One month down. Eight months to go. Almost over.

 

In September we launched our fifth year of the Trailhead Program at   Forest Springs. Students have been absorbed in trips, training and classes. This journey we are on together still has the feel of an experience that is just beginning, but If there is one thing I have learned in the first four years, it’s that things move fast from here on out. Everyone has his or her goals for the year, and there is no time to lose because Trailhead will be over before we know it.  There are many deep questions to wrestle with, many plans to be made, and many struggles to be shared and processed. Time is of the essence. Please pray that each’s student’s unique needs will be shared, discerned and ministered to this year by God’s grace and with his help. 

 

The big news for Trailhead is a new facility! Forest Springs carried out an extensive remodel of the old house we call “Hillside” and this new space is working nicely for the housing of the Trailhead men and for classroom space, which has been a significant need. Praise God for this exceptional blessing. We never expected or even hoped for something like this.

 

As always, our class is a diverse collection of young people from around the country. This year we only have two students from Wisconsin! In some ways it is surprising that people come from Nebraska, South Carolina, or Mexico to attend Trailhead, but I have come to trust God’s wisdom in these things.  It’s a great honor to be part of His plan for these twelve young people. He loves them greatly and it’s so interesting to begin to piece together what His purpose seems to be for bringing each of them to Forest Springs.

 

At the Jacobson home, we have been living for months now in a state of constant readiness. We expect our daughter to be born any day Lord   willing, and because Mason was so early, we have been in that frame of mind for awhile.  The actual due date (Oct 26^th) is fast approaching now so it really should be soon. Please pray for God’s good timing in this.   

 

Charlie and Mason are good little men. They are growing fast in body and mind. Charlie is a “Cubbie” this year at church, and is doing a great job learning his verses. Mason is a joy, with an exceptionally developed sense of humor for his age. He gets this from his dad I think because it’s a bit twisted at times.

 

Laura is ready for our little girl to come. I am glad my daughter will have Laura for a mom. She will be entering the world a blessed little girl.

 

Thanks you all for your prayers, thoughts, encouragement and support!

Dan, Laura, Charlie & Mason

 

 

Summer 2017

Trip Staff 2017!

 

Friends,

 

It’s hard to explain adventure trip ministry to people.  While many of our friends and family believe in camp ministry, they often seem to scratch their heads at the whole wilderness idea.  When we first decided to join this ministry, I was asked by a friend “What does canoeing down a river have to do with the gospel?” Let me give you a couple of thoughts:

 

Setting: We hear in psalm 19, Romans 1, Job and elsewhere that God shows His nature and power in his creation. He expects us to see this and He expects it to change us. A wilderness adventure puts you in the front row.

 

Community: We really don’t know each other very well! Our communication is rarely face to face, and the face we project is often a false one. The stresses of wilderness life strip away the pretensions and break down the walls. Many youth leaders know that a week-long wilderness trip can create relationships in a youth group that would take years to generate otherwise.

 

Journey: There are so many biblical metaphors about life being a journey. Wilderness journeys expose us to the same fears, questions and challenges that will confront us as we walk with Christ in our journey of life. There are so many parallels that can be recognized and processed together around the campfire. This is true learning and reflecting on these things brings growth.

 

Dependence on God: Last week’s junior high boys fishing trip didn’t go as planned. The boys headed out for the week with high hopes and excitement. After five days of storms, heat and “so-so” fishing, they were ready to be done.  Weary and sun-burned, the boys and their trip leaders returned to camp with a bit of frustration. How encouraging then, to see four of those boys make first time decisions to follow Christ on the trips last evening as they reflected on the Bible teaching from the week.  Praise the Lord that His plans are better than ours!

 

The Jacobsons are doing great, and are pleased to announce that (Lord willing) Charlie and Mason will be getting a sister in October. With thankful hearts, after a good and celebratory finish with the last class in May, we are also eagerly        anticipating a new Trailhead class this fall. Praise the Lord for the past 4 years of the program. Please pray for our 2017 students as they prepare to come for a life-changing year.

 

We are thankful for all of you.

Love,

 

Dan, Laura, Charlie & Mason

 

 

Once again, the “New Year’s” letter from the Jacobsons makes it out in the early Spring!  I wish I could claim that this was a strategic move to avoid the holiday mail rush, but in reality it just didn’t get done. Next year we will plan a Halloween letter and maybe it will arrive on time.

The Trailhead Program is in its fourth year, and as I reflect on the last year of ministry, I realize that there is little that is brand new. We didn’t welcome a new child this year, or kick off a new ministry initiative but that isn’t to say good things aren’t happening.  I have this old song in my head as I write:

 

Hello old friends

There’s really nothing new to say.

The old, old story bears repeating

And the same old truth grows dearer every day

Cause I’ve found something worth believing

And that’s a joy that nothing can take away.

 

Trailhead continues to provide opportunities to help young people understand that our faith is “worth believing.”  In addition to the standard scheduling, teaching and mentoring, I was even able to spend a week at Montana Wilderness School of the Bible in January teaching on the subject of “worldview and apologetics.” Developing and teaching this class was a great journey for me.  My life has been a string of difficult (sometimes scary) questions. It is tremendous to look back and see how many of them have been answered in the person of Christ.  I have no idea if the students were blessed by the class, but I was definitely blessed by the preparations.

 

So we meet again, after all these many years

Did we sow the seeds we're reaping?
Now that the harvest calls us here
It seems that love blooms out of season
And much joy can blossom from many tears

 

Laura is learning and growing as she pours out into things at home and camp. She continues to hold everything together in our house (other than the timing of me writing this letter) and Charlie and Mason are healthy young future-men. It isn’t uncommon at the dinner table for our boys to choose their food based on what will “make me strong.”  They are beginning to enjoy each other’s friendship. Both are happy and proud to be learners.  “Why?” is Mason’s favorite question and is his standard response to pretty much any statement. Charlie is learning his letters and will be writing his name soon. Please pray for us as we raise them.  It will take more than   venison and vegetables to produce the strength they will need in their lives.

 

So old friends you must forget what you had to forgive
And let love be stronger than the feelings
That rage and run beneath the bridge.
Knowing morning follows evening
Makes each new day come as a gift!   Rich Mullins

 

We are thankful for all of you.

May your Spring bring joy and hope with its reminders of life and growth.

Dan, Laura, Charlie & Mason