We just finished an amazing weekend at Briar Ridge. And when we were driving up Thursday Night and Friday Afternoon some of us were definitely questioning it. We had a plan of having over 40 people for the weekend. Amazingly, huge group, it was going to be our biggest weekend so far. But, with winter storms and icy roads our numbers fell off. It was still our biggest weekend to date, but not as many as we had hoped. Even the camp pastor for the weekend had to call and say he couldn’t make it up from the coast. By late Friday evening everyone that was coming finally arrived. And we already had one hunt done, with a couple of bucks recorded.
Friday Night we started out with a devotion and dinner. And almost everyone woke up bright and early Saturday for the next hunt. Temperatures were below freezing and we were blessed with another buck down. We ate breakfast and had our afternoon devotion. Bro. James Hunsucker brought the messages Friday night and Saturday afternoon. And then it was back to the stands. We ended the evening with a buck down and a message from Bro. James Edwards. Sunday morning was our final hunt (with 2 does down) and Bro. Edwards came to do a morning service with us. There were great messages and a wonderful time in the stands this weekend. I know that sounds like a pretty decent weekend but definitely nothing to blog about. But, I guess it’s time to share the most important thing that happened this weekend, because it is what the whole purpose of the ministry is for.
This weekend we had a returning camper from a previous week. He wanted to spend some more time at the camp and we were glad to have him. He is usually kind of quiet but I noticed a change going up on Friday afternoon. He seemed excited to be going and had a million questions about the camp and hunting. We got to camp and he got paired with a mentor who was excited to be spending time with him. Saturday morning, they “Crashed” into the box and although they didn’t see a single deer they spent the entire morning discussing God’s love and salvation. After the afternoon message and back in the stands the boy had more quesrions. What an amazing time those two must have had in the box stand discussing how amazing and forgiving our God is. How much Jesus loves us. How getting saved is the biggest decision of your life. Wow, God is amazing. He came back Saturday after the hunt ready to invite Jesus into his heart. Someone explained the ABC’s of salvation to him and led him into a prayer of asking God in his heart. Excitement filled the air, and I know the angels in Heaven were rejoicing.
And, this is where my blog starts. This weekend a child of God was born into the kingdom. We added a member to the family of God. If you’re a Christian, you should be getting chills. If not, I question your Christianity. We celebrate our earthly births with excitement and joy. We usually have over nine months to tell everyone and anyone that will listen the good news. But, when there is a birth in the kingdom of God, we sometimes aren’t really sure. We have bad attitudes of questioning ‘will it last’, or ‘is it real’. We never ask that at the live birth but at the birth of Love in Christ people seem to be more skeptical. Hopefully, I’m not talking about you. Hopefully, you take God’s love and forgiveness as freely as it is given. But if not, you may need to seek him a bit more this week. This weekend I watched the miracle of Live Birth, a choice to have a Hope and a Future. There were tears in my eyes and a joy in my spirit that is unexplainable. And it’s a joy only Jesus Christ himself can give. Take the time today to think back over if you’ve ever witnessed a miracle? Because this weekend I saw one with my own eyes. I watched a heart black with sin be washed white as snow! I watched hopelessness fade, and security prevail! I saw the Devil lose! I saw Christ’s death and resurrection justified! I saw redemption firsthand! And I hope it gives you joy, and hope, and that feeling of amazement that it gives me. Welcome to the family little guy, you are accepted with open arms!
Love and Prayers,
Briar Ridge
I have been here twice this year and both time have been amazing experiences.git to do thing with my kids that I didn’t get to do with my dad or and adult and love every minute of it . The staff is wonderful, devotion and bible lesson r good and the chance for a kid to learn about god threw hunting and nature was great. If u have a chance to attend do pass it up it could life changing for u or a child
Definitely not an experience to pass up. We have a hope to be all that God wants us to be and encourage others. So glad to have gotten to spend time with you and your children and excited to see what God has in store in the future.
This weekend was a true Spirit filled weekend. Every time I see the Spirit at work, I get a chill down my back. Truly lives are being changed at BRCM. Mine sure has. Thanks again for all ya’ll are doing. God bless BRCM.
So blessed that people are coming together to be a part of God’s work. Words cannot express our thankfulness to God for leading people into this ministry. A special thanks to you for opening your heart to Briar Ridge.