How far would you go to save
$20? Would you clip out a coupon? Would you fill out a page of paperwork? Would you spend half your Saturday at a VBS presentation? That’s exactly where I
found myself one day last month. A flyer said I could save 10% off the
curriculum I needed for Summer Camp by attending a Saturday morning
presentation. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
You see, we work on a tight
budget here, and 10% off the $200 curriculum would save us—that’s right—$20. So
I jumped at the opportunity. As the date approached, however, I began to
question my decision. I don’t get very many Saturdays off, and now I had given
up half a day with my family to save the Camp twenty bucks. Was it worth it? As
I prayed about it, I began to sense that the Lord had additional reasons for
sending me to this event. So, on a cold, icy Saturday morning in January, I got
up early and sleepily made my way to the church where the event was being held.
Shortly after I arrived, the
event coordinator asked me if I would be interested in telling everyone a
little bit about South Mountain Christian Camp. This took me by surprise, but I
eagerly accepted the offer. A short time later, I had the opportunity to share
with a room full of children’s ministry leaders from various churches about our
Summer Camp programs. As I told them about the ministry of SMCC, I saw several
of them eagerly scribbling notes and jotting down my contact information.
Afterwards several more approached me asking for more details and expressing a
keen interest in sending their children to our camp this summer.
It was then that I realized
that my sacrifice of half a Saturday was not just about the twenty dollars. If even
one of those churches sends kids to our camp this summer, and just one child
comes to know Jesus as a result, then the half-a-Saturday was time well spent.
Because that’s what SMCC is all about—impacting lives for the
I love it when God tricks me into a blessing. He used the twenty bucks to get my attention, then accomplished so much more than I would have imagined. I'll bet He does the same in your life. Look for the unexpected blessings, and you'll find them. And God's fingerprints will be all over them.
(If you’d like more information about our Summer Camp, visit our website, or
give me a call at 828-245-3322 and I’ll send you some brochures.)
That sounds just like something God would do. He uses you, Steve, and your resourcefulness to bring others to Him. No one does a better job for Jesus than you! God's awesomeness shines through you each and every day. Keep up the good work.
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