The Summer Project
By Jan Gordon

I'd like to share with you some of the blessings (and challenges) that have been mine over many of our summers. Our church has a goal to plant churches about every three years on college campuses. This involves sending out preliminary teams to explore and reach out to these campuses, which also means I've had the opportunity to be a part of these summer projects from mid-May until August. My initial, internal response to our summer plans is to feel inconvenienced. The school year is interrupted, our older children who attend public school have to stay back for a few weeks, and there are many things to do, on top of a typical day, in order to get ready. What I've been learning is to be flexible with my schedule and trust the Lord for nice little surprises along the way.

Last year I asked my husband if we could just go to the summer project for five weeks and he agreed. After the five weeks, I really wanted to stay because God was doing so much with our team. This year, instead of discussing the length of time to be gone, I allowed my husband to dream. The result is that we will not only be five weeks in Tallahassee (in a one-bedroom apartment), but also five weeks in Tampa (and live in an off-campus dorm).
To give you a little background, we have 11 children, four are college age, two high school age, and five others ranging from 11 to 19 months. This summer the youngest seven live with us, one older brother is attending the Tallahassee Summer Project, and one is an intern at the Tampa Summer Project, (the other two are at Colorado LT). The kids love all the students and staff and immerse themselves in their culture. They cook and wash dishes for the group meals, pair up with students and staff to go out sharing the gospel on campus. Even our nine year-old takes notes at the Truth Project, The Way of the Master, and Crown Financial Ministries! As a group we are also memorizing five verses a week and studying the Book of Acts. It is hard to beat this type of schooling! I have had to let go of what looks and feels like a normal routine, and embrace what God is designing for the summer. We take full advantage of the cities we are in for field trips and special family outings. The walk to the state capitol is about an every other day trip, as are the museums.

A challenge that comes with the turf is the Project schedule. It is often different every day and may even change weekly, and includes different children of ours at various times. I have had to learn to keep my list of things I need or want to do handy and see where they fit. I try to keep a yielding attitude that submits to God's plan every day and embraces what I can do, instead of wishing for normalcy. I'm believing God to teach our family things that I wouldn't be able to produce or think of myself, to get "out of the box." Picking up and leaving the comfort of the home causes me to be more faith-filled, and to rely more on His grace to accomplish in my children and me what He desires. My verse for the summer is, "For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God." In just the first four weeks at FSU, 14 people have put their trust in the Lord. To Him be the glory!!

Jan Gordon

Cypress Church of Gainesville, Florida

Prayer Request

Ladies, please continue to pray for next week's Pastors Conference (June 23-25 at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Missouri), where the focus will be on The Joys and Trials of the Great Commission Family.