later, we cleared $72,000

December 7: Sally Jo and I fly to Dallas for a dinner reception with Sky Ranch people, a second look at the new camp property, a meeting with the Sky Ranch Board of Directors – and so Sally Jo could see our new house and we could sign the necessary documents.

December 28: the moving van came, and with it the reality that our family was moving from the security of the Wheaton area, where Sally Jo and I had both grown up and we had extended family, to Texas, a place we had seldom seen and where we knew only two people. I was leaving my walnut desk in Oak Brook to become the Executive Director of Sky Ranch – a ministry represented only by a large piece of undeveloped land near Van, Texas.

Leaving right after Christmas made the move extra tough. This was a huge step of obedient faith, but God continued to confirm that He had guided our decision, that He was going before. We were living In Partnership With God.

It was not until this week that I realized Sally Jo and I are living demonstrations of what Jesus Christ asked people to do 12 times in the New Testament: “Follow Me” (i.e. Mt 4:10). Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27). I never really thought about the fact that we are sheep of Jesus Christ – we know His voice and we follow Him.

Twice we left family, six times we left friends, a nice home, and financial security – and started completely over again in a different area of ministry, and in each case we went into a very challenging situation!! Georgia for seminary, Assistant Pastor in a city Presbyterian church in Alabama, Pastor of a country Methodist Church in Connecticut, Presbyterian Minister to students at Middle Tennessee State University in Tennessee, Associate Pastor of an independent church in IL, a camp director in Texas and New York. Frankly, we never gave much thought to what we were leaving – we focused on obeying the still small voice within us. We never did physically hear the voice of God, or see handwriting on the wall as did Belshazzar at his feast (Daniel 5:5), or have a fleece turn damp, and then dry, as did Gideon (Judges 6:37).

What triggered my thinking this through? A writing of C. S. Lewis quoted in _Devotional Classics_ edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith. “Christ says give me All. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money or so much of your work: I want you… No half measures are any good.” And I asked myself “is this me?”

And this is our mind-set: we want God to have all of us. We want the peace that passes all understanding, the promise that God will supply all of our needs. For Christmas, 1959, three years before we got married, Sally Jo gave me a Bible (which I still use almost every week when I write these IPWG). In the front she wrote: “To Chuck – Love in Him – Sally Jo Eph 3:14-20 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”.

This is our mind-set just as this had been our parent’s mind-set, their hearts desire. Here is my heritage: When my dad graduated from medical school, he and mom left all as they went to a 400 bed mission hospital in inland China. At the end of their first furlough, in spite of a cholera epidemic, not knowing that soon the Japanese would come and occupy the land, they returned to China, where I was born. Due to the war, our family was fortunate to get out alive. And what did my parents want to do? Return to the foreign mission field! Mom’s father left his successful lumber business in Kansas to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He became their dean and then the VP of finance at Wheaton College. My great Aunt left Germany as a missionary to the West Indies. We have the large wooden trunk into which she packed everything she would be able to take with her.

Both of our parents modeled obedience to the Lord – and encouraged us to do the same. When I was in seminary, still single, I remember walking into my dorm room and finding my dad asleep on my bed. He woke up and soon said to me: “Chuck, I want you to know how proud your mother and I are of you. Never forget that only what you do for Jesus Christ will last”. He and mom often said “the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will”.

As Sally Jo and I have lived our lives, we have experienced the Lord going before us. God has met our specific needs over and over again. God has done for us and through us things that have been beyond what we could possibly imagine – everywhere we have served.

There is great joy of living In Partnership With God.

Family is very important to God. We see this clearly in many passages of scripture including these two:

• “The Lord then said to Noah, Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” Genesis 7:1
• “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the
  land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each
  one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own
  clan.” Leviticus 25:10

As we have lived In Partnership With God, we have believed we should make each move: IL to GA to AL to CT to TN to IL to TX to NY. Our three years in Illinois is the only time in the past 47 years we have lived near any family! For 3 years we had the privilege of having both of our parents, and the families of our three brothers and a sister, within 30 minutes. When we moved to Texas, gone were the gatherings of extended family for birthdays, Christmas, and New Years. Gone were the opportunities for lunch with our parents/grand parents, to have our children play in my parent’s swimming pool, to spend wonderful days at Sally Jo’s family cabin on a small lake in Wisconsin.

Once again we were…alone – a couple day’s drive from any family member. And we were there because we had no real choice. Yes, from a human perspective, we could have enjoyed staying near family and been financially comfortable with me as the CEO of a successful corporation. But we knew that if we did, we would be disobeying God. God said “go”, and so we went – just as all foreign missionaries do. It is tough! We knew God wanted us to go to Texas to build a camp/conference center – and to build a new life. But this type of obedience is painful!

