At Deerfoot Lodge, there are many people who go over and beyond what is expected of them.

One summer the waterfront director decided that the diving raft needed replacing.  He was right.  He told me that if DL would buy the wood, and a lot would be needed, he would build it.  Day after day, available hour after hour, he screwed the very strong structure together.  After the campers left, staff surrounded the raft and carried it to the beach, to be ready for the next summer.  I think that raft remains in service to this day.

The raft has been used for all 3 instructional periods + flex time.  Lets conservatively say the ladder was used  100 times a day X 56 camper days X 20 years = 112,000 times.  This is more times than Consumer Report tests a product.

Who did it? Does it matter?  How many of us know who built first dining hall, Old Hardwood, prior to 1930, or the new dining hall in 1946, added to in 1966, and in 1981, and in 2003?  Do you know who, using dimensional lumber, built the eight large cabins in the Woodsmen and Pioneer sections, and is now working to replace those cabins with new log cabins?*

Should we feel badly when we are not remembered for what we do?

• “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

• “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

            1 Corinthians 10:31

Yes, a raft and buildings are built for the glory of God, not men.  The raft and buildings are then used for the building of godly young men for the glory of God.

Part of this challenge of building godly young men is to build and equip some of these young men so they can become directors of camps which will build godly young men, and often women – who will build godly young men and women.

Does it really matter who built the raft?  If he did it with the right motive, it would be fun to know who he was, and it would be fun for him to know that the ladder he built has been used 112,000 – for the glory of God.

As the Director of Deerfoot, I know I did not continually ask myself: “am I doing this for the glory of God?”

My focus was on getting to staff meeting at 6:58, on having a constructive 1 on 1 with a Section Chief after staff meeting, on being prepared with a clear After Breakfast Bible, on answering questions in the office, and being available to a staff member who wanted to talk about….I never knew!  And it was always fun to give the strokes test to someone finishing his master’s in canoeing.  To pass, every stroke and the docking of the canoe had to be perfect.

Not continually, but somewhat regularly, I would ask myself: “Am I living my life for the glory of God?”  I still do!

I encourage you to sit back once in a while and ask yourself:  “Am I living my life for the glory of God?”

*Charlie Karner is the cabin builder.  These days he has lots of help!

As the new Director of Deerfoot Lodge, I quickly learned that those on support staff were continually in trouble with someone.  There were 10 single staff who worked in the kitchen and on maintenance.  I think 7 lived, with all their belongings, in a 6 person cabin at the end of the Woodsman section toward the Island.   They were packed in so tightly that they had built a loft.  Imagine the mess.  They called it the rubber room.

Any time they made much noise they were in trouble with the counselors in the next cabin – and with the Woodsman Section Chief…who then complained to me.  Every time they went to the Waldorf, they had to walk by the entire Woodsman section and any conversation between two support staff as they went by a cabin having devotions….not good.  The maintenance staff was “free” after dinner, and the kitchen staff about an hour later.  So what were these young people supposed to do?  They were free to hang out in the staff lounge in Ole Hardwood, but doing what?  Going, without permission, to Speculator/Camp-of-the-Woods was often an actualized temptation!

Paul described the church as a body.  Every person in the church, every part of the body was needed if the church/the body was to be healthy.  Whereas DL is not a church, the principle is the same.  The people on the support staff were being treated as second class citizens. I Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4

Plans were made to build a log cabin just for the support staff.  The idea: sleep upstairs, and down stairs have a lounge area plus ping pong, foosball, a table for board games, a pool table, and a weight lifting area – plus a table under the stairs where someone could write a letter after lights out and a very large table where the staff could gather to have a “Hutch meeting” or a Bible study.  A wood stove would be nice!  The cabin built was 2 story 40 X 40 = 3200 square feet.  It is located on a hill up from the Point trail.   There are 40 gas lights…and no electricity.  The tongue and groove 2” thick yellow pine floor was polyurethaned and our son, Dirk, sanded the entire floor between coats, on his hands and knees.  Boots/shoes stay on front porch.  It is a beautiful building, – the largest built since Founders Lodge.

Eventually the support staff grew to 20 – and there proved to be sufficient floor area for 10 double decker bunks – each staff could store his belongings under 1/2 the bunk and in a 3’ wide open closet with shelf and clothes hanging bar.  Life suddenly changed for those on the support staff.

