Lifestyle Adjustments and Loving It

One of the things I thought about the most before moving to Ponderosa was our living arrangements. Due to an increase in full-time staff over the last year, Ponderosa's staff now outnumbers the available housing on camp property. This is a blessing from the Lord! Many hands will increase the availability of our staff being able to go and serve and continue the spread of the Gospel through this ministry. Don't get me wrong, this is a great dilemma to have! Our family of five moved in to the nurse's station or infirmary area. This consists of two rooms and a bathroom. There are two additional smaller rooms that make up the nurse's part where medicine is stored and administered during camp as well as a cot for sick campers. Caleb and Braeden share the room in the middle and have their bunk beds, a shelf unit, and a small refrigerator & microwave that I had when I was in college. Chris, Ella, and I share the other room that has our bed, Ella's pack & play, a chest of drawers, and a stand with a TV on it. Once summer camp is over, the nurse's portion of it will become extra storage for some toys, a sitting area, and possible study space for when school starts. Needless to say, I was a little worried about being in such close proximity with a family of 5, but I have come to realize that we have just what we need. Once again, God has shown us that He will provide just what we need. He has. I never thought it would be so cozy, comfortable, and fun to have everyone close together. I am loving it! Ella has become a heavier sleeper, even with us going in and out during nap times. Braeden is a hard sleeper, so no worries about walking through their "room" to get to ours and Caleb seems to be fine as well. They have even learned to sleep past 6 am!!! Camp life is very tiring, so sleep has come much easier for them in the early morning. Once again, I am blown away by God's perfect plan for our family and His provision for our lives. It is amazing how it is always just what you need, in just the right time.... We will continue to pray for the funding to build additional staff homes so we can move in to a home with a little more room (and a kitchen)! But until that time, we are very thankful to be serving God through Ponderosa Bible Camp and Ponderosa Student Ministries.

Welcome Home!

Saturday morning began early for our family as we prepared to move to Ponderosa Bible Camp. Rising at 5:15 in the morning is not out of the norm for me, but this day brought with it an anticipation and excitement that I can't put into words. Of course, Chris and I had stayed up way too late working on finishing touches of packing and trying to straighten and clean a bit so as not to leave the house in complete disarray. Chris had to make an early morning run to his business partner's house, so I showered and got ready. As I finished a few things up, I heard a scream come from downstairs. "Woo Hoo....Today is the day...Wake-up Braeden, it's finally here," were the shouts I heard from the boys' bedroom. I walked down to see Caleb with a gigantic grin on his face trying to wake Braeden so he could share in the excitement that the day had finally arrived! They slept in their clothes, due to the late night we'd had the night before, so teeth were brushed, hair was brushed, and shoes were on in record time. Bouncing around the house, it was hard to explain that we had to wait about 45 minutes before the Stone Family would arrive to help us pack the last few things. They helped me take a few things out and shove them into our already very full van. Then GiGi arrived in a surprise visit. She came bearing drinkable yogurts and Go-Gurts for all 3 children. She was a hit!!! They were bouncing around on the driveway, eating yogurt, and telling GiGi all about moving today. The Stone Family arrived promptly at 7:00 and we quickly began to load the back of the truck and pack Laura's SUV. What began as 3 vehicles just a few days before had become 2 trucks, 1 enclosed trailer, 1 van and 1 SUV. I am not sure how we would have made it without every inch of space God provided! What a precious home group family we have to ensure we are being obedient to God's calling by helping us move to camp! Very quickly things were loaded, two final walk throughs were made to pick up those last few items, and a wonderful time of prayer in the driveway was had before setting out on the road. The caravan was quite a sight to see. I spent the time on the road talking to sweet friends, praising Jesus for His provisions, and crying (the ugly cry) about this path to full-time missions. It seems as though we have been praying for such a long time about this, yet in reality, this is truly a short period of time in light of eternity. I have dreamed about the day we would pull through the gates at Ponderosa and truly call it home. Every part of the trip felt just right. This peace is only given through a trust in our Lord and Savior and the assurance that we are being obedient to His will for our lives. It was just as I imagined it would be...pulling through the gates, traveling down the gravel road to what has been known as the nurse's station, and backing in to unload was AWESOME! Several of our new neighbors greeted us with hugs of happiness and sweet signs on the doors welcoming us home. There is so much more to say and many stories to tell; however, the words are beginning to jumble. The remainder of the day was somewhat of a blur with unpacking and preparations for camp beginning just after lunch. We are still slowly but strategically organizing (understatement if you know me at all) and ensuring everything has a place in our home, but it will get there in due time. Thank you for your continued prayers for our journey and this ministry. We are very blessed by those who are going with us!

Less Than A Week Away...

So much has happened since I last posted.  At some point, hopefully soon, I will be able to blog about the many spiritual markers in our lives over the last year.  God's timing is so perfect and although we felt the calling and desire to GO last year, He had other plans for us!  This year has brought so many lessons and preparations for what is yet to come.

Now, we are less than a week away!  My resignation has gone through the board of education, Chris has sold his business, and we are packing up the necessities.  The boys have been counting down for months and moving "forever" to the Ponderosa brings a smile to both their faces.

