A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Monday, July 1,
2019
Brooksyne
in the dining room at Spruce Lake with her camper,
Diane, along with her devoted parents, Ella and
Winslow at the Joni and Friends retreat last week. At
every meal, as a short term missionary, I sat with the
camper and her family in the dining room.
"See,
Feel, And Act"
Message
summary:
All over the world
today Christians,
often unheralded,
are doing likewise
and sharing God's
love in a wide
variety of ways
including spiritual
and medical care.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"He
went to him and
bandaged his
wounds, pouring on
oil and wine"
(Luke 10:34).
I want to
thank those who
upheld me in prayer
as I attended Joni
& Friends Family
Retreat at Spruce
Lake in the Poconos
last week. It was a
week that I will
never forget and
will forever
cherish. I was
paired with Diane,
only two years
younger than me, as
her short
term missionary (STM). STMs
volunteer to serve
families affected by
disability with
Christ-like
encouragement and
friendship.
Family Retreats offer a haven for those with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. Here, families are cared for, encouraged, and rejuvenated in a Christ centered, fully accessible camp environment. The retreat provides worship, teaching, fun, age-appropriate activities and cultivates meaningful connections with families who understand the challenges of life with disability.
Diane is in a wheelchair so I got pretty good at pushing a wheelchair over various terrains. She and her family lives on Long Island, NY. Each camper (those with physical and/or intellectual disabilities) had their own STM and our role was to come alongside the camper and their family. The camper's families and siblings have individualized programs during the same time period.
Family Retreats offer a haven for those with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. Here, families are cared for, encouraged, and rejuvenated in a Christ centered, fully accessible camp environment. The retreat provides worship, teaching, fun, age-appropriate activities and cultivates meaningful connections with families who understand the challenges of life with disability.
Diane is in a wheelchair so I got pretty good at pushing a wheelchair over various terrains. She and her family lives on Long Island, NY. Each camper (those with physical and/or intellectual disabilities) had their own STM and our role was to come alongside the camper and their family. The camper's families and siblings have individualized programs during the same time period.
When
medical issues arose
the parent, or in
some cases nurses,
attended to those
matters. There were
45 families
attending and surely
300 or more present
including the STMs
and other staff
members. Our theme
was "One Way" based
on John 14:6 where
Jesus said, "I am
the Way, the Truth,
and the Life."
Diane
attended Impact 2
Bible classes (ages
29+) each day so I
heard some familiar
Bible stories but
presented in a way
that would reach all
students present.
"The Good Samaritan"
was read from
Scripture, presented
in an animated
format and then
acted out in a skit
by those attending.
As you can see in
the photo, the woman
in the wheelchair
has her eyeglasses
askew because she
played the person
who was robbed and
beaten for dead.
After the priest and
Levite walked past
the Good Samaritan
(dressed in white
linen cloth), she
reached out and
tended her wounds
with hand sanitizer
(substitute for oil
and wine). Several
times we summed up
the Good Samaritan
story by saying, "We
must See, Feel,
and Act"; see
the need, feel
compassion, and then
act upon that
which needs to be
done.
Diane
attended Impact 2
Bible classes (ages
29+) each day so I
heard some familiar
Bible stories but
presented in a way
that would reach all
students present.
"The Good Samaritan"
was read from
Scripture, presented
in an animated
format and then
acted out in a skit
by those attending.
As you can see in
the photo, the woman
in the wheelchair
has her eyeglasses
askew because she
played the person
who was robbed and
beaten for dead.
After the priest and
Levite walked past
the Good Samaritan
(dressed in white
linen cloth), she
reached out and
tended her wounds
with hand sanitizer
(substitute for oil
and wine). Several
times we summed up
the Good Samaritan
story by saying, "We
must See, Feel,
and Act"; see
the need, feel
compassion, and then
act upon that
which needs to be
done.Today's
text comes from the
well-known parable,
"The Good Samaritan"
(Luke 10:25-37). An
expert in the law
knew he should love
his neighbor but
preferred a very
narrow definition of
neighbor. So Jesus
told a parable! A
man had been robbed
and beaten on the
road from Jerusalem
to Jericho. Three
passed by. The
religious priest and
Levite ignored the
man in need although
the text makes it
clear they both saw
him. It was the
Samaritan who
stopped and provided
medical care and met
other needs for the
man. "He went to
him and bandaged
his wounds,
pouring on oil and
wine."
