Lessons Learned

I am getting ready for my appointment at the Camelback SDA Church in Phoenix, Arizona.  I will be making a presentation and preaching for the morning service.  My sermon title is, “No Mas!”  This week has been a sobering week on many levels.  I have seen some serious miracles taking place to open doors that appear to provide for needs in specific schools.  One week ago we were facing daunting personnel challenges in pockets of this conference.  This week they seem to be clearing up.  God is good.

On the other hand I have also seen how situations can spiral out of control when they do have divine approval.  It is easy to make choices that seem right but that can quickly turn if they have not been prayerful decisions.  These are lessons learned in the school of hard knocks.  I doubt God would have designed it that way—those are situations of our own devising.  But the enemy never sleeps.  Thank fully God never sleeps either!

I woke up this morning and realized that I have thousands of dollars to raise in the next few weeks.  I am not a fund-raiser by any means, but I will have to step outside my comfort zone and do the ask.  “Ask and it shall be given,” are words of Jesus.  Our schools need money.  I will become a Tax Credit proponent any chance I get.  There are resources available and we fail to take advantage of the opportunity.  I will be making a short presentation on the concept to the Camelback Church this morning (by pastor’s request).

The second focus of my fund-raising efforts is a Youth Extreme Makeover Campmeeting project in Prescott.  For some odd reason I volunteered to find the money ($8000) for this annual community service project for young people from across the state who come to the Camp Yavapines Campmeeting.  They choose a project in partnership with the city and then tackle it during the five days of campmeeting in early June…early June!  Well, anyway I am putting out an e-mail today.  If you want to donate to this worthy project, send your tax-deductible donation to:  Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (c/o Ruben Escalante), P. O. Box 12340, Scottsdale, AZ 85267-2340.  In your memo, note Youth Yavapines Service Project.  Thank you beforehand for your generosity.

Well, I gotta run!  Have a great Sabbath. (231.1)