For the Hutch cabin to be built, money and volunteers were needed – it looked like the impossible dream.  But, if this was what was best for the ministry of DL, the DL Board and I agreed, it would be done.  There was no major fund raising. People, as best I can remember, read about it in the DL Tracks.  The money was given by many – no major donor.

A carefully chosen company cut each log to shape and length.  After the footings were poured, every person involved was a volunteer – except me.  Most of the crew came for 8 days, planning to complete the building, roof and all!  A borrowed forklift unloaded the semi in the parking lot.  As the volunteers arrived, rain also came.  The only way to get the logs to the cabin was to load them by hand onto a two wheel army trailer which was pulled by an old jeep in 4 wheel drive to the cabin location and unloaded in the ever-increasing mud.  The rain stopped, but the mud remained.  John Pinkham and I picked up and transported every log in the Hutch cabin.  There were two nights I was too tired to eat.   When I asked who could put on the metal roof – at least 25’ above the ground. Steve Bolduc a camper dad up for the final weekend, volunteered.  He was an experienced contractor, and would need one helper up on the roof with him.  No one volunteered…so, that left me!  I do not think I have ever been so afraid.  It was lightly snowing – VERY slippery!

When we live In Partnership With God, God may direct us, often through the gentle steady pressure of the Holy Spirit, to take on a seemingly impossible task.  What a privilege to be entrusted by God with “the impossible”.  What peace to know that God has entrusted to us, and to others, the resources to get the job done.  Planning, work, sometimes exhausting and sometimes frightening, is required.   I firmly believe that when we obey God – when we do what is pleasing to Him, the rewards are tremendous for others and for us!  God works through people.  Ask Noah or Moses.

I had the following small paragraph in my latest IPWG until my final draft.  Primarily due to space, I took it out….and this bothers me.  I try to keep each IPWG to 1 page.  I did put it in my Facebook note.

Whereas this is easy for God, it was not easy for me while the Director of Deerfoot Lodge.

Families send in their camper registrations.  Returning campers, and those on the previous summer’s waiting list, have the opportunity to register before the date of open registration.  The early registrations are made as the registrations are received – and when the open registration date passes, all registrations are made in the order received.  Sound easy?  Well it is if the system is consistently applied.   But there was still the temptation when a registration was received from a long term DL family, the governor’s wife, Deerfoot’s NYS camp inspector’s boss, a major donor or a close friend.

I remember making two exceptions in 23 years.  A registration was received from a foreign missionary over a month after it was mailed.  We registered the camper as plane tickets needed to be ordered.  Thankfully there was a cancellation.  And I remember when a camper from NY City had a great time as a Pioneer in Session II.  Near the end of Session III his mom called to ask if her son could return for Session IV?  The session was full.  I could tell the mom was desperate, but it was really hard to hear her.  I asked her to turn down the TV.  She said “Chief, the TV is not on!  That is the noise from outside our apartment window!!!”   I told her to get her son to camp and we would find a bunk for him.

There were sessions when 28 of 30 on the Island were returning campers.  When the Island capacity was increased to 40, the Guides moved out of the dining hall onto the front porch.  As the number of Guides increased, the Voyageurs, who were only in camp for a couple days, ate at a picnic table.  Try telling a family whose son has attended for four summers, and registered in February, that there were no openings for Indians for the entire summer!

So what about scholarship campers?  Should they be registered as their applications arrived, or should they have to wait until adequate contributions were received?   As most scholarship contributions are received after January 1, there would be few scholarship campers.  If there were no scholarship campers, there would be more paying campers. The decision was made to register every camper the same, scholarship or not.

Decisions on staff hiring were made as their applications were received.  I had to sort out what I knew, and earnestly seek the Lord’s guidance, believing that He could direct my thinking.  I remember hiring a counselor who had been kicked out of a secular university for drinking.  I just knew it was the right thing to do, and it proved to be.  I tried never to offer a contract when I was uneasy about the person.  It was tough to say no to a long term camper/previous staff member, particularly when I had no better alternative.  At such moments I had to believe the Lord would provide the right person.  I tried never to turn down a person without telling him why.  How else would he know what to work on?

