Cook's Short Order Update - 2012-10-24

What a super weekend. 14 teens and young adults converged at Camp David of the Ozarks to be challenged to identify the "One Thing" that is holding them back from moving forward for God. Through group Bible Study, small group Bible Study, personal Bible Study, personal solo times, group challenges, worship, prayer, intentional planning, our prayer was for these teens and the full time staff to grow and change. The focus was on changing any thought pattern that does not line up with God's Word and developing a SMART plan for success. God blessed us with a beautiful weekend for this event.

We have a number of churches lined up for November.

11-04 am - Mount Tabor Baptist Church, WV
11-04 pm - pending
11-07 pm - Fellowship Bible Church, WV
11-11 am - Pine Ridge Bible Church, IN
11-11 pm - pending
11-12 am - potential presentation

We are working on a new prayer letter and hope to have it out the first of November. We are also working on updating our prayer card. We hope to have both of these out to your mailbox the first week of November.

We spent Monday afternoon and evening at Pizza Inn in Rolla, MO. More than 25 volunteers served for the benefit of Camp David of the Ozarks, to make guests of Pizza Inn feel welcome, special, and experience God's grace, while also raising funds for new chairs for camp. "Thanks!" to all who gave much time and energy to make this event happen.

If you know of a church/family/home group that would be interested in our ministry to children of prisoners in Missouri, please let us know. We need many faithful prayer warriors to carry on this ministry.

Thank you for being faithful with us.

Bruce, Michelle (my lovely best friend), Bryan (22), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

Cook's Short Order Update 2012-20-08

There is frost on the ground and the wood furnace is pushing warm air through the house. Summer appears to be over. But that does not mean an empty schedule. Far from it, as we hit the road to recruit staff, raise our support, and plan for retreats and next summer.

We will be in West Virginia and Indiana during the first and middle of November. Would you pray that:

1. God will keep us alert on the road

2. Help us see opportunities to share His love

3. God will bring in support quickly
4. God will help us find great young people for next summer

In a couple weeks Camp David is hosting its first October Advance. So often we have events at camp, we get charged, we go home, we resume our routine. The drive for this event is to find one fundamental thing in our lives that is not submitted to God and invite Him in to that area. Pray for us as we plan for this impacting time, October 19-21.

If you know of a church/family/home group that would be interested in our ministry to children of prisoners in Missouri, please let us know. We need many faithful prayer warriors to carry on this ministry.

Thank you for being faithful with us,

Bruce

Staff Ministries Director

Camp David of the Ozarks

573.364.2786

Michelle (my best friend), Bryan (22), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

Cook's Short Order Update - 2012-10-02

God has been faithful to us as I am now driving as a sub for 3 schools. Not a huge help but God knows our need.

We enjoyed a great time serving with our team at Camp David this past weekend. CDO hosted a Prayer Conference retreat. Michelle and Linda, another staff member, did all the cooking with some help from others on the team. We all helped with dishes and just odds and ends stuff (photography, fire tending, supplies to session rooms) to make the weekend work for our group. Kaitie enjoyed a birthday party with Esther, one of the Director's daughters and Seth enjoyed "working" with Timmy, one of the Director's sons. It was a busy/tiring/fun weekend for each of us.

Please pray as we head into another retreat, October Advance, October 19-21. This one is geared to teens and young adults, giving them a place and time to focus on identifying one thing that is preventing them from giving each part of self to God.

Pray for Nate as he looks for direction from God. He is also looking for income, but so far has no leads.

In our last update we gave a wrong address for those who would like to help financially. The correct address is below. If you already sent something to the other address, we will still get it. It's just not as secure as a post office box for ongoing support mail.

Camp David of the Ozarks

PO Box 1607

Rolla, MO 65402

Include a note that the gift is for Bruce Cook support and you will receive a tax deductible receipt for your gift.

Thank you so much for being faithful in supporting us with prayer and financial support all these year

Bruce

Staff Ministries Director

Camp David of the Ozarks

573.364.2786

Michelle (my beautiful best friend), Bryan (22), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

Short Order Update - 2012-09-10

We are so excited to let you know... God has led us to join the team at Camp David of the Ozarks full time! This is the ministry we served with this summer, and after an invitation from the Director, God's approval, the blessing of our commissioning church in WV and our home church here in MO, we are convinced this is where God now wants us to serve.

