Work Trip to Florida | GIC Conference 2023

Earlier this month our staff went down to Fort Myers, Florida for the mission conference held at McGregor Baptist Church. Each year, this church hosts all the missionaries (both domestic and international) they support for a weekend of refreshment and encouragement (more than 30 attended this year). Different Life Groups (think Sunday School classes if unfamiliar with that term) in the church “sponsor” each missionary and give them the opportunity to share about what God is doing in their ministry and ways that Life Group can be involved. To be a missionary on the receiving end of this is such a gift and is most encouraging.

Fort Myers was home to Marty and Patti for more than two decades and McGregor the launching church to send them off to begin Whisper Mountain Camp. When you return to what was once home, the number of people you want to see and reconnect with gets lengthy. But these connections do the heart good. So we booked our days full to see the most number of people possible in between the conference events.

Something we always come away with is the beauty of God’s orchestration of people throughout our whole lives for specific reasons. Friendships, supporters, volunteers, staff, prayer warriors, co-laborers. The Church as a whole is a beautiful thing when we function as we were intended to function. We saw many, many people see the work God is doing in teen’s lives at camp and get excited and desire to be a part in some way. That’s what makes our ministry so special: all the people who join the efforts to proclaim Christ.

We created this reel on Instagram if you’d like to take a quick peek at the conference!

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A post shared by Whisper Mtn Youth Camp (@whispermtn)

We are thankful to each person who made time to stop by our booth to hug us and visit with us or learn about us; for each person who made time to open their homes to us or made time to connect with us at coffee shops or restaurants. We are thankful for the Kreller Life Group who hosted us, listened to our presentation, opened their hearts and were overall super hospitable to encourage and provide for us. We are thankful for McGregor welcoming us to the conference and continuing their support of Whisper Mountain Camp.

If you are reading this, you are probably among those we consider part of the Whisper Mountain Family. Thank you for whatever way God has prompted you to be involved. We are glad you are here. We pray God blesses you immensely as you see Him through His work at Whisper Mountain Camp. We hope to see you soon!

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Author & iPhonography | Cassi

staff take a road trip | GIC 2019

A couple weeks ago our staff hit the road and headed down to Florida for a week to participate in what’s called the Global Impact Conference! As a supporting church of Whisper Mountain Camp, McGregor Baptist invited us (and many other missionaries they support) to participate in their weekend of blessing and encouragement. We couldn’t be more thankful to have been included.

Much of our week was spent connecting with people, life groups, churches, families and friends. The community of people within Whisper Mountain is amazing! People who share our heart to proclaim Christ to teens, who support us and participate with us, who encourage us to keep going! Amazing: the number of people God pulls into His work here at WM! We wouldn’t be able to do any of what we do without the community He’s pulled together! (If you’re part of this – thank you for being here!)

Along with the event, gathering and meeting with people, and some of us getting brave to speak in front of crowds, we were also able to have a few stolen moments of play and relaxation! A quick swim here, a hurried beach walk there, a nap when possible.

How refreshing to find a piece of hold still and enjoy the beauty of winter days in Southwest Florida! We were completely thankful for the hospitality of Brad and Melloe Nash! They welcomed us, invited us to make ourselves at home (which we took them up on!) and overwhelmed us with love and fellowship and goodness of all kinds.

We put together a video to give you a glimpse into our trip! We hope you enjoy!

Watch the Video

Thank you to all who made the time to meet with us, encourage us, and give to us in some way! You are a big reason we remain encouraged to keep going in this thing called camp ministry!

Come visit soon!

 

 

Author + Photography | Cassi

Sunshine & Palm Trees

[photo by ramsey. see more here!]

If you've followed this blog for at least a year (God bless you!), you may know that the WM Staff travels each year to participate in a mission's conference at a church down in Florida. Their GIC (Global Impact Celebration) event brings missionaries together to love on and encourage. But bigger than that is their heart of having their church body get involved in some way with the ministries represented. You know, get off the couch and do something type of deal!

Sadly, me and the kiddos were left in the dust this year (our decision– That algebra, you know!). Which means I don't have the usual postcards to share with you all. But I do have a few scenes Shaun sent my way!

His Colorado roots soak in the sunshine and palm trees of Florida's perfect winter weather!

The trip is usually packed full of meeting together with people, catching up with old friends, and speaking to different groups of people. Adding to the full this year is the elementary school hosting WM as their missionaries. Which means speaking in their chapel service each day!

There's been lots of minute to win it games, classroom checks (to resemble camp cabin checks!), and Hope (a last year's summer staff) sharing her experience! The classes are in competition to raise money for WM! Such an awesome way to involve kids. And help WM! (Our WM FB Group page has more pics and a couple video classroom checks if you're interested!)

Well, I'm off to get my man from the airport and hug his neck!

See you back here tomorrow for the Big Picture Game!!

Christmas in May

After being at the GIC Conference in February, one special group of people had a heart to help WM in whatever way they could. With the list of our household and pantry needs in hand, this group of people filled a car full (and then some) of practical needs (like TP!) and sent Driver Bob to bless us. Feels like Christmas in May!

Being missionary staff means we don't always know how we will be provided for, though we are confident God does provide! We've seen Him, on countless occasions, give toward our needs often using complete strangers. From tennis shoes and flip flops (in just the right sizes!) to Wendy's or Ingles gift cards to the bigger things like vehicles, we get taken care of…in His timeline! He does it through both the oblivious and the intentional people alike.

 If you are awaiting God's provision, don't lose heart. He sees your need and is in process! If you are stressing about a need, stop twirling in anxious circles, lay your burden down in the hands of a trustworthy God, and rest! He's going to rock your socks off!

a mart of blessing

Imagine a large space, shelves and tables filling the room. Household, personal, food and office items fill those shelves and tables. Now imagine you are told to walk through this large space and fill as many boxes as needed with any amount of the items found in the room. Welcome to the Blessing Mart! 

Each missionary, while at the GIC conference, was given the opportunity to *shop* in the Blessing Mart. If you've ever experienced living on extremely limited funds, then you share our excitement over things like shampoo, soap, toilet paper, canned foods, mac and cheese being given to us!! We feel grateful and humbled to receive these goods from those in the church that helped stock up the Blessing Mart!

(Side Note: the pictures above show some of what Whisper Mountain was given through the Blessing Mart. We then bring the goods home and divide among our staff!)

Never doubt the importance of giving a little! We will be clean and fed a while longer(!), thanks to those who gave. If you are one of those givers reading this, we thank you for your generosity. It matters!