Beauty from the Ashes: Summer Update

"Truly this was a divine appointment to be here...God's presence is here. I came here in pieces but I leave in peace." 

--Angela, who came to last month's Joni and Friends camp with her 24-year old disabled son

"What is my barrenness? It is the platform for His fruit-creating power. What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire of His everlasting love."  

--Charles Spurgeon

A summer that began with confusion, chaos and heartache ended with signs of true redemption and beauty.

The first few weeks of our summer were marked with trauma: a threatened miscarriage of our 12-week-old baby, the Powerhouse wildfire ripping through our town and parts of camp property, and the loss of sweet baby Karis, the foster baby we had cared for and grown to love so much over her first six months of life. In each situation--though the hurt and fears have been paralyzing at times--God's grace has been so evident. Our pregnancy, shaky as it was for a few weeks, has since smoothed out and the complications have ceased (baby boy #3 is expected to arrive early December!). Though the wildfire completely surrounded the camp and destroyed some homes and buildings in our small town, most of the camp property and all of the buildings were untouched. And though losing Karis brought tears, heartache, and confusion that still linger today, God's healing hand has been with us and we are thankful she is in a loving home.

In early June, as the flames were burning way too close to the camp, prayers were going up from all over the world for the ministry at The Oaks. And now the surrounding ash-covered hills that we see every day are a beautiful reminder of His constant protection, mercy, and answers to our earthly cries. Since the fire, Jared and I, along with the rest of the camp staff, have a renewed sense of gratitude for the ministry that goes on here, and a sense that God is at work here in a bigger way than we could ever imagine or try to conjure up ourselves.

Map of the Powerhouse Fire burn area

And He did work in a mighty way this past summer. Just two weeks after the wildfire scare, Royal Family Kids' Camp came up to The Oaks for their annual camp, with almost one hundred L.A.county foster kids. In this video the kids themselves, many who have spent most of their lives bouncing around in foster homes and group homes, share a little bit of how one week at camp has affected their abused and neglected hearts.

A couple of weeks later our summer camp program for inner-city kids was in full swing. Hundreds of kids were impacted by the love they received here and the message they heard. Each child has a unique story and background full of messes and spiritual junk. A child whose dad is in prison. A child whose alcoholic father was killed in a gang shooting. A child who shares a room with her eleven siblings and is forced by her parents to participate in witchcraft when one of them gets sick. A child who shares a bed with five siblings and comes home from school to endless chores and mothering of her sisters and brothers. A child who has lived in a homeless shelter for over a year now. The stories go on and on.

One of our summer staff who grew up in the inner city said that most people think of the inner city as being a place of hopelessness, devastation, and hurt--that's why these areas often get further neglected. But to him its exciting to serve in these parts, because "the more junk that's in a person's life, the more there is for God to redeem!"

What a powerful truth. So many of the kids we serve come from messy homes and messy lives.  We all have a mess of our own to deal with if we're really honest. But, as Charles Spurgeon once said,

"What is my barrenness? It is the platform for His fruit-creating power. What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire of His everlasting love." 

I am reminded of this daily as I hike the surrounding hills that have been through their own personal fiery trials. The land that was once was covered in brush, trees, and grasses and filled with sounds of wildlife is now black, empty wasteland that is eerily silent and still. But if I look closely, signs of vibrant life are present. Out of the ashes rises the hope of new life, a life more beautiful and striking than before. Our prayer is that all who come here would experience this hope of new life and freedom, that only comes from Jesus Christ. 

Poppies poking up from the ashes on the east end of camp property.

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*With another baby coming in a few months, our family's  financial support need will be increasing. Our goal is to keep our support level above 90%, and to do this we need more ministry partners! If you would like to help us by supporting us via an annual or monthly pledge, its easy to do online! Click here to get started.

Micah and Joey showing off their new brother!

at the beach with our "adopted" Leaders in Training

having fun at camp!

our "adopted" daughter, Kalia, swimming in the ocean for the first time

Fourteen high school campers were baptized during high school camp!

pool time!

having fun at camp!

tubing at Pyramid Lake