Praise the Lord for His timing! We will use the next weeks and months to give testimony to what God has done in the past 9 months and more to prepare us to serve at Camp David of the Ozarks.

This is a support-based position, so we ask you to pray that God will quickly provide the monthly support we need to get involved with CDO full time. For now, Bruce will seek part time work as we begin to re-establish contacts who will fill the financial need.

Please pray with us as we want nothing more than to enhance the beautiful ministry that is already taking place at CDO.

If you would like to be involved with us financially, please send your gifts to:

Camp David of the Ozarks

11335 Private Drive 5316

Rolla, MO 65402

Include a note that the gift is for Bruce Cook support and you will receive a tax deduction receipt. We will receive the full gift for our support. None of it will go to the general ministry fund.

Thank you so much for being faithful in supporting us with gifts of prayer and finances all these years,

Bruce

Staff Ministries Director

Camp David of the Ozarks

573.364.2786

Michelle (my lovely best friend), Bryan (22), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

Cook's Short Order Update - Exciting News!!

Genesis 1:30 "'And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food.' It was so." God has created such a beautiful system and in all this, HE upholds it all by the word of His power.

We are so excited to bring you this update!

Bruce got to baptize Seth and Kaitie in the Current River during a church baptism! How cool is that?!?! Check out the pictures and video.

We have started school and it's going well, very well, actually. Maybe, after 13 years we are finally getting it.

The drought this summer proved to be a blessing, at least on our small piece of land at the farm house. We didn't have much time to do yard maintenance all summer. Our last time mowing was the end of May. Then we got the mower and weed eater repaired in time for the remnants of Hurricane Isaac this last week. Green grass once again.

Please pray with us as we wait on God's direction. Sometimes God just says, "Wait." Sometimes He says it in a way that frustrates us, like He doesn't care that we are having to wait. But we know that's not true because God cares about the things that concern us. This is one of those times for us. Please pray that we will grow patient. This seems to be what God is seeking in us.

With much love and appreciation,

Bruce

for Michelle (my lovely best friend), Bryan (21), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

Cook's Short Order Update

Genesis 1:29 Then God said, “I now give you every seed- bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food." I think this verse is so incredible. God could have provided something boring with full nutrition and no flavor that would enable us to live in health. Instead, He provided immense variety and flavor and texture, just because he cares about us!

We are done with summer camp at Camp David of the Ozarks. Once we get an end-of-summer-sneaking-into-fall prayer letter out, we will be more detailed on how God has worked and blessed. Right now we are at Camp David, "watching" the facilities while others are getting a much needed break. Thank you for praying for us through out this summer. It was evident as we ran out of strength and God sustained us that others were before God on our benefit.

Nate is staying home this year, to work, and serve with us at New Harmony Church. Pray for God's leading and provisions as he seeks to obey his Savior.

Home school will be starting in a few weeks, and Bruce is looking at some work opportunities as we seek what God has ahead for us. Pray for our hearts to be open to His directions.

With much love and appreciation,

Bruce

for Michelle (my lovely best friend), Bryan (21), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (10)

2012-06-17

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in His own image. In the image of God He created Him. Male and female He created them."

What an amazing first week of campers. Michelle and I had a difficult time keeping up, not really having a clear picture of the flow of things. But several of the Support Staff are alumni and were graciously helpful and patient with us. Thank you, guys! Nate has depended on God in a new way as the Worship Leader. Caleb is busy between work at Burger King and work at Camp. Kaitie is fitting well on the Support Staff Team and Seth on the Green Team.

Pray for us as we invest in these precious teens day by day. They are quickly finding a permanent home in our hearts.

Friday as the Leadership Team was debriefing the week we heard someone hollering. We looked outside to see a small brush fire growing from a burn pile. In just a few moments the entire staff pulled together and had the blaze under control. God protected us!

Thanks for sticking with us and praying for us. We love you,

Bruce

for Michelle (my lovely best friend), Bryan (21), Nate (20), Caleb (16), Kaitie (13), Seth (9)