2010-12-27

Cook's Short Order Update

The steam from my hot chocolate (not a fan of coffee) is dissipating but the memories from the past year are not. We wrapped up almost 6 years of life and friendships at Appalachian Bible College. Our oldest son struck out on his own. We made two long trips in three days between West Virginia and Missouri to move our home. But in the midst of those tough changes God brought in the Whispering Winds Bible Camp family. And in the midst of that God brought more changes.

We hadn't anticipated how quickly we could love complete strangers. Most of the summer staff had enjoyed a long friendship and working relationship with the previous Summer Staff Supervisor. But God graciously allowed us to move into that spot and love them and learn from them. It was the Summer Staff who literally helped us through this first summer. When we weren't sure how things were supposed to be done the Summer Staff graciously pointed us in the right direction. These young people and young adults were, for the most part, very patient and gracious with us. I guess we all had our moments of "arggghhhhh!"

My cup is setting there full and I'm already thinking about the memories that will be created this summer, and how they will be different because we won't be flying with both eyes closed, at least, that's what it seemed like most of the time. This summer we hope to have at least one eye open... But the uncertainty is still there. Who will serve with us? What kind of bumps will we encounter along the road? What will we look like at the other end of the coming summer? We're already making plans and yet it seems like the Summer Staff just left a few days ago. So glad God is in control of this life.

At the same time I'm looking to the direction we want to take our new Outdoor Education Program. We want this to be a ministry that takes people back to God's word as the platform from which to look at God's created universe. Too many people (even fundamental church people) have accepted the lie that science and the Bible cannot agree. And yet they fail to consider that the God who wrote the Bible, and even before He wrote the Bible, designed the laws and principles and concepts that make science possible. Two of the oldest books of the Bible, Genesis and Job, are packed with references to the natural sciences. Pray with us as we seek to take people back to God's Word as the foundation for this program.

My hot chocolate is no longer...hot. But my God is sovereign, faithful, concerned about the smallest details of my life, has planned my future already. "Thank You, God!"

Thank you for praying for us,
Bruce Cook
for Michelle (my best friend), Bryan (20), Nate (18), Caleb (15), Kaitie (11), Seth (8).

Outdoor Education Director
Whispering Winds Bible Camp
A ministry of Bible Impact Ministries

2010-12-14

Cook's Short Order Update


Merry Christmas!

God was/is the first Outdoor Educator. "God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made..." Romans 1:20.

Our "quarterly" prayer letter will be coming to you after the first of the year. You may notice a change. The thermometer on the left side of the back page that shows our support level will show some changes in numbers. First, the top number which indicates our monthly support need has gone up. After our first year we get a "raise" to reflect our growing knowledge and commitment to this ministry. Second, the smaller number has gone down. This is because our actual support has not increased while our monthly support level has been adjusted by the Board of Bible Impact Ministries.

We would like to thank each of you for faithfully praying for God's provision for our needs. We have many of them. We need to be faithful. We need to be godly parents. We need to grow spiritually ourselves in order that we may feed our children and our guests at camp. We need to be sacrificial to His call. We need to feed and clothe our family. We need to support our church and other missionaries. Will you pray that God will meet all these needs, and ask how He would want you to be involved with us?

Current Support level - 35%

Thank you for praying for us,

Bruce Cook
for Michelle (my best friend), Bryan (20), Nate (18), Caleb (15), Kaitie (11), Seth (8).

Outdoor Education Director
Whispering Winds Bible Camp
A ministry of Bible Impact Ministries

2010-12-09

Cook's Short Order Update

We were at Cumberland Bible Church near Douglass, KS on Sunday. Great bunch of God's people, too! Wonderful meals, games, fellowship, lodging. We had such a good time with these people.

On our way home we began counting hawks... because they were everywhere. We ended with 119. The hundredth one was special so we decided whoever saw it first would get something extra for lunch. Just as I finished saying this a hawk flew within 20 feet of our windshield. Kaitie screamed, "Is that a hawk?!" God has such a fun sense of surprising us.

Again on our way home, we came within a few miles of Oklahoma. How can you pass that up? So we bought lunch, detoured, and ate our lunch all the way from Kansas to Oklahoma. Man were we stuffed... ;)

Check the facebook link for pictures.

Current Support level - 35%

Thank you for praying for us,

Bruce Cook
for Michelle (my best friend), Bryan (20), Nate (18), Caleb (15), Kaitie (11), Seth (8).

Outdoor Education Director
Whispering Winds Bible Camp
A ministry of Bible Impact Ministries