Now, as the day approaches when we will move some necessary furniture and clothes for the summer, things are really gearing up!  We move Saturday and camp begins Sunday.  Our family will be serving together doing whatever is needed.  I can't believe it, the day is almost here.

With all hustle and bustle of packing, we don't want to lose sight of the goal.  Our prayers are for the children, teens, and young adults who will attend Ponderosa this summer.  No matter if they are campers, TEAM Members, SALT Members, Counselors, or full-time staff, our intention is to deliberately share the gospel, serve others, and encourage the development of a stronger, more personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  As we work on the last few details of actually, physically getting to camp, my prayer is that we will keep our hearts, minds, and eyes on the goal...

Thanks for following us on this journey.  I ask for you to pray with us for those attending Ponderosa Bible Camp.  I hope to post more often and will work to share what God has done along this path...

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!
Gina

First Showing

Putting a house on the market with 3 children is quite a task! We placed the For Sale By Owner sign in our yard several weeks ago due to the peer pressure of our home group. It was good to see it up. Chris & I continued to clean out closets, go through boxes in the garage and basement, and have made a huge pile to donate to King's Ranch. Knowing that we must sell our house regardless of when we move to Mentone has motivated us to continue the work. We even packed up Christmas decorations, winter clothes, and other things not needed now and moved them to our future home on Ponderosa's camp property.

We have gotten a few inquiring calls about the house and that is a feat within itself. Finally a call came that someone wanted to see the house. Oh wow, all the packing, sorting, and piling had to cease so the cleaning and straightening could be done. Chris and I worked tirelessly through the afternoon, evening, and on through the next morning. By nonn on Saturday, it smelled wonderful and everything was put away nicely. The realtor showed up with the man and they walked through the house in 12 minutes!!! Wow, all that work for 12 minutes. With 8 houses on their agenda and this was the first time they had been out together, I guess that is typical. Not sure if I can work this much for 12 minutes of walking through, but I guess that is just part of it.

At least the house is clean, King's Ranch will be getting a HUGE donation of various clothes, household items, and such, and our basement is getting cleaned out slowly but surely. There is good in everything and I'm thankful for a nap in a clean home. God's timing is always perfect and it will be in this case too. May the perfect family walk through here and know it is home.

Retreats

Over the last several weeks, we have been able to help out with the teen and elementary retreats.  Each one was a weekend to remember! 

Teens enjoyed gross games, gym games, chapel time, as well as the skyswing and zip line rides over tiki torches in the late evening.  Although the threat of bad weather was all around us, Ponderosa's position in the valley helps everyone stay nice and safe.  The rain came, but the storms spared us from moving into a safe place.  It turned out to be an incredible weekend of worship and reconnection with the One True God! 

Elementary weekend brought many new campers and some wonderful, warm weather to enjoy horseback riding, canoeing, and an interesting kickball game with an obstacle course built in!  Of course, some thought it would be fun to swim in the river.  While it may have been fun, it was definitly COLD!!!  This did not stop the brave souls who wanted to swing from the rope swing and enjoy the warm sunshine.  Chapel time was especially meaningful with a time of commitment and a challenge to share the Gospel with at least one person. 

Each moment we spend there just confirms the calling even more.  This is our mission field.  Those young, precious lives are so impressionable and we are excited about what the future holds!  Thank you Father God for Your calling and Your provisions as we seek to serve You...

Stepping Out of the Boat

It's hard to believe that we are into the middle of March! Spring break is one week away for the school and we are about 11 weeks from school ending...that means summer camp is just around the corner! We spent the month of February as the mission spotlight at Westwood Baptist in Alabaster. Several Sunday evenings were spent talking with home groups and this morning Chris & I talked with all the Adult Bible Study classes. We presented about our journey, discussed the various ministries of Ponderosa, and asked for everyone to prayerfully consider how they can partner with us. It is exciting, encouraging, and exhausting! Excitment about the road ahead, God's timing, and how He will work out all the details. Encouraging to have people pray with us, for us, and to see them get excited about our passion for this ministry. Exhausting as we work full-time jobs, help during weekend retreats, prepare our home to sell, pack in preparation for moving, and long to be at Ponderosa to help prepare for camp! It's a good exhausting, but exhausting none the less. We will continue to send letters, meet with potential partners, and be diligent in asking others to partner with us. We must reach 100% of our support before moving onto the camp property. In all this, we know that God's timing is perfect!

Please pray about your partnership with this ministry and supporting us as we GO...
http://www.ponderosabiblecamp.com/staff/staff.html

Mission Focus

The month of February is an exciting time for us!  Ponderosa Student Ministries is the Mission Focus at our home church, Westwood Baptist in Alabaster.  With such a mission minded church, we are excited about sharing our passion for this ministry with the entire congregation.  Another post was about Ponderosa not just being a camp, but here is a little more information!  This will be shared as the SpotLight Focus throughout the month.  Thanks to Westwood for partnering with us in this journey of faith!

Who are we?

