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Memories Made! |
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Part of our Group of 40 |
April 12th, - 13th, 2019 Hercules Glades Coy Bald Trailhead. Wonderful
weather. High of 65 low of 47 no rain. It was in the forecast so we tailored
what we wanted to do to what was best for all. Click on a picture for a larger
view! Thanks to Rob Batchman, Dan Rockafellow and Mark Jones for all these
pictures.
Zip
file of all these pictures. For some this outing it was
Christian Fellowship. For others it was a campout. For others it was
a outreach program called Better Boy Brotherhood. For some it was Royal
Ranger Ministry. Some it was just what God had in mind for them. Some it
may have been handing out a glass of water. What ever you think it
is...rest assured someone somewhere will call it something different. Why
because we are all different and have different view points. Still
ministry.
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Preach mode on!
Our advisory the devil is prowling around trying to steal, kill and destroy. We
all know that. Yet sometimes we can roll on along and things go Spiritually
wonderful! At other times the devil sends his minions. Just as in Jesus day it
was the religious folks that yelled crucify. Most of the time in my experience
its religious folk that are well meaning that are stilling the joy of your
ministry with lots of good reasons not to do things. I hold on to this scripture
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the
name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. This is the
main reason I do Royal Ranger Ministry of all levels. It's Christ centered. I
believe in it and when making a difference in peoples lives at all walks we can
expect the advisory to come against us. I would not like to be answering to
Jesus one day and HIM asking me why I came against his mission. 40 years
ago I left a cult. They purified us by disfellowshiping and shunning
for celebrating Christmas. So many things I see that are so close to that
and it saddens my heart to see the Church doing things like this. Remain
strong and serve God. He will take care of the advisary. God knows
how to clean folk up. Best let Him by the Holy Spirit do His work.
Trip report!
This event was calendared back in November of 2018. When we fail to plan we plan
to fail. Rangers has taught me so many good practices'. Most of the attending
event folk notified plan on attending a month out. I was surprised to see 55
folk saying they wanted to go YET PRAISE GOD we had 40 backpacking. Hercules
Glades is a wonderful wildlife area and it has some regulations of group size so
we modified our groups to meet those regulations.
Better Boy Brotherhood lead by Joshua King from Stockton Lake brought his group
of 19 men and boys. He told me while on the backpack he had about as many girls
that were wanting to come along. My Royal Ranger ministry is to boys. In my 27
years of Rangers less than 1% of all that attended the various extra events (NON
OFFICIAL) are ladies and girls. Yet they do come with us from time to time. As
Leader Mothers, their daughters sometimes sisters or visiting cousins. The
program I teach is Royal Ranger Ministry but it's flexible and it allows for
them to come and participate right along with the boys.
Our Ozark AOG group went from 14 to 3 as things got busy at the last minute. Yet
with a better than 50 /50 ratio of adults to boys that is much better than two
adults to 14 ratio. It's wonderful to have Christian brothers and sisters that
can come and help out and keep all the loose ends gathered. You folk are a
blessing! One of the worst things for boys is "we can't go because of........,
........ and ........... Those things are always present we just have to make it
work or little to no ministry will be done.
Evangel Temple brought in the next highest group of 9 one group of a dad and his
3 sons at dark. They had been here before so they knew where we were at.
Branson Area had a good turn out. They had come down early and dragged up
firewood secured campsites and called and gave a great report that they were
ready! PRAISE GOD FOR YOU!
With the large group we broke up into 4 camps to abide by the area rules. This
was a challenge but the area had 4 campsites with in 500 feet of each other. We
had a late 45 minute start leaving from Church.
Springfield Traffic slowed us down with the highway work. I deal with that every
day and knew it would slow our departure time down. Other things were a factor
as well but that is part of life.
Our campsite was at the heart of devils den. We gave witness of the Jesus Christ
in that area. Aaron Napier brought his guitar and sang praise songs at both our Council
fire and then morning devotion. I was reminded of my father as he all his adult life
played a guitar and many many many nights around the campfire I would sit as
folk from all around the campgrounds would bring their lawn chairs and family and enjoy the home
grown music that drew folk. YES even then then I heard the gospel preached through
music. Aaron played a few fun campfire songs as well and we all were blessed.
Rob brought forth the council fire service and did an wonderful job of telling
us about God for His Name Sake and used a apple phone box to share the gospel.
We were blessed. After the groups dispersed they went back to fixing their late
night meal at about 9:15 or so. Our late start had many of us trying to cook
dinner at council fire time and I was very thankful folk agreed that eating was
not as important as inviting the Spirit of God to move on us at Council fire. I
don't think anyone starved. Yet we were blessed.
At our main council fire camp the Branson and Ozark folk shared testimonies of
what God had done for them. Dave Yonke testified of Christ's light shine and shared the
victories that he and his family had experienced this past 2 years with his
wife's 0% chance of survival. YET we know a God who Can! The last report is God
is taking what man has said can't happen and pouring LIFE into that. NO matter
what we as Christians WIN! Even if! We will serve our LORD AND KING JESUS! God
is doing a miracle in Karen's body. Wow! Tears well up. God has used this life
changing even to change even more lives. God has developed in me a prayer life
something that daily lifts folks up. Sure I prayed before but not like this. I
am thankful.
Saturday morning with the rain forecasted to start at noon we elected to change
our trip plans and shorten or modify our day hikes.
After morning devotion 3 groups went up Long Creek for their day hikes this is a
very pretty stretch of creek!. Our Ozark group
hauled our backpacking gear to the top of Coy Bald Trailhead and then put on day
packs and we went down Coy Bald trail and then bushwhacked about 1/4 mile down
to long creek. I love it when these folks start realizing that getting lost in the
woods can be a factor. They have a tendency to question and then by faith learn trust.
All are called to be Servants. Not
everyone is a Leader. Choose your leaders wisely if you follow them off trail or
into the woods!
We kept going and hiking to the Falls. We met the Branson Folk there and ate
lunch. Then we all hiked back down creek together and enjoyed the fellowship and
the beauty of creek walking. Love these times with folk. As we walk these steps
that are twisted, blocked, under water, up, down and over and sometimes under
it's a challenge and we grow from it. Holding back a BRIAR that draws blood or
watching some one slip and catch themselves. It's growth and it's tough and it
brings life long friends of all walks of life. Camping and hiking and
backpacking are "Living the Adventure" we talk about it in our classrooms but it
only really happens when we go and do.
Thanks to all of you for serving. Giving our your time and your comfort to come
outside and build up these young and ole timers. (that's me) Yet I can still
hike with the best of them at age 60. With over 600 events in the past 28 years.
God has truly blessed us. Keep up the good work! We are blessed in our
Area to have beautiful places to load up and take our folk outside. Take
advantage of it. Sitting at home pushing the buttons on a remote control
is a whole lot less than "Living the Adventure"! Come Glorify God and
"Live the Adventure" with us!
Mark Jones
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