In 201, the total Gieser clan will be together for several days for the third time in 10 years – now there are 53 of us. It helps that, even though we may be very different people, we all like each other. We will enjoy catching up on each other’s lives. We will play together, share many meals, have some very serious conversations, and, undoubtedly, shed tears together. Life is not easy for any of us all of the time. In the end, if history repeats itself, we will all leave with a new understanding, an increased respect, a greater love for each other.

• Remember how Abraham risked the life of his family to save the life of his brother Lot and his family.
• Remember how Paul wrote to Timothy, reminding him of the faith of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice – and that now lived in him.
• Remember how God told Jewish family clans to gather together every 50 years.

If you live near family, I encourage you to make time to share life with each other. If you do not live near all of the members of the family, do your best to visit those some distance away. It is wonderful to know that family is willing to make the effort to come for a visit, to see the context of our daily lives. As my sister-in-law said last summer: “Now I understand”.

And if you know people who do not have family in the area, be they students, particularly foreign students, or people in ministry, or new in the neighborhood or church – or for any number of other reasons – consider welcoming these people into the context of your family. Thankfully everywhere we have moved people within God’s family have done this to us.

Even with rapid communication, being alone is tough! Sharing God’s love with fellow believers who are alone is of great encouragement. Sharing God’s love with those outside of the family of God can be a life-changing experience for them, and for us.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” — I John 4:16

Soon after it was announced I was resigning as Associate Pastor of Christ Church of Oak Brook to become the Executive Director of Sky Ranch, located in east Texas, people learned that Sky Ranch, a summer camp with an 18 year history, presently had land, but no facility, no staff, and very little equipment – not even any horses. I had the responsibility of designing and putting into operation a radically different camp/conference ministry – in five months.

It was in this context that Bernie Cozette asked if I would consider becoming the CEO of his corporation. Bernie and I knew each other well. He was an elder in the church and had been observing my work. I knew that his business was solid and growing. He assured me that if I choose to become the CEO, I could expect to become a millionaire.

Because I was absolutely certain Sally Jo and I knew God had asked me to assume the leadership responsibility of the Sky Ranch ministry, I was able to tell him what we both knew: It was time to move to Texas.

About 20 years later I returned to Christ Church on a Sunday morning. I was warmly welcomed by many friends from years past. I was in the foyer when up walked an elderly man. “Do you remember me? Yes, you are Bernie Cozette. Chuck, do you remember the offer I made to you after you resigned from your position here at the church? Bernie, yes, I remember the offer – but have often wondered if it was a figment of my imagination. Chuck, my request that you become CEO of my corporation was very real. If you would have accepted, today you would be a multi-millionaire. Are you sorry that you didn’t?”

I smiled as I responded: “Bernie, God has worked me hard and used every gift and ability which I have. We have never been hungry and we have always had a roof over our heads. Ours has been a rich life, and no, I am not sorry that I turned down your offer.” As we looked at each other, I could see the tears flowing down Bernie’s cheeks. “Chuck, I am thankful you feel that way. I just had to ask.”

I have often thought back to the offer. I am not sorry for the decision we made, but I have often wondered, had I become the CEO of the corporation, would the Lord have helped me be successful as a corporate CEO, even as He has enabled me to effective in ministry. I doubt it. I do know that Sally Jo and I would not have had the same opportunity to work together that we have enjoyed in Christian camping.

This opportunity to turn from what we know God would have us do for what would likely have been a more comfortable and secure future was very similar to when I had resigned as Pastor of the little Bakerville United Methodist Church. At that time John Kinsey asked “Chuck, how much money would it take to get you to stay.” When I told him that, regardless of the money involved, we would be moving to Murfreesboro, TN, John responded with “I thought that is what you would say, but I had to ask.”

When we serve in vocational Christian ministry we have the opportunity of seeing and of experiencing the hand of the Lord upon us, upon what we do. Those not in vocational Christian ministry also have the opportunity of seeing and of experiencing the hand of the Lord upon them, upon what they do.

God has chosen those in vocational Christian ministry for the work we do, enriching the spiritual lives of His children. God has chosen others to support those in vocational Christian ministry financially, and in other ways. Those in vocational Christian ministry pay a price for what we do – and the believers who work in other vocations “pay a price” for supporting those in vocational Christian ministry. Together we are an incredible team – to serve for the Glory of God. Let us all see this as our privilege. When either does not carry out his responsibility, a ministry or person can be crippled, even destroyed.

Come back to Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Each of us has the opportunity and responsibility to live In Partnership With God.

During my second year at Christ Church, Clayton Bell, pastor of 4,000 member Highland Park Presbyterian Church In Dallas, and the minister for whom I was assistant during my first two years out of seminary, called and asked if I would come develop a camp/conference center for the church. This would have been a great opportunity, a fun challenge, but I had to tell Clayton that I could not come at this time as my responsibility at Christ Church was like Jell-O: all the ingredients were in the bowl, but the Jell-O had not had time to set up.