Ponderosa Student Ministries is considered a parachurch organization.  Parachurch organizations are Christian faith-based organizations that work across denominations to engage in social welfare and evangelism.  Ponderosa teaches the Bible as the true and accurate Word of God and the authority for faith and conduct.  Please read our statement of faith if you have any doubts about what we teach.

http://ponderosabiblecamp.com/about/statementoffaith.html

Ponderosa Student Ministries exists to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to students by giving them opportunities to experience God's power, presence and peace; through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We seek to accomplish this by providing camping opportunities, Bible classes, and correspondence lessons that promote the spiritual, moral, social, and educational growth of students.

·         Ponderosa Student Ministries is a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) organization.   Established in 1947 and operating from its current location since 1976.  

·         Ponderosa Student Ministries is a member of Christian Camp and Conference Association.  

·         Ponderosa Student Ministries is a division of Children's Bible Ministries, Inc.,

·         Our National Office is located at the Tuckaleechee Retreat Center in Townsend, TN.

Ponderosa Student Ministries is the parent ministry for the following ministries:

Ponderosa Bible Camp

God has called Ponderosa Bible Camp to be a ministry that clearly and boldly shares the Gospel of Christ to all who attend. Ponderosa Bible Camp offers affordable, week-long overnight camps during the summer, as well as weekend retreats in the spring and fall.  Sessions are available for different age groups, starting with elementary and going through high school.

Ponderosa Bible Camp has a great reputation and has been operating since 1976!  It is an affiliate of Children's Bible Ministries, a non-denominational ministry focused on children and teens.  It is located atop Lookout Mountain in Mentone, AL on the banks of The Little River.

Ponderosa Retreat Center

Bring your Youth Group, Children's Group, Singles, Men's or Women's Group, church board, Sunday School class, Choir, etc.  Conduct workshops, conferences, retreats, or camps.  Have your family reunion or romantic wedding here at this lovely mountain facility.

You can provide your own food and cook for yourself or we can cater your meals and serve you. The food at Ponderosa has a great reputation! Rental groups consistently tell us "this is the best camp food our group has ever had!"

DeKalb County Released Time

Released Time Bible Classes are open to every Public School student in DeKalb County, AL in grades 2nd - 6th. Students with permission of a parent or guardian can be released from school during one PE class each week and go to an off-campus location (usually a church next door) and attend a Bible class.  Released Time Bible Classes are exciting, fun, off-campus Bible classes with age-appropriate Bible lessons for 2nd thru 6th Grade students. These Bible lessons are Christ-centered, true to the Bible and full of encouragement for your child. Students in Grades 2 thru 6 who choose to participate in this program have the potential to earn a free week of summer camp at Ponderosa Bible Camp!  Students will earn points for attendance, bringing their Bible, and returning their completed Released Time homework!  The points add up to a potential scholarship to summer camp!

Mailbox Club 

Ponderosa Student Ministries is pleased to offer free this free discipleship program.  The Mailbox Club is an exciting, through-the-mail, Bible correspondence class with age-appropriate Bible lessons for 1st thru 12th Grade students.  These Bible lessons are Christ-centered, true to the Bible and full of encouragement for your child or teenager.  Students in Grades 1 thru 12 who choose to participate in this program have the potential to earn up to a $50 discount off the price of a week of summer camp at Ponderosa Bible Camp.  

Why We Do It:

Ponderosa Student Ministries exists to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to students by giving them opportunities to experience God's power, presence and peace; through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We seek to accomplish this by providing camp facilities, Bible classes, and correspondence lessons that promote the spiritual, moral, social, and educational condition of students.

Ponderosa Student Ministries is a non-profit ministry impacting students year-round with the Gospel of Christ through these areas of ministry:

Ponderosa Bible Camp 

Ponderosa Public School Ministry

Ponderosa Mailbox Club Ministry

Ponderosa Hospitality Ministry.

How We Can Partner With Them?

The staff members of Ponderosa Student Ministries/Ponderosa Bible Camp

are faith-supported missionaries. 

What is a faith-supported missionary?

Faith-supported missionaries are required to continually help raise funds to help this ministry meet its payroll budget needs.  These needs are communicated to individuals and churches so that others can embrace their vision and support the missionary prayerfully and financially.

God blesses this biblical model of partnership in several ways. In addition to the necessary finances, the missionary receives more effective prayer and a network of ministry partners. Members of a missionary's support team gain God’s blessings for being faithful and engage more fully in a life-changing ministry. 

How We Can Support Ponderosa?

Pray for their needs:
Pray that the Ponderosa staff will:

· Impact the lives of students with the Gospel.

· Faithfully follow and help disciple these students throughout the year.

· Stay encouraged, biblically rooted, and focused on what God has called them to do.

· Raise their portion of the ministry's budget each year so that they can dedicate their time to ministry.

Send Financial Gifts:
As you give, ponder these biblical guidelines:

· “Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.”   Proverbs 3:9-10

· “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”   2 Corinthians 9:7

· Give first...not from what’s left.

· Give joyfully...not grudgingly.

· Give faithfully...hot haphazardly. 

Want to Learn More?

http://www.ponderosastudentministries.com/

or

www.ponderosabiblecamp.com