When asked "What do YOU want to do?" Slick always recalls his "call" to pastoral ministry. But having a career in flying and strategic planning does not invite churches to see one as a "pastor". A mentor couple once told us "if they knew you they’d hire you in a heartbeat, but because the resume on paper lacked any formal pastor-like position, it’s unlikely any church will be interested". Well, our God is the God of the unlikely: our "home church" invited Slick to become a formal part of the pastoral staff the first night he arrived in New Mexico! And so, along with settling into his job at Holloman AFB (training new F16 pilots), Slick begins his duties with the worship team, adult ministries and missions ministry of First Baptist Cloudcroft.

Reflecting on the past month we see the hand of God at several junctures. For example, surrounded by much prayer, our very complicated travels from Japan to the US with three little ones and a dog, all on standby passes, went super smoothly to include a thoughtful man willing to move to a middle seat for the 13 hour flight so Donna could lay the baby down. We also met up with our nanny, Romeena, with no problem in Tokyo’s immense Narita Airport. She has been doing a wonderful job helping with the girls at the Christian girls’ camp, Camp Cedarbrook in upstate NY where Donna is serving at the office manager this summer. Romeena heads off to college in Canada this fall and has agreed to serve at camp for the next three summers as well making Donna’s service there a possibility and consequent reality. Again, the Lord provides J.

As we move forward over the next month, we pray daily about camp as it stands on the brink of great change with most of the senior leadership and board retiring or leaving in the next year or two along with all the politics and struggles that accompany such changes. We pray earnestly camp is empowered to retain its focus to share Jesus Christ with impressionable young women…something it has been doing quite successfully for 50 years! And we also pray for guidance, wisdom and tact (especially tact! J) as Slick delves into the church and a new place of employment – and all you in ministry know, despite his talents and gifting, he will need all the help the Lord will provide! And as we have much to pray for, please feel free to tell us how we might pray for you and yours…we will be spending a lot of time on our knees anyway and would cherish that opportunity to bring your needs before Him as well. Our God is certainly the one who provides!

Our green striped "Peanut" blends with the melons.