Message From the Chaplain

Category: Newsletter
By: Greg Middlestetter AHA Chaplain

There was a news item recently about a married couple who were having their 17th child! Can you imagine what their family get-to-gethers might be like? A house full of people, lots of stories being told, a little horsing around and not enough time to visit with everyone as much as they would like. Kind of sounds like Cowboy Camp Meeting!

Several times at our Mt. Adams event, I heard someone say, “I have been planning all year for this week!” Once we finally made it to the grassy meadow below Mt. Adams, it seemed like the week passed by far too quickly! With much reluctance, we all headed back home on Sunday knowing that it would be another year before we would meet like this again.

We all look forward to our annual get-to-gethers. And when we do gather each July, there are lots of stories to be told, pictures to be taken and pictures to be shared. There is even a lot of “horse’n” around that goes on. I was particularly moved when several times I noticed friends joining with friends to have a prayer about some particular concern they were burdened with.

Isn’t that really what Cowboy Camp Meeting is all about? Christian fellowship - being with brothers and sisters in Christ, being with friends who enjoy talking about our Heavenly Hope. Rejoicing together. Crying together. Worshiping and praying with one another. What a wonderful family we belong to!

Whenever Shirley and I are able to take off to the woods and camp with our horses, I find myself thinking, “I wish I could just stay forever in a cabin by a lake or stream and enjoy the beauties of nature away from all the busyness of city living.” Jeremiah had the same thought one day. You’ll find it in chapter 9 and verse 2 of his book. It goes something like this, “Oh, I wish I had a cabin in the wilderness far away from people”.

God has not called us to hide away in the mountains and avoid people. He has called us to go to where the people are and to bring to them the gospel of salvation. We should be asking God how we can minister to our families, to our neighbors and to those we work with. God will open up the opportunities for us if we ask Him to do so. God will lead us to those who are genuinely seeking to know God.

And so over this next year, may we faithfully carry out our responsibilities to our families, our employers and to local churches. Then, next July, as we come together to be refreshed in the beauties of God’s great outdoors and in the fellowship of our AHA family, we will be able to see how God has blessed us and used us to prepare those around us for His soon coming.  

 

Greg Middlestetter
AHA Chaplain

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