Camp Forest Springs Adventure Ministries Staff 2012!

Back (L to R): Laura, Dan, Cassie, Josh T, Asha, Josh S, Rel, Tim, Monica, Reánna

  Front (L to R): Adam, Jesse, Tyler, Clark 

Dan & Laura Jacobson—Adv. Min. Director and wife

From: Rib Lake, WI

· Pray for humble hearts to know and enjoy God more and truly love others.

· Pray for wisdom in using time well

· Pray for the wisdom and ability to take good care of each other.

· Pray for wisdom in leadership.

Cassie Whitstone—Trip Packer

From: Abington, Pennsylvania, Grad. From LTD program and Philadelphia Biblical University

· Pray for competence in my ability to do my job well as food packer.

· Pray that I will use my time wisely—spend time with the Lord and build relationships with other staff

· Pray for future plans—listening and waiting patiently for what the Lord has for me next

· Pray that I keep my eyes on the Lord in all circumstances.

Josh Tschanz—Trip Leader (Paired with Jesse Tschanz)

From:  Taylor, WI

· Pray for patience

· Pray for guidance

· Pray for discernment

Asha Kroeker—Trip Leader (Paired with Tyler Kruse)

From: Woodbury, MN, Attending Univ. of MN

· Pray that I would daily be walking in the truth and freedom of the gospel.

· Pray that I would be overcome with love and joy; being open to the Lord’s direction and teaching.

 

Josh Sturm—Trip Leader (paired with Arielle Messina)

From: Wausau, WI

· Pray that the Lord would be building in me a security in Him and not my performance people-pleasing ways

· Pray that God would give me boldness to live in the gifts He has given me.

· Pray that I would have eyes to see Him working!!

Arielle Messina—Trip Leader (Paired with Josh Sturm)

From: Rialto, CA

· Pray for sensitivity toward others’ needs

· Pray for dependence on others

· Pray for a servant heart

· Pray for spiritual discipline in all the busy-ness

Tim Petersen— Adv. Ministries Associate

From: Rib Lake, WI

· Pray for a good balance of family, church, ministry, etc.

· Pray for a renewed hunger for God’s Word

· Pray for wisdom in raising my 2 children

· Pray for relationships to grow among neighbors

 

Monica Leair—Trip Leader (Paired with Clark Hilty)

From: Oconomowoc, WI, Attending Northwestern College

· Pray that I would be able to serve out of a pure and willing spirit

· Pray for safety of the youth and leaders on these trips

· Pray for the lives of the campers coming through the adventure trips, to experience grace and love from God

· Pray for my patience, obedience, and endurance.

Reánna Baumgarten—Adv. Min. Coordinator

From: Westboro, WI

· Pray that I will be vulnerable, teachable & flexible

· Pray that I will have wisdom & discernment as I help lead the trip staff/food packer

· Pray that God will build relationships with campers and I will be confident to speak His truth

Adam Beasterfield—Specialist

From: Rib Lake, WI

· Pray that I will serve the trip leaders with a more than willing heart

· Pray that I will grow in my knowledge of God and His word.

Jesse Tschanz—Trip Leader (Paired with Josh Tschanz)

From: Blair, WI

· Pray that I would become more like Christ

· Pray that I would be gracious and loving to all my campers this summer

· Pray that the Lord would give me strength in my weaknesses

· Pray for opportunities to speak into the lives of the boys and get to the heart of their issues

Tyler Kruse— Trip Leader (Paired with Asha Kroeker), From: Columbia Falls, MT, attending Crown College

· Pray for deeper healing with things that are unknown to me.

· Pray for a deeper and more committed prayer life

· Pray for being a godly leader

Clark Hilty—Trip Leader (Paired with Monica Leair)

From: Richmond, KY

· Pray that prayer would be a basis for all I do out on these trips this year.

· Pray that I would be bold in my presenting the gospel not only by how I live,  but when God opens a door, to speak into someone’s life.

· Pray that I would listen...and love...and live with Christ and not by myself trying to make things work

"What do you do in the Winter?"

This might be the most common question people ask when we talk about our ministry at Camp Forest Springs. I suppose it is natural for people to imagine camp as a summer thing, and to picture us waiting away the long winter months until the excitement begins again in the spring.

So people are usually surprised to hear that CFS serves more guests in the winter than we do in the summer! In fact, it is quite common to have served over 500 people by the time a weekend comes to an end, and that doesn’t include the school groups that visit during the week.

From churches, to non-profits, to college student groups, to local community members, we see it all here in the winter. Hosting these groups (up to six at once) has become a key part of my job, and I get to see so many great things happen. Here are a few highlights from this fall and winter:

• We hosted 190 men from the Twin Cities who together vowed (some with tears) to lead in their families and workplaces for Christ. Their strong support of each other was a great blessing to observe.

• We were honored to serve almost 200 inner-city youth for a weekend—31 went home as new believers!

• We enjoyed an MK retreat, hosting children of missionaries from almost 20 countries. They endure common challenges though they hail from diverse places. It was great to see them support each other.

• We saw many old friends from Janesville and Eau Claire who visited with their churches. This is always a special privilege.

It has been an honor to partner with many churches, meeting their leaders and serving their needs. I have come to realize how important the local church is, and I am grateful for the chance to be a small part of what God has planned for them when they come.

And yes, amidst the craziness of winter, we do look forward to, and work toward, the summer quickly coming on its heels!

With thankfulness,

Dan & Laura

Treehouse Retreat Group—2012

Escape College Retreat—2012

Winter Family Camp—2012

Dear Friends,

I used to work with farmers, and the fascinating thing about agriculture is that the sowing and the reaping are done by man, but the growing of the seed is out of our hands. For all of our food, we are dependent on a process that we cannot completely control or fully understand.

As I reflect on the first summer of ministry at Camp Forest Springs, I notice many parallels. We build the campfires, drive the buses, train the workers, teach the lessons, paddle hundreds of miles in canoes and engage in thousands of conversations with the people God brings us, but we are helpless when it comes to growing the seeds of faith that we have labored so hard to plant. Sometimes we see great things happening, as in the following camper comments:

I grew closer to Christ. We all grew closer to each other. Many of the people in our group experienced God moving in their lives in some way. We learned to serve like Christ. I learned that depending on others is a good and humbling experience.

Before the trip I had set the goal to use this trip to rest and recharge. I kinda meant physically, but God also used this trip to refill me with himself. I had not realized how much of God I was missing but He used this trip to show me His awesome Glory and make me want to seek after Him with all my heart.

I realized how much I really need to (see) the power of Jesus resurrection and be alive in that and dead to my sin.

Other times we see only a glimmer of hope:

I think I am more open to God

I am less of an atheist

I am starting to read the Bible.

And in the end we realize that we are entirely dependent on God’s work in the hearts of people. As JI Packer puts it in Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God: We must remember that the terms of our calling are that we should be faithful, not that we should be successful…We must learn to rest all our hopes of fruit in evangelism upon the omnipotent grace of God. For God does what man cannot do. God works by His Sprit through His Word in the hearts of sinful men to bring them to repentance and faith.

Would you pray with us for the hundreds of youth and adults that we served this summer? In many cases we have planted, but we must pray that those who need it will find an “Apollos” to water the seed, and for God to produce growth (I Cor. 3:6).

With Love,

Dan & Laura

...What’s next?? The busy retreat season!…

A photo glimpse of summer: