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Most books finish with the words “The End.” By this point, we know the beginning, characters, and plotline. The story then has a way of coming to an end that answers most questions and conflicts within the book. We close the book and return to normal life.
But the Bible is not a normal book. When we close it up, the story does not end. Everything written in the Bible is true and real– its history, details, laws, and promises. The Bible “ends” with an expectation, a hope, of something that is about to happen in real life. Jesus says at the very end of the Book, “I am coming soon.” Jesus Christ WILL return to take His people to be with Him.
The obvious question is when? The world seems to get crazier all the time. And the crazier it gets, the more people think we could be nearing the “end of the world.” Jesus left clues as to when He might return but didn’t give an exact date or even year. And that’s okay.
For those who love Jesus and seek to know Him, His return is something wonderful to anticipate. For those who don’t love Him, that day will have a different meaning. And it’s not good.
Listen to the words of Paul the Apostle in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
How exciting it is to think about the Lord returning for His bride, the Church! And for those who happen to be alive at that moment, they will see Jesus Christ in the sky, calling dead saints to life followed by those believers who are watching.
If you are a follower of Jesus, don’t be afraid of “the end.” He never promised His people wouldn’t have hard times but He did promise to never leave or forsake us. And one day, He will fix all the pain, suffering, and evil in the world. He has a good place for those who love Him and one day will even make a new Heaven and new earth. “Behold, I am making all things new,” says the Lord.
Jesus is coming back for His people. For them, it will not be the end but rather a new beginning– a new chapter in the “book” of eternity. The question is are we ready for His return? This summer at Cedar Lake Camp, campers will learn what it means to be ready to meet Jesus.
Register your child for Day, Resident, or Canoe camp HERE!
It sounded like a warzone during the ice storm in late February. As the rain froze to tree limbs and power lines you could hear them snapping and crashing to the ground all over. In the aftermath, there were limbs, trees, and lines down everywhere. I’ve never seen the camp’s grounds look so bad. We work hard to keep our 90 acres free from limbs and garbage along with maintaining the grass and well-trimmed trees. I dare say the effort pays off, based on the compliments we receive. The beauty of camp is one thing that makes it so special. And that’s exactly why it was so frustrating to see limbs everywhere.
I calculated the cleanup to take at least two solid months, if not longer. That’s two months we didn’t have with all the other summer prep and maintenance projects we have going on.
That’s when a friend sent contact info for the disaster relief team from the local Baptist association. After a quick survey, the leader agreed to rally the troops and help out. With a brush grapple on his tractor, four bucket trucks, and a team of about 25 volunteers they were able to clean up the entire camp in two weeks. What a blessing! After helping us out, the team tarried on to accomplish approximately 60 other jobs around the area. A big thank you to the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief Team and Riverside Baptist Association Disaster Relief Team! And special thanks to the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) at Tennessee Tech University for lending a hand as well.
But the volunteer work didn’t stop there. We currently have three SOWER couples in their RVs staying a few weeks to give Cabin 7 a cosmetic makeover and deep clean the dining hall. (SOWER stands for Servants On Wheels Ever Ready). These are retired folk who travel the U.S. on their own time and dime helping out ministries in need. What a great way to spend retirement!
Cabin 7’s floor is now level (!), and getting a new roof, studs, insulation, sheetrock, flooring and door. Next up…Cabin 8! If you would like to sponsor any one of those items please let us know.
This March saw a record number of kids during spring break! Campers were able to participate in activities such as playing octaball, caving, fishing, and zip-lining. Our gap-year students, Josh and Morgan, did a great job leading campers through the book of Ephesians! In chapter six, Paul uses the analogy of wearing the “armor” of God. On the last day of camp, teams fabricated their own armor from cardboard. Another great week of camp! Thanks to all the staff who helped and thanks to all the parents for trusting us with your kiddos!
Cedar Lake is the perfect spot for a church or ministry retreat. With 90 acres of fields and water, there are plenty of opportunities for recreation and meeting space. Bring your group to enjoy games, worship, campfires, and great food!
Our most recent retreat group is a Christian film crew from Kentucky. This ministry makes faith-based short films aimed at reaching the deaf community for Jesus. During their stay, they filmed at a local coffee shop as well as on the camp property. Search for Unashamed Productions on Youtube and you just might see a familiar sight in their latest video (soon to be released).
No matter what the age or ministry focus of your group, we are here to help. We offer assistance with meals as well as recreation. All retreats are tailored to meet the needs of your specific group and pricing is more than reasonable for the quality. If you or someone you know could benefit from hosting a retreat at CLC, give us a call at 931-823-5656!
Construction-ready plans are well underway for the upcoming gymnasium and swimming pool! Once they are fire marshal-approved we can begin building. The first item of business will be to run utilities then on to site work and plumbing. Some of those services have already been put to bid using the preliminary plans.
Constructing a building this size comes with a huge price tag. For example, the plans alone will cost approximately $75,000. Getting electricity to the site is $11,000. For those of you in the industry, you know how it adds up in a hurry. We are committed a debt-free build so we need your help!
If you would like to donate towards this effort please give us a call. Gifts of cash, stock, IRA rollovers, annuities, and even used vehicles, jewelry, and old coins are all welcome. And please pray with us as we collect funds and walk through this process of constructing a new recreational facility for our campers and retreat guests.
Items Needed:
Approximate Total: Amazon $287
Approximate Total: New England Camp Discounter $80
Approximate Total: Miscellaneous $292
Praise for full summer staff!
Pray for summer prep: pool and cabin 7
Praise for the Disaster Relief Team and SOWERs
Pray for construction-ready plans for the gym and pool
Praise for a great spring camp
Pray for lots of kiddos to register for camp