During my third year at Christ Church the men involved with the church’s family camp came and asked me to look for an previously developed facility, suitable for camps, conferences, and retreats. The senior minister gave his approval. Some time later I located what seemed to be an excellent possibility 3-4 hours away near Muskegon, Michigan. When I talked with the men involved, they suggested that I visit the facility and at least one of them would go along. I called the realtor and told him of our serious interest. He became very quiet. Then he said “I wish I had known – it sold yesterday, and the owner had hoped it would be purchased by Christians.”

Two hours later I received a call from Glen Hinckley, a member of Highland Park Presbyterian Church. He was on the Board of Sky Ranch, and they were in need of a new director. Clayton Bell had suggested me, but told them he did not think I would come as he had contacted me the previous year. Glen went on to tell me that Sky Ranch, a summer-only camp for children/young people, had been in operation for 18 years, and was located just North of Dallas. People were moving in around the camp so it had been sold. A large piece of property had been given to Sky Ranch and plans were underway to develop a year around facility, including a 70-acre lake. Young Life had already agreed to use the facility on several non-summer weekends. With no notice, the past director had turned in his resignation. This was November and the new camp needed to be up and running on June 1. I asked how serious he was, and he assured me “very serious!”

I told him that Sally Jo and I had blocked off the next few days to go to her brother’s farm, thus we could be gone and we would not be missed. The next day we were on a plane headed for Dallas. We were soon learning the ministry plans and reviewing the land development and architectural plans for the lodge and a typical camper/retreat/family cabin. Sally Jo and I could both see problems with the building designs which had been developed by an architect who specialized in plans for country clubs. We said nothing.

The next morning we headed out to the new property, located about 2 hours east of Dallas in Van, Texas. The location was excellent, but it became increasingly evident that the camp board did not have a clear picture of the program or what the total facility should be.

I declined the invitation, and explained we were not comfortable with their vision for the camp/conference/family ministry and facility. The next morning, as we headed for the Dallas airport, I was asked if I would develop a program plan with ideas for a suitable facility. If they agreed with my suggestions, would we seriously consider coming? I said “yes”.

We returned to Chicago and that night we went out to dinner as guests of an older couple from Christ Church. They took us to a restaurant with good food, a German band, and a belly dancer! Crazy. Fun! During the evening we shared with them the events of the week. “What did they think?” They knew us and of our love of camping. We respected their experience and wisdom. After some discussion their recommendation was “go”.

Sally Jo and I had some very serious conversations. We agreed that I should develop an extensive proposal. I was very forthright. We wanted no misunderstanding. When members of the Sky Ranch Board called, we talked a long time!

Bottom Line: we agreed to go, believing that God had directed our path. Proverbs 3:6. “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph.2:10 We experienced God’s peace.

Why was I raised in the United States by well-educated Christian parents, never having known un-treatable disease, hunger, war or persecution – when others are born into Christian families and seem to continually know disease, hunger, war and persecution? Why do I have so much – when the vast majority of His children have so little? This question challenges my theology. Life is not fair!

My response to the inequities of life has been to take what the Lord has given me, to take who I am and accept the challenge of Dwight L. Moody’s words: “The world has yet to see what God can do through a man fully dedicated to him. By God’s grace, I will be that man.” I have worked at living In Partnership With God. This is where my heart has been, where it is.

So what did God have to work with? Certainly not the brightest kid on the block! Certainly not the person with the most charismatic personality – that everyone enjoyed being around. And not a great athlete – a good right guard on the football team, but a person that is no good at basketball, tennis, or baseball. A reasonably good singer, but not a musician. Not a great leader – I was not elected to lead anything. My big mouth and boldness continually got me into minor trouble. My driving habits and dating conduct were not always “above reproach”. Why am I the way I am, given the advantages that have always been a part of my life? I can blame it on Satan, but in reality I know that the decisions I make are my own choice.

I remain before Jesus Christ and others, a very sinful person. James 3 describes me well: “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Ephesians 5 does not describe me well: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” My mouth combined with my lack of patience, gentleness, and self-control have always gotten me into difficult situations – and though I desperately try to change, this combination of my sinful nature still spills out, causing myself and others considerable pain! Where is the evidence of the fruit of the spirit in my life?

So why has God chosen to give me the experiences of His reality, to impact the lives of hundreds of young people, often in measurable ways? I could say it is a mystery, and to some degree it is. To stop here is easy, but may not be the most helpful. I believe the following is also true:

• God knows my heart – and knows that, deep down, I hate my sin. I live frustrated with the fact that I continue to sin in my thinking, in what I say, in what I do. I do work at confessing my specific sins to Him realizing that Jesus Christ died for my sins. I am living proof that Psalm 103 is true: “for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
• God knows my heart – and knows that I really want to please Him – to serve Him however He chooses. To me this includes working at being honest and open, at not being timid when I feel He has a job for me to do, be it seemingly small or large. Sometimes this job seems to be to share the experiences God has given me to encourage others.