Campers are invited to be Guides, Deerfoot’s 8 week training program for potential staff members.   Qualification factors are many.  Guides are accepted on the basis of the recommendation of their Counselor, their Section Chief, their four page application, and their interview.   There were times when I knew what I should do, but shuddered to do it!  Try not inviting the son of a staff member or a major donor into the Guide program.  I tried to explain to each camper why they were not invited to be a Guide – sometimes I had to explain to parents.  I remember the mom who called when one twin was accepted, and not the other.  She was sure I had chosen the wrong son!  The son chosen was “too quiet, and not as strong, and…”   What the mom had a hard time understanding was that the “chosen son” seemed serious about growing as God’s man, had a servant’s heart, and fully participated in the DL program.

Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, is an inspiration to me.  He was brought in from the battle ground and refused to spend a night with his wife while his men were in battle.  Uriah did what he believed to be right.  It cost him his life.  II Samuel 11-12

When I live In Partnership With God, I know what I should do in almost every situation.  To be obedient may not be easy!

Columbus Day weekend Sally Jo and I had the privilege of returning to Wheaton, IL where we both grew up and attended Wheaton Academy.  We had been asked to speak to the 650 students and faculty at their Friday morning chapel.  In preparation for this, I called Deerfooter Paul Ferguson.  He is Director of Admissions, Bible teacher, and head basketball coach at the Academy.   Paul had been counselor DL for two summers, missed a summer, and then returned as Guide leader.  He reminded me that in 1995 I had recommended him to Wheaton Academy as teacher and coach.

While a staff member at Deerfoot, Paul asked me to re-baptize him – the only time I have been asked to do this.   Paul was baptized as an infant.  As a young boy he went with his mom to a Billy Graham crusade.  It was there they both accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

At Deerfoot Lodge the significance of the decision he made at the Graham Crusade really hit him. Paul’s DL experience grounded him in his faith, and he came to realize the significance of Christian community.    “Chief, will you please baptize me into the DL fellowship of believers?”  Paul’s baptism was a statement to the DL community, and to the world, that he was fully committing his life to Jesus Christ as Lord.

Also while in Wheaton, businessman Jim Matson, a counselor our first year at Deerfoot (1982), asked if we could spend an hour together.  Because of his camp experience and training, Jim was serving on the Board of Directors of an excellent ministry seeking a new Executive Director.  We stretched the hour, but Jim had much yet to talk about.  Jim also wanted to have another Board Member involved in the discussion.  The only time we all had available was starting at 10:00 PM.  The discussion was rather intense until after midnight.   We talked through the importance of specific qualifications of a potential Executive Director, and the time necessary for the person to be comfortable enough to lead in his new position.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.” Romans 12:2  NLB

Not much has changed at DL in the past 82 years.  The setting is the same.  Buildings have been added as the numbers increased to 160 campers per session – but the purpose and program components have not changed.  The values of the world we live in continually change, but the values of Deerfoot Lodge do not change.   I am confident that if Dad Kunz, Founder and Director for Deerfoot’s first 23 years, spent a week at camp, his heart would be filled with joy and thanksgiving.

Deerfoot Lodge encouraged Paul and Jim to welcome God’s transformation of their lives, and God is using both to encourage young people to welcome God’s transformation in their lives.  The ripple effect of the DL ministry is tremendous.

The Biblical mandate is clear!      The results of living the mandate are also clear!

It was near the end of camp when Dave walked up to me totally frustrated.  He could not get his VW Bug into gear.

“Chief, do you want it?  I have a truck and a motorcycle and just do not need this.”  I had owned two VW Bugs – I like bugs!  “Dave, if you put the key in my hand, you are giving me the VW.”  He dropped the key, and later sent me the title.

I pulled the VW home.  “Dirk, would you like this VW Bug?”   Big grin…”of course!”  That afternoon Ken Siegel came by to check up on us.  Ken was a good friend who worked from the Albany County Highway Department.  He could fix almost anything.  We showed him the VW, told him the problem.  He slid under the VW – I am not sure he even had a wrench.   A few minutes later, out he slid smiling.  “Your VW is fixed!  For Ken, it was a simple clutch adjustment.  We laughed, and Dirk now had a VW bug that did not sound or look very good, but it was fully operational.

