A Shout-Out to Our Donors - by Sue Hatfield

       

We are gearing up for the summer camp season. It is just around the corner!  We are so excited to see what the Lord will do. 

     Summer at URCC is so intense.  It is basically a nonstop 3 month stint.  Besides the camp weeks that we offer for teens, juniors, and tweens, we will travel to a different church each Sunday with our college-age, summer team of champions to present the Gospel through music, drama, testimonies, and the preached Word of God.  There are several youth rallies planned and also a one-day Hispanic Camp that we will host on the camp property.  In between all of that we, as the Staff, will pour into these summer interns through many different classes and activities.  The interns leave with 80 hours of Bible and Christian living classes so they can return to their many different college campuses equipped and ready to give an answer to any man that asks them of the hope that is in them. (I Peter 3:15)

     This is such an intense time of ministry!  But it is so exciting to see these young champions get on fire for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  That’s why Neal and I love it so much.  That’s why we do what we do! And we couldn't do it without our donors! So, to all of you who give to URCC, THANK YOU for your faithful support to Uplands Reach whether it is through the general fund, by supporting the partnerships, or sending campers to camp!  Thank you for helping us reach this generation for Christ!

Looking for God's "Little" Gifts - by Susan Hatfield

When I see that first blossom or bud after a long, dreary, cold winter, I get so excited! It’s like getting a gift!  It tells me that spring is in on the way. It reminds me that there is hope, and the Lord is in control of everything.  It is so refreshing to know that He has a plan and He wants to give us good things.  Matthew 7:11 says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things unto those who ask Him?" What an encouraging verse.

I am reminded that I need to look around at the little “gifts” that God has given me each and every day, know that He is in control, and relax in Him and enjoy His creation. He can take care of the little things and the big ones!

Some pictures of our beautiful blooms at Uplands Reach:

Life's Interruptions. By Sue Hatfield

Life is constantly sending us situations we don't expect

Sometimes, life just sends us curveballs. We think we have our schedule all planned out and then, out of the blue, it’s all off-kilter and nothing like we had planned. The things that change our schedules can be minor to major. Things like moms who fall and break their hip, horses that get cut up on something (who knows what) and need stitches, staples, antibiotics, and major daily care, an unexpected phone call that takes lots of time and emotional energy, or a headache that won’t allow you to get your work done. All of these things can seem like interruptions...and maybe even irritations. But, when we realize that the Lord is in control and He has orchestrated every single moment in our lives, we have to trust Him and know that He has a better plan than we could have ever designed on our own. 

One of my all-time favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” This reminds me that to trust the One who made me and IS making me into His perfect will. I should not only trust Him with the big things in my life but every single little thing that comes my way. My prayer is this: “Lord help me to recognize the ‘interruptions’ as your will for my life – as divine appointments. Help me to handle them with grace and a servant’s heart. Help me to put MY schedule aside and pick up YOUR schedule today! I love you, Lord, and I know that You love me! You are AWESOME!”

A Weekend Spent with World Changers - by Sue Hatfield

World changers - that’s who we spent the weekend with! This happens to be a group of college students from Mount Vernon Baptist Church. (The best church EVER! Especially since it is our home church!) We were able to share with them this past weekend during a retreat in Roan Mountain, Tennessee.   It was so awesome and refreshing to watch these young people allow the Lord to work in their hearts and yield to His Spirit.  At one point in the retreat every single student was either on their knees or prostrate on the floor making sure their hearts were pure and seeking His will for their lives.  I believe this is the only way we will see our nation come back to Christ – through young people.  They are so tender to what He is calling them to do and so willing to do it – no matter what!  What a privilege to be able to share with these young people this past weekend and with so many others throughout the year.  Neal and I are so blessed!