The Samaritans were despised at the time of our Lord. This sure didn't fit the narrative! Jesus asked the expert in the law, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (v.36).
Even the expert in the law had to admit, begrudgingly I believe, that "The one who had mercy on him" (v.37a). It seems in his deep prejudice he was unable to even state, "The Samaritan"!
In using this example Jesus taught that the scope of neighborliness is our encounter with human need regardless of who it is, where it is, or whatever way it comes to our attention. (Our neighbor is not merely the person next door whom we like!)
The Samaritans were despised at the time of our Lord. This sure didn't fit the narrative! Jesus asked the expert in the law, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (v.36).
Even the expert in the law had to admit, begrudgingly I believe, that "The one who had mercy on him" (v.37a). It seems in his deep prejudice he was unable to even state, "The Samaritan"!
In using this example Jesus taught that the scope of neighborliness is our encounter with human need regardless of who it is, where it is, or whatever way it comes to our attention. (Our neighbor is not merely the person next door whom we like!)
Jesus, in
defining the
responsibility of
neighborliness,
ended the discourse
with these words. "Go
and do likewise"
(v.37b).
All over the world today Christians, often unheralded, are doing likewise and sharing God's love in a wide variety of ways including physical and medical care.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
All over the world today Christians, often unheralded, are doing likewise and sharing God's love in a wide variety of ways including physical and medical care.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, in our
responsibility
of
neighborliness,
You call us to
reach not just
our family or
those with
whom we share
space in our
neighborhood.
But You call
us to connect
with the
unlovely, the
lonely, the
outcast, and
those who
besmirch Your
name. We often
shirk our
responsibility
by reasoning
that we don't
have the
giftings,
tools,
training or
resources to
reach outside
our own
neighborhood.
We want to
see, feel, and
act with Your
compassion as
You provide us
with all that
is needed to
express Your
love. We pray
for the desire
and the will
to be vessels
suited for
Your purpose
in the name of
Jesus. Amen.Several
photos from my
Joni and
Friends
Retreat
experience
last week
Rozenar
was my
roommate so we
got to know
each other
well and
became fast
friends. She
served on the
prayer team
who came
alongside
campers, STMs
and families
praying for
every need
that arose.
Rozenar (pron.
Rozena) was
raised in NYC,
and early on
she and her
sister went to
live with her
grandparents
after her
parents
divorced. She
has very warm
remembrances
of her years
with them and
credits them
for her coming
to know
Christ.
On
the left is
the Weber
family so I
had fun
calling the
young camper
Miss Weber.
Her mother
said that her
goal was to
shake the hand
of every
camper before
the week was
over. Often
you would see
her shaking
someone's
hand,
sometimes more
than once, but
always
accompanied by
her beautiful
smile so it
was delightful
to reach for
her
outstretched
hand.
A
family from
Rozenar's
church in
Stroudsburg
brings their
farm animals
(horses and
goats) each
year to camp
so the campers
can pet them.
This pony had
about seven
pink ribbons
in her braided
mane and tail.
A
nature center
is also part
of Spruce Lake
Retreat Center
and the
director is
wonderful with
all the
campers. She
likes to show
them different
animals
including this
red tailed
hawk.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"All About You"
Video
Big
Daddy Weave - This song was
played at one of our STM
morning sessions. It
reminded us all, "It's not
about me", but rather our
service and presence at camp
was all about Christ. And it
truly was!
Finally today:
In response to those who
wanted to hear about my
experience at Joni &
Friends Family Retreat I
want to write a fuller
account of my impressions
and sightings in a separate
writing, with a few photos,
either for Tuesday or
Wednesday's Daily
Encouragement. If you don't
have time to read it let me
just sum it up like this:
from the time I arrived even
before the campers arrived
the next day, love and
acceptance filled the air.
After the campers arrived it
truly was a haven for those
whose lives don't fit into
the mainstream of society 51
weeks of the year. I can't
wait for next year!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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