Dirk was 14 and had just returned spending several weeks In Kenya.  First he stayed with the Art Davis family, frontier missionaries.   Art was a Deerfooter and he had a son Dirk’s age whom they planned on bringing to DL the following summer.  While with them he helped pour a concrete floor and build a small house. Next he stayed with the John Barnett family who also had a son Dirk’s age.  They took Dirk on a Safari, and they spent several days at Rift Valley Academy, where many missionary kids went to school.  During non-class time, some students had built vehicles of various types.

“Dad, my sisters have sold their horses.  Can I have one side of the barn for my mechanic shop?”  I said we would buy the materials if he would do the work.  Dirk soon brought me his plans and the materials list.  We went over it carefully.

Step 1: Remove the back wall of the stall so the hay storage area could become part of the shop.  Step 2: Pour the concrete floor – something I had never done.  I thought we would hire it done, but Dirk said he had helped pour a floor in Kenya.  We read up on the process and got ready for the cement truck to arrive.  Long story short….the concrete was pretty hard by the time we had the floor reasonably leveled out.  Dirk rode his bike across the freshly poured floor, and his tires barely left a mark!  We learned a lot!!!

Over the next few months he reused all of the materials from the back wall, built a wide sliding door, and fully insulated, wired, and sheet rocked the walls from the stall height up. In came the VW, and the dismantling began.  We had found another VW for parts – $50.  With the DL Executive Committee’s permission, Dirk had access to the Deerfoot’s tools during the school year: torch, tig welder, sand blaster, paint gun, ETC.

When finished, his sister, Jenna, drove it off for college.  Jenna did not have Dirk’s knowledge of the car…and soon realized she would be better off without it.  Dirk now had a driver’s license – and a VW.  Several months later, in a down pour, a curve came up quickly.  The car slid across the road and slowly rolled into a corn field.  Nothing dramatic…but the car was re-shaped. The farmer pulled the car out of the field and Dirk called.  I came with the tow bar and as we pulled the battered VW home neither of us had much to say.  Then…”Dad, this is an example of a bad decision”.  We laughed weakly.  Again he rebuilt the VW…this time it was body work.

When Dirk left for engineering school, he had field experience, experience that also helped him be prepared to be the plant manager for the company that built the cement makers for the building of Hoover Dam.  He was 23.  He quit that job, went to seminary, and soon he and wife Jennifer were missionaries in Bolivia where he bought an old Jeep Cherokee which needed care, but would take them to back country villages.  Dirk calls our barn “his school”.

While a pastor in the Albany suburb of Delmar, He, Jennifer and their 3 sons, with help from men in their church, some with sons, are building a log cabin along the WestCanada River.

Living In Partnership With God may provide opportunities for you to learn or to teach many different skills: from lawn mower repair to construction to computer skills.  The relationships we build through teaching practical skills may open hearts to Jesus and His love, and prepare people for living in today’s world.   DL does this through wilderness camping – and the maintenance of the camp during the summer, and on work weekends.

Thirty years ago, the second year in our new home, my mom and dad came for a visit.  Dad could never sit still, so he taught son Dirk, 11, how to drive our station wagon. They hooked up our small trailer and proceeded to move stones from a stone wall in the back of our property to build a 109’ stone wall across the front of our property.  Inside the fence dad planted daffodil bulbs in clumps from one end to the other.  Dad knew the daffodils would make beautiful flowers in increasing numbers year after year, with very little care. I have planted many more over the years and now I give away about 1,000 daffodils each spring.  People enjoy them – deer do not.

Rich Sylvester and Russ Boronow spent many summers together at Deerfoot Lodge.  Today Rich is the Director of Mont Lawn camp/conference center, and he hired Russ as the Director of Mont Lawn’s conference ministry.  This camp/conference is part of the Bowery Mission in NYC.  Each year 210 children, 95% of whom live in poverty in NYC, come to the camp for two weeks – 840 campers a summer.  Rich has worked hard to change the staff from being almost totally white young people to being over 50% minority.  Almost all of the staff are college students.

Russ has been working with Rich on the camp program for the past four summers, then switched to the conference ministry which has been expanding.

