Lake, Mississippi Trip

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  – Ephesians 2:10

This verse resonated within our hearts all week.  We lived out Ephesians 2:10 at Sunbelt Christian Youth Ranch. We were being transformed into the likeness of Christ and encouraged by the fact that God prepared a work beforehand.

As we arrived on the first day we learned that Ephesians 2:10 is a verse that all the youth memorize.  We began to wonder what were the works that God prepared for us at Sunbelt?  The week unfolded with more than we could imagine.  John, one of the directors, began the first day by growing us as a team.  We were challenged with multiple low ropes course tasks that focus on teamwork, trust, and communication.  We discovered we were a mountain group!  Which means our thirst to bring glory to Christ drove us together as a team and created a thirst within us to overcome any obstacle.   As the first day ended we were all excited to greet the next day.

John told us that, “We’re going to build an outdoor chapel with a 25 ft cross.” Say what?  The task before us was a large one.  We didn’t know a lot about construction, or 25ft crosses.  All we had was faith, a group full of love, tools, and a bunch of wood.  The team decided to begin with humor and a table saw.  Half of us began to build benches, while the other half began to prep the 25ft cross.  It was hot, it was tough, and it was all for the glory of Christ.   None of us expected to get as far as we did on Monday.  We built and prepped all the benches, and prepared the cross to be lifted the next day.   As the day ended we came together for a meal and a time of sharing.  Exhausted, we fell asleep excited to greet the next day.

We began the morning with a fantastic devotional from Kim that centered on Romans 12.  Each of us was challenged as we thought about how we could grow.  We left the table with a desire to be more for Christ.  Our first task of the day started with a question: What is the safest way to lift a huge 25ft cross into a hole?  The answer was with a tractor.  As the tractor carried the cross out we discussed how Christ had to carry His cross.  When the cross finally was upright and filled with concrete we looked at it with hearts strangely warmed.  A symbol of torture that God turned into a symbol of love, reconciliation, and forgiveness!  The later afternoon we dug holes for the benches, started to measure and set the OC up.  The evening meal was a blast. All the youth from the ranch joined us.  It was a great time of fellowship.  At the end of the night we came together to talk about our day.  We discovered what the good works that we were called to do, and began to plan for the first service for the outdoor chapel.  With plans on our minds we fell asleep awaiting to greet the next day.

Field trip!  It was adventure time with the some of the youth from the ranch.  We went all over Mississippi, including visiting a Family Christian Store.  With a doughnut, fresh coffee and good friends we went to an agricultural museum.  We learned about how Mississippi “grew” as a state, and how the tools of cultivation changed over time.   We drank coca cola from bottles, and got rained on.  Eventually stuck at 1960 replica gas station we got the van and headed back to the ranch.  We got cleaned up and then went to church.  At church we explained who we were and why we were there.  Then we began a discussion about Romans 12.  It was a time of learning.  After church we picked up supplies, and went to the ranch. With God’s grace we solidified the plans for the next day.  We fell asleep ready to greet the next day.

The morning was filled with hard work.  We had a self imposed time limit and needed to get it done.  We made huge progress in the morning, but still had a full plate for the afternoon.  We decided to split the group after lunch.  You see, as the week went on we discovered that God did not only send us to minister to the youth, but to John and his wife Jenny-Lee.  The ladies went inside to cook dinner for everyone and took that task away from Jenny-Lee.  She worked so hard for us, and we knew that it was time to give her rest.  The guys went to go finish the OC.  Then the unthinkable began.  An overcast of clouds that threatened to bring about a downpour was quickly approaching.  We worked fast.  We believed the job would take at least 3-4 hours took 1.5.  When it was finished the rain came.  Relieved we went inside.  The ladies worked hard in the kitchen and cooked everything for a 20 plus group.  Finally we were able to say grace and eat.  The meal was perfect.  After dinner we made our way to the cross.  Once there the service began.  It started with the reading of scripture that continued through the entire service.  Kim and Kourtney took a bucket and began to wash the feet of everyone there.  They modeled Christ washing the feet of the disciples.  Then everyone was handed a piece of paper.  On that paper we all wrote something that was a hurt, hang up, or barrier to God.  We then at our own time took that paper and through it into a raging fire thus releasing it to God.  Zach and Darryl then served everyone communion.  It was a time of remembrance of all that Christ sacrificed for us. We prayed and ended as Christ taught his disciples with the Lord’s Prayer.  The night was a night of celebration that could not but end in celebration!  We then had smores at the fire, fellowship, and encouraged one another.  The night was falling on our stay at Sunbelt and we thanked God for using us.  We feel asleep excited to get back to our friends and families and yet sad to leave behind the friends that we’ve made.  The next day’s greeting would be greeted with mixed emotions.

After a devotional we all said goodbye.  We all laughed, worked, encouraged, prayed for, and loved each other so much through the week.  Our friends and the ranch would embed themselves in our hearts.  God had used us.  Ephesians 2:10 alive!  It was time for us to return committed to find and do the good works God prepared for us back at home.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  – Ephesians 2:10