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

2010-11-30

Cook's Short Order Update

"The person who can best appreciate God is the one who is familiar with the natural world He made." Charlotte Mason

We found a new church family to call home! While it's difficult to move on from Mount Tabor as our home, we're excited about having a new family here in Missouri. New Harmony Church is a place full of opportunities. Bruce, Nate and Caleb have been helping setup and tear down for various functions. That's a big job when several hundred people are involved. Bruce is also helping with Audio/Visual stuff. Michelle will be serving at the Sign-in station, where parents and the church take care of keeping children secure on a weekly basis. Kaitie will help Michelle. Nate is involved in the Youth Worship Team and Caleb is training to help in this opportunity as well. Seth is helping several other boys his age stay just on the edge of "in trouble".

So there you have it. A new church to call home where we can be involved as a family.

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

2010-11-23

Cook's Short Order Update

Country living during hunting season is quite a bit different from the campus of ABC. But after a while you get used to gun shots... from who knows where. :}

Back from a week of backpacking and canoeing (yes, the water was really cold) in South East Missouri with our Wilderness Program Director, Jake. Doing a pre-trip for an off-campus adventure trip this summer. Rained all night one night but God cared for us and we had a good time planning. Such rough work we have to do here.

Nate and Caleb are full swing with a Basketball team in Rolla. Hard work but they are enjoying it.

We will be in Douglass, KS at the church of some of our Summer Staff on December 5th. We are looking forward to this time as well as the chance to catch up with several Summer Staff.

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

2010-11-08

Cook's Short Order Update

Dear Friends,

Caleb turned 15 last Wednesday!!! Can't believe our middle child is... well... growing up so fast. Yikes!

Jake Amidon and I were at Appalachian Bible College last week for their Missions Conference. We'd like to be able to recruit several counselors and other summer staff for Summer 2011. Kaitie got to spend this time with her bestie, Candace, whose parents are on staff at ABC.

We had a great Spring Fall Retreat with 30 kids at camp. Man, it's really a great time to connect with these teens after a few months of summer have passed. Pray for those who interacted with God and His Word this weekend.

Looking ahead to presenting our ministry and needs with a church in about a month where some of our Camp Crew attend. We look forward to seeing them after so many months.


Thank you for praying for us,
Bruce Cook
for Michelle, Bryan, Nate, Caleb, Kaitie, Seth

2010-10-04

Cook's Short Order Update

Dear Friends,

We enjoyed a fast trip to WV, Creation Museum, and home. We got to spend some time with our sending church family, Mount Tabor Baptist Church (you guys are the best!) as well as meet some new friends from Johnston Chapel Baptist Church in Princeton, WV. Thank you John and Jeannie King for the honor. Enjoyed hanging out with ABC family for a day.

The highlight, tho, was not the Creation Museum or church family or ABC, but spending an afternoon and evening with our son Bryan and his friend, Cheri.

Looking ahead to making plans for my first Outdoor Ed class. Stay tuned. Also getting my Small Bore Rifle Instructor training through 4-H this weekend. Very excited about that. Hope to use this in the summer program at Camp as soon as possible.

A new family has joined in supporting us, which takes us up a bit. We are at 38% of our monthly need. Thanks for being involved and...

thank you for praying for us,
Bruce Cook
for Michelle (my best friend), Bryan (20), Nate (18), Caleb (14), Kaitie (11), Seth (8).


Bruce Cook
Outdoor Ministries Coordinator
Whispering Winds Bible Camp
Bible Impact Ministries
St. James, MO
573-265-7445 x103