The Bowery Mission has recognized the excellence of the work Rich and Russ have been doing, and has gradually invested funds for the improvement of the facility.  This year the mission is investing about $1,000,000 to build two large lodges – each of which has several bunk rooms with handicapped bathroom facilities.  These rooms open up into a room with a vaulted ceiling where everyone can meet.  A third building will be built in the near future.  They are beautiful.

Rich and Russ have been bugging me to come see the facility development, meet some of their staff, and hear how the lives of some wonderful children and groups from very disadvantaged situations are being impacted.  Recently I drove down for the day, taking with me 275 quality daffodil bulbs that will bloom over a three month period.  Next spring Mont Lawn will be alive with daffodils – that in future years will make more daffodils.  Multiplication…

After walking around the facility for a good hour, we sat down on picnic tables in the new pavilion.  They told me of their love for the kids, the groups, the place.  They are excited, and should be!  We talked about the tough situations they must deal with, yet the joy remains!!!

One of the funny things I learned about was when a hunting store was going out of business; they brought all of their unsold clothing to the mission in NYC.  It was decided that perhaps giving camouflage clothes to street people might just not be a good idea!  “Rich, pick out what you can use, and sell the rest.

The staff went through the “goods” and picked out what they could use.  A staff member took the rest to his hunting club…$20 per item.  Back came several checks made out to the Bowery Mission, and a bundle of cash. I asked Rich if he turned in all of the cash.

He said “of course.  About 20 years ago I went with you to the Speculator Post Office to buy stamps for Deerfoot, and pick up the mail.  You then put your own letter on the counter – and bought a stamp for yourself”.”

Integrity is like daffodils – once it is planted, it has long term results, and it multiplies. Integrity is an integral part of living In Partnership With God.  Exodus 20:15

Like the others who come to pick up campers, Sally Jo and I stood back from the dining hall.  The piano and the guitars played and the campers sang the choruses – the same ones that were sung when I arrived at DL as the new director in 1982.

Unlike the others, I slipped into a location where I could hear Chief Ron encourage the campers – really challenge the campers to live their faith as they go back to their homes and schools.  A clear message powerfully delivered!  “Treat people like you know the Lord Jesus would have you treat people”…then he got specific.

We were in front of the dining hall as the excited campers came out to their waiting families.  Jashton ran up to us; “This was the best year ever – AWESOME!!!!”  Yes, I choked up.  He introduced us to his friend, Evan.  They were campers together the previous summer.  Soon Evan’s parents were with us.  Great fun!  Evan is Valerie Lyle Kent’s grandson….she was the camp nurse for several summers.

Jashton showed us the pictures taken of the two of them – in camp and hiking.  Their counselors introduced themselves.  Evan’s mom, Heather, said we just had to get the boys together this next year.   (On September 28-30 Sally Jo and I will drive to New Jersey to take Jashton to Evan’s home.)

Then Jashton’s mom, Jennifer, arrived.  She and our son, Dirk, had been leading the program for a week of children’s camp at Camp Fowler – eight miles from Deerfoot.   Again we hear and see Jashton’s excitement as he told his mom this was the best summer yet!  Both Dirk and Jennifer have been on the DL staff.

At the Circle of Friendship we sing “Jesus is with me where ever I go”, Chief Ron again encourages the campers to let their lights shine, and Ken Hoffman, facility manager (and so much more) closes in prayer.

The comments I read on camper questionnaires and in grateful parent’s letters came alive!

Jashton is in Middle School. For those of you whose kids who have been through these years, I need say no more.  The students are frequently mean to each other, particularly those who are better at academics then athletics.

Deerfoot Lodge is a breath of fresh air for Jashton.   He can be himself, and almost not worry about what others think.  He meets campers from many different states and countries.  He signs up for instructional areas he enjoys. Jashton struggles to pass his “point and back”, like so many.  (We have already worked on this – he will be ready next summer).  Jashton enjoys the games – he does not need to be great to have fun.  He receives focused attention from his counselors – like every camper does. Few know his dad is the pastor of “his” church, and only a few staff know he is our grandson, for most do not know our last name.  Jashton is free to be Jaston at DL!

