Last night, we had the privilege of hearing from Pastor Greg Baker in our Midweek Connection. Greg pastors Fellowship Bible Church in Liberty, UT, and some from our group enjoyed the opportunity of visiting his church last summer and serving at an associated Christian camp for a week. Last night, Greg walked us through the history, structure, and messages of Haggai, and then focused his application by encouraging us that in our Christian lives and mission, we are probably "building better than we know." Drawing parallels from Haggai's encouragement to the Israelites, he admonished us to persevere in our labors—to "expect great things from God" and "attempt great things for God" (William Carey). It was an excellent challenge, and you can read his points of application below. You can enjoy more of Greg's Word-centered ministry at his blog, RootedThinking.com.

Dear Church Family,

It's hard to put into words what this week brought. It was the hardest week of the summer for me, but it was definitely exactly what I needed. I'm coming out of the week more in love with my Savior and realizing even more His strength compared to my weakness.

Going into the week, there were just a lot of "life things" that were either disappointments or burdens on my heart. Last weekend I began having trouble with my sinuses and getting sick, which continued throughout the week. I also found out I would be in Junior Boot Camp again, which is a whole lot of fun, but I was disappointed that I would not be in teen camp with our youth group. As I got my campers on Monday afternoon, I soon realized I would be doing a lot of refereeing, trying to keep them from arguing and hurting one another's feelings. In one-on-one time, it became obvious that a few of them weren't saved. I shared the gospel with them and had them explain each part back to me, but at the end they just lacked understanding and wanted to go back and play. On Wednesday morning, I was convicted that I was letting some of these things steal my joy. During cabin devotions that night I apologized to my girls...but they just laughed. I read Isaiah 53 to them, describing what Christ did on the cross for us, but again, they just laughed. On Friday morning, I was so burdened and discouraged in seeing many of them lack any desire for God that I began to question what I was doing wrong. I felt like I was totally failing, and it was then that I was reading in Romans 7 and 8 and the truth of God hit me. 

Romans 7:24-25a, 8:15 - "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord...For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

I may not have been as joyful at the beginning of the week as I should have been, but I am forever grateful that my standing with Christ is not based on my "results" as a camp counselor. Servants weren't allowed to use the word "Abba" in the house, but God made us His children! My God adopted me, and that is a forever thing! If I share God's truth with His love, God is just as pleased with me this week as He would be if every one of my campers got saved, got assurance, and surrendered to preach in the same week (which would be interesting since we're all girls).

Going forward with that in mind, Friday was an awesome day. We had a ton of fun as a cabin and I was able to follow-up with some of them and go back through the gospel. I still didn't see any of my campers get saved, but they went home having heard the truth. Isaiah 55:8-11 has been an encouragement to me - "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." My way would be that my girls would have accepted Christ this week, but God has a plan in mind and promises to use His Word. He is so good to us!

Please pray for my health. Late Friday night one of my eardrums ruptured, and I am much sicker than before. I know that God is using it to show me even more that He is enough, that He will give strength, and that He should be my only desire. I can't wait to be back with our church family!  I have been laboring over our church in prayer this week and was overjoyed to see that our youth group made it home safe and rejoicing. God has been so good to us this past year! May He continue to use this "tragetunity" to bring Him glory.

In Christ,
Brittany Sherrill

Keep praying for Hannah Carroll, Bob Rankin, Hillary Rankin, Brittany Sherrill, Becca Spencer, and Courtney Wydo, all of whom are serving in various ministries abroad this summer. Here's a recent note from Hillary.

Dear Single Focus Friends,

I am excited for the opportunity to serve at Northland Camp for the fourth time. Through much prayer and planning, the Lord has led me to be a part of this summer’s camp staff and help campers take their next spiritual step. While I worked A/V in other summers, I am enjoying my new job as one of the Camp Office Receptionists. I also serve as an assistant to the Music Coordinator. So, I answer the phone and emails and relay messages to the important folk, as well as putting together song books for the musicians and song PowerPoints.

In addition to my responsibilities in the office, I will also be leading a Power Group. These groups are designed for small-group discipleship and study of the summer’s theme passage. The spiritual theme for this camp season is ‘Living Worthy of the Gospel’, based on Philippians 1:27-2:18. My group will be composed of 4 girls who are serving as counselors / op-staff workers, and I have the exciting, but scary opportunity to lead these girls through the passage each week as well as be used in their lives for discipleship and encouragement throughout the summer.

I’m thankful that I am able to minister at a place like Northland Camp. I want to be in full time ministry someday, but I have to make money and there are very few places that pay women for ministry. But, Northland has a program called “Laborer’s Together,” which raises money for the staff expenses (like paychecks). (If you would like to know more about donating to this fund, more information can be accessed online athttp://northlandcamp.org/partnering/laborers-together.)

While your financial support is appreciated, I would really appreciate if you would come along side me in prayer. I am enjoying the learning curve of a new job as well as new opportunities to be used in the lives of others so I am very excited to see what God will do, but I also recognize my need for His work in my life so that I am able to minister as He has asked me to. So, would you please pray with me? Pray for humility, transparency, and the ability to love with Christ’s love – not selfishly, but out of the love that Christ has shown to me so freely. I am thankful for the grace that I have seen in your life through the Single Focus ministry, and I am looking forward to seeing more of God’s grace in mine during these next few months!

~Hillary



And here's Brittany Sherrill's latest update


My cabin this week was great. I had seven girls who all came from totally different backgrounds and all colors of personalities. In one-on-one time, I was able to lead one of my campers to salvation - it was amazing! Hearing her cry out to God for forgiveness and seeing her excitement for the rest of the week brought so much joy. It's neat to see how God can break down barriers between people and bind them together with His kind of love. We had lots of fun with improv acting games and epic rock, paper, scissor tournaments, but most importantly, by the end of the week each girl had gotten right with God and we were eager to get in God's Word together.

