Chiggers, wasps & briers

Some of you may have seen the yellow disc golf chain baskets on the back part of our property. The Trustees gave our Free Market disc golfers the go-ahead to install a disc golf (Frisbee golf) course on the unused acres at Covenant. Our hope is that we could put all of our land into use for ministry. We want to create such a nice park that hundreds of people will soon walk this land because they love to throw frisbees or walk in the woods, but that eventually we will be able to invite them to meet Jesus because of our hospitality.

So far, there are eight baskets in the ground. One thing we’re discovering is that making wooded areas and overgrown fields ready for disc golf is hard work. We’ve been cutting some trees, moving brush, digging holes, moving dirt, building bridges over ditches and putting together the disc golf baskets. Our baskets were assembled in the garage behind the main office, and the rest of the work has taken place in the woods or through the tall weeds. That’s where I was last weekend.

Picture the scene: We were clearing a path through the woods. A professional tree cutter was cutting the path while I followed and moved the limbs. That’s precisely when I found the yellow jackets. Or, that’s when the yellow jackets found me. Though I was spared multiple stings, at least one large one did find its target. And yes, it really hurt! I sprayed the yellow jackets, and they are no more, but they were pretty mad at me until I killed them.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there because a little later, I got tangled up in a huge brier that ripped at my arm and left me bleeding. I took my limb cutter and clipped that sucker off at the ground, but it had already done its damage. And yes, it really hurt, too.

Despite the setbacks, I kept working, moving logs and limbs and sticks, and we made good progress. When we finished, however, I noticed that I had a bite on my leg. No- two bites! (You know what’s coming don’t you?) Chiggers…and it wasn’t just two bites. There were six on my ankles, two behind my knees, four on my legs and two around my waist. They didn’t hurt, they just itched horribly. By the way, hydrocortisone cream is awesome, but I didn’t buy any until after five days of suffering. In fact, I’m still itching!

After this experience, it would be tempting to say, “I hate getting stung, scratched and bitten. In fact, I never want to go into the woods again!” I might say that except I know that our hard work will eventually result in playing disc golf with a small group friends and meeting other people I can introduce to a new life in Jesus. With that goal in mind, I loaded up with wasp spray, brush killer and Deep Woods Off and headed back this weekend to work some more! I’m keeping my eyes on the final outcome!

This fall, we’re going to be introducing a year-long emphasis called All In. The goal is for all of us to take intentional steps of discipleship so we can be fully engaged as followers of Jesus. Why isn’t every Christian fully engaged? I believe that most of us want to be “all in” but it’s hard, and there are plenty of obstacles in our way. Many of us simply decide that since following Jesus is difficult, we’ll be content to be “part-of-the-way in” Christians. By the way, Jesus called the Laodiceans in Revelation 3 lukewarm. They could also be called “part-of-the-way in” Christians. However, Jesus was (and still is) looking for those who want to pursue him fully, not lukewarm followers.

This next year, I’m going to be challenging you with a provocative question: “What would All In look like for you? If you were to fully dedicate yourself to Jesus, how would your life be different?”

Starting in September, we will be introducing a series of events and congregational emphases to help move all of us closer to being All In in worship, prayer, service and devotion to Jesus Christ. It is going to be a very exciting year! There’s no telling what He might do in your life and in the life of the church! It will not be easy…it will take discipline, courage and faith. We’ll have to keep our eyes on the final outcome! Here we go!

Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”