CHEA 2012: Camping (May 22-23)

Here are some more photos of our wonderful pre-CHEA camping at Devil's Lake State Park.

Mary and daughter, Moriah. Moriah became a big sister on June 18!! Welcome baby Josiah!!

Josiah's dad, Casey, and big brother, Micah.

Getting ready for a hike!

It was a great hike! We learned the engineering limits of Crocs!

We had awecious weather!

Made it to the bluff.

God's Lake.

At the shore.

Some of our blessings...

It was really wonderful weather. That worked out really nice.

Joel got a kick out of the flatlanders. He is used to much more challenging trails.

Our wonderful evening of fellowship with friends old and new! It was great to just mill around and share what is on your heart with fellow pilgrims.

Just all seeking the Lord's direction for leading our families.

One of these babies is not like the others.

Socializing with the siblings.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Ephesians 5:15-19

We give thanks to God always for you all,

making mention of you in our prayers;

1 Thessalonians 1:2

Revolutionary ideas

"The position, that, if the body of a people are aggrieved they have a right to redress themselves, must be much limited and modified before I can reconcile it to Scripture. I am not fond of despots; but I think if ever there was one upon earth Nebuchadnezzar was a despot. Whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down; Dan. v. 18, 19. Yet Jeremiah declares, that the Lord had given him this despotic power, and had commanded all the nations to serve him. Surely, if you and I had been there (knowing what we know now), we should not have disputed this command, nor have excited the people, however oppressed, to shake off the yoke which God himself had put upon them...."

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"...you and I ...know how much they are to be pitied who are frantic for what they call liberty, and consider not that they are in the most deplorable bondage, the slaves of sin and Satan, and subject to the curse of the law, and the wrath of God. Oh ! for a voice to reach their hearts, that they may know themselves, and seek deliverance from their dreadful thraldom. Satan has many contrivances to amuse them, and to turn their thoughts from their real danger ; and none seem more ensnaring, in the present day, than to engage them in the cry, " Great is the Diana Liberty !" May you and I labour with success to direct them to the one thing which is absolutely needful, and abundantly sufficient. "

These, and other excerpts, taken from a letter by John Newton (author of the famous hymn, Amazing Grace) written in 1793, can be read here.