In the past few weeks, I have been studying Romans in my devotional time and reading Rand Hummel's book "Gratefully Yours". It has been an awesome study seeing how we've ruined our lives in sin, but God sent Christ so we could live. Seeing the totality of our depravity against God's mercy gives a needed and beloved wake-up call exactly when we need it! I was so nervous coming into the summer, but now I can't imagine spending my summer any other way. God has been so good to me to put me in a place where I am constantly stretched so that I can see my weakness contrasted with His strength.

I have many stories about being a city girl out here in the boonies, but I love it! I even bought my first camouflage purchase this weekend (a coffee mug), but don't worry! It was also pink, so I'm still the same Brittany.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support, it is a joy to be a part of the Colonial family and I can't wait to get back!

~ Brittany

Dear Church Family,

This has been another week of amazing joy. I am continually being exhorted with truth, and its incredible!  It is such a joy to be here, and God has shown He is more powerful than any circumstance or shortcoming over and over again. He alleviates any pressure for me to "change people" and promises that if I spend my summer loving and enjoying Him, becoming more like His Son, and sharing truth, He will take care of the changing. He doesn't need us, but is the highest honor that, as Christians, we can be involved in His work.

I again had seniors and graduated seniors in my cabin, and it was a blast! All were saved and sure they were saved; most of them were even consistent in devotions, so I was able to dig deep and help them with issues that had to do more with growth. God used even this to help me combat my fear of man in helping them to see a blind spot where they may be struggling. They were such a blessing to me, and it was a very joyful, laughter-filled week for us.

There was an incredibly tough situation one of my campers had been through, when someone else's sin radically changed her life. She brought this to me at the beginning of the week, and my heart just broke for her. However, God is good 100% of the time, and does good 100% of the time (Psalm 119:68). I wasn't sure that she was really understanding her need to forgive, allow God to judge, and grow, but on Friday, she gave a testimony that God had helped her to change her thinking. Because she had been forgiven of much, she could forgive of much. She left going home with a joyful heart, having a plan and ready to follow in obedience. Praise God that He can make beauty out of ashes! It's amazing that even situations in our own lives that were the result of our sin or another's sin, when given over to God, have produced an even greater understanding of God's character through seeing His mercy, unconditional love, and sufficiency. Praise God that He can even give ministry opportunities to us through those circumstances — He truly is greater than our sin!

I'm looking forward to another week of camp. There is so much joy in being surrounded with truth, but I can't wait to get back to our mission field in Indianapolis. Please pray that God will continue to make me broken over my sin. It's such a temptation to "get used" to hearing the preaching everyday, but I MUST listen and examine my own heart for God to use me and change me. It is an incredible privilege to be in a place where I am surrounded by truth, but that also makes me responsible for growth. This week, God has shown me even more that He can change lives, and I desire for him to change mine. 

Thank you for praying for me. Having a church family like ours is truly a blessing and I can't wait to be back in August!

Brittany Sherrill

Dear Church Family,

Thank you so much for your prayers. This week I had two CIT (leadership program) campers, so I had girls ranging from 11th grade to graduated seniors. I was quite surprised and intimidated, knowing I am only one year older than some of them.On Monday they asked me if this was my first year counseling, so they knew right off the bat that I was a young'un. However, them knowing I am only one or two steps ahead of them in life allowed me to relate to them in a different way, which was very helpful at time. God used even this "shortcoming" of mine to show me that He is strong.

All of my campers coming in were saved—praise God! I was able to talk to a couple of girls about assurance, and they understood very quickly and were able to get that right. Many of them were also very consistent in devotions, so at first it was difficult to know how to help them. Nevertheless, God gave wisdom in knowing what things to hit on and how to talk to each girl. We talked a lot this week about going deep in time with God rather than just reading a couple of chapters and praying quickly to check it off a list. God enabled me to show them how to search for the character of our God in every verse—it's there! We just have to find it. This provided a great foundation to grow together as a cabin in truly desiring God. I was so encouraged by them, it was such a blessing!

I also had my first "evaluation" this week, which is just a scary word for getting together with my lead counselor and allowing her to show me some areas where I can grow. I am so thankful to have Emily McAllister as my lead counselor—she is so sweet and kind, and approaches us with a very humble spirit. It came out in our talk that I have a problem with fear of man. I hate confronting my campers because I feel like I can point out ten things in my life for every one I see in theirs and am afraid they will like me less. Emily talked to me about this and showed me that this is just another form of pride and selfishness. Focusing on my shortcomings and being worried about what my campers think of me is worshipping the idol of self just as much as stereotypical form of pride. I am so thankful Emily helped me to see this in a clearer way, and she challenged me not to be afraid to confront my campers, especially those in CIT. I was able to make direct application of this lesson the rest of the week, and God is so good to have used it!

One of my campers told me during one-on-one time that she was struggling with guilt from her past rebellion even though she had gotten right with God and man. Because of my own rebellious past, I was able to show her how God enabled me to get past my own guilt and go on to find true joy in Christ. He says in Psalm 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us."  As far as the east is from the west! Our sin and past will control us as long as we allow guilt and shame to consume our thoughts; and really, that is just another form of worshipping self-being so focused on our sin and past that we aren't thankful for or enjoying God's mercy and grace. God's mercy and grace to us are too wonderful for us to miss out on! Its been awesome to see how God has given divine appointments with my campers and has allowed me to use even my own testimony to encourage them. We have a good and great God!  It is an honor to serve Him. In Christ is a life more fulfilling and satisfying than any plans I could have dreamed up.

Thank you again for your prayers and supporting me to be here,

Brittany Sherrill