The quiet time and the After Breakfast Bible Studies Chief Ron gave probably included few new biblical teachings – Jashton, and his two brothers have been taught the Scriptures at home and at church from a very young age. Jashton has seen the Christian life lived by both sets of grandparents.  He has sung at camp the same choruses and hymns for three years now – he knows them.  And the hymns are sung in “his church”. Deerfoot provides wonderful reinforcement – the same truths coming from different people.

Jashton’s life is different because of Deerfoot Lodge.  And Sally Jo and I experienced the joy and thankfulness so many do.  Jashton is “growing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” – just like Jesus did. Luke 2:52

Praise be to God, and thanks go to Chief Ron, the summer staff, and to the 400+ people who contribute each year for operations, camper and staff scholarships (college is expensive!!!!!!!!!!)  I dare not forget the many who pray for the ministry of Deerfoot Lodge day after day, week after week, year after year.  Yes, many do.  And a special thanks to the19 men on the Deerfoot Lodge Board of Directors.  Three times each year these men come together on Friday night for the Saturday Board of Director’s meeting.  Their commitment of 3 weekends a year is incredible.

All of the above live “In Partnership With God.”  This partnership is huge – and the impact on young lives is huge!

On the middle Sunday night of every session, I would walk out to the Long House for the Island question and answer time.  The Long House is about 30’ long and 14’ wide, made by bending yellow birch saplings into 2/3 of an arch.  The saplings come up from both sides…and are the wired together where they overlap.  Inside it is uniquely beautiful.

The Long House would be lit with a few gas lights and a chair would be waiting, facing the 40 Island campers (ages 14-16), 8 counselors, the section chief and his assistant.  The Long House would be full!  After a few words of greeting, I would be handed a stack of unsigned questions, written by the campers and a few counselors.  Everyone knew I would respond to every question, and they knew I would say, in very straight talk, just what I thought.  I would open my mind and heart to the campers, and I think they greatly appreciated this.  There were many laughs, and there were periods of heavy thinking – You can say things to young men, 14-16, that you will not say to boys 9 years old.  The teenagers hear it all at school, often in very twisted ways.

I would sit down and sort the questions into stacks –  theological, Christian living, friends, girl friend/ wife, sex, Deerfoot, fun stuff like “Chief, how do you grow such long eyebrows?”  The questions gave me a wonderful opportunity, a spring board, to say most anything I felt it important to say.  Typical questions were about creation/evolution, free will vs. predestination, the fairness and the faithfulness of God, God’s guidance, prayer, role of women in the church, use of alcohol, friend in trouble, forgiveness, my devotional pattern, choosing a wife, sex before marriage, masturbation, pornography…you get the idea.  I would always start with theological questions and move to sex. Even after 1 ½ hours of sitting, they never fell asleep with the sex questions.  After giving my perspective, I would often ask the Island staff if they had something to add.

When there were different views on a question, I would do my best to present both views, why there were different views, and then give my view – which was sometimes “I am not sure what I think on this because…”  Every now and then I would be surprised by how a camper would respond to my answer.  I remember the camper who was stunned when I said pre-marital sex was not pleasing to God – his face said “this is news to me”.  Sometimes I could sense that what they were asking about a friend was really for them…to help guide their feelings, their actions.

I made the bad mistake one night of receiving the questions, and without reading them, telling the Islanders what the questions would be.  I could tell the Islanders were really upset by what I did.  Most of us like to think that we are unique, our questions are new – deep down we know they are not.

It was interesting to do Q & A with the staff.  Even though most had been Island campers, and many have been Island staff, their questions were not very different than the camper’s questions.   Staff members would ask more questions, very pointed questions, on my relationship with God, my devotional pattern, God’s guidance, male/female relationships, and in recent years, more about pornography.

The Bible addresses, directly or indirectly, almost every question – nothing is new!!!!  I had memorized verses in the King James Version.  I could not give the references for some, but they knew what I was saying was true to God’s word.  “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13.   “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6   “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  John 14:15   “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  I Corinthians 10:13  The 10 commandments make many things clear.

Living the Christian life is not rocket science.  Our challenge is not in understanding, but doing what we know is right.  Human nature has not changed since creation – and thus the teachings of the Bible have not had to change.

I often said to the campers; do not expect God to guide you in special ways if you do not do what you know God has already asked you to do!   I have to remind myself of this, particularly if I want to live In Partnership With God.