by John Carpenter | Nov 27, 2019 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Well, dear friends and family in Christ our Lord and Savior, we have come once again unto one of the most blessed times to gather together around a meal to express our thanksgiving to our God and enjoy the fellowship of the ones we love. And, from all of us here at Del-Haven – unto all of you – we want to sincerely wish a
Happy Thanksgiving! for 2019.
Please remember, when you bow your heads to pray, all the boys and girls that have been sent by our great Savior into the hearing of the gospel of His great grace here at Camp Del-Haven. Many do not have the same welcoming and loving family environment in which to encounter and experience. But, the great Comforter – the Holy Spirit of our sovereign almighty God – can make all the difference! He can do anything! And, He does everything for His family – Praise His all glorious Name! His Word declares that for Him – Nothing is too hard, or wonderful!
Please do not forget to pray for our staff. The young men and ladies that our Lord will groom and prepare to be His witnesses unto the campers. These true Christian warriors need our ever constant prayerful support! We can never let down our guard while on the battleground of this world. Remember, our adversary, Satan, is like a roaring Lion – seeking whom he may devour! And, our most vulnerable children have always been – and still are – his prime targets!
Please seek the Lord with us for His continual guidance and protection in the ongoing provision of our many needs. We continually thank our God for all of you whom He has enlisted to faithfully and prayerfully support us in this ministry. We love you all – for being there!
by John Carpenter | Jun 25, 2019 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Please remember to pray for Evelyn… and dear ones. pray for all the children – pray for all the staff – and pray for us – that God will work — through all of us – His perfect will and good pleasure – all for the glory of Christ Jesus our wonderful Lord. Just as the scripture describes: “Continue in prayer – and watch in same with thanksgiving.” [Col.4:2]
by John Carpenter | Jan 19, 2019 | Devotional, Miscellaneous
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before – beware lest ye also – being led away with the error of the wicked – fall from your own stedfastness.” [2Pe.3:17] “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. (13) For if ye live after the flesh – ye shall die; but, if ye – through the Spirit – do mortify the deeds of the body – ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God – they are the sons of God. (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear – but ye have received the Spirit of adoption – whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” [Ro.8:12-15]
All who are alive on this earth – in this world – right now – are, one way, or another — being described in these two particular portions of God’s Word. We are either being led away with the error of the wicked, or we are being led by the Spirit of God. Therefore, there are two things we must never lose sight of – or, two things we must never forget: First, we must never forget where it is that we are; and Second, we must remember that we are all being led from here to eternity by one of two influential ways of thinking! In regards to the first premise of where we are – of which we should constantly be conscious — we are in this lost, dark, trial-and-sorrow-filled, sinful and cursed world. Yes, this world truly is (just as Ps.23:4 describes) — “the valley of the shadow of death” – and, we are all – one way or the other — being led through it. And, this world is not our friend.
The context of 2Pe.3:10 describes the firey destruction and end that this fallen-in-sin world is inevitably hastening toward. The Holy Spirit of God, through the apostle Peter, so graphically and explicitly tells us: “But the day of the Lord will come – as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat – the earth also – and the works that are therein – shall be burned up!” This event will take place the same day that the Spirit through John describes from Re.20:11: “And I saw a great white throne – and Him that sat on it – from whose face – the earth and heaven fled away – and there was found no place for them!” This present world has been, and right now is – literally passing away right before our eyes — unto its just and righteous perdition that will most certainly come to pass at the all-glorious and all holy return of the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ.
As true believers and followers of the Lord Jesus, we – by God’s grace – have an unbreakable, eternal relationship with Him. It is Christ – and Christ alone – that will get us safely through the dark and evil “death-valley” of this world! Praise His wonderful Name, what is descriptively declared from 1Jn.5:19 rings completely true for us: “And we know – that we are of God – (lit.) and the whole world – in the Wicked One lies.” It is no wonder why 1Jn.2:15-17 imperatively warns us to: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world – the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world – the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world! (17) And the world passeth away – and the lust thereof – but he that doeth the will of God – abideth forever.”
It is the way of this world to think of, and bring in, a New Year with a spirit of revelry and riotous activity. But, this is the common way of wantonness in which the Wicked One leads his captives! Nevertheless, let us, by the Holy Spirit of grace remember and heed His divine exhortation: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable – always abounding in the work of the Lord – forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain – in the Lord.” [1Co.15:58]
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Nov 6, 2018 | Camp News, Ministry News, Miscellaneous
Praises and Prayer Requests
Well, dear friends, our God continues to faithfully bear testimony unto us that He hears and answers our prayers. Some of the men from First Baptist Church of Oak Grove — whom the Lord sent to us to do the bulk of the excellent work on the renovation of our Restroom facilities and our Kitchen – came out and did some more work to dress up what they had started. So, God’s faithfulness is demonstrated through their doing what they said they were going to do! This is true integrity! Praise His Name! And, He displays this through His people. Marvelous! We love the way our Lord God does that! Thank you, Lord, for these dear friends and family in Christ. Please remember to pray for – and thank our Lord for – these faithful servants of His.
We are slated to get new skirting around the trailer home that Sheri DeShepper presently lives in. It has needed this work done on it for many years. Please pray for this much needed task to get accomplished without any problems. Thank you.
And, dear ones, since this is primarily a prayer reminder newsletter – once again, please remember to lift up before our covenant God — the young people who help us (and who will help us) on our staff. This is when we need to be seeking the Lord’s provision for 2019. We always need to fill some empty slots in our male and female helpers. We do love and appreciate all of you who so willingly and faithfully support this ministry in and with your continual prayers. We also are continually praying (and thanking God) for you.
In addition, of course, when you are praying for us – please do not forget to pray for all the boys and girls whom the Lord has sent (and will send) to us to minister the gospel of God’s grace. They desperately need our unceasing prayer support! As the Spirit of God so moves – please help us in this way. This is what it’s all about! We love you and thank you again.
by John Carpenter | Jul 22, 2018 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Praises and Prayer Requests – July
Well, dear friends, we continue to rejoice and give thanks unto our Lord for His continual answers to our prayers. We just wrapped up an older boys camp – that we didn’t even think would take place just a little over a week ago! You see we had come up shy of enough male staff to accommodate having any of the campers that we had on our list that wanted to come to camp! But, the Lord provided – and we were able to fill two cabins full of boys and have a fun and spiritually beneficial week after all. It was another wonderful time! They learned their verses. They sang the gospel songs (all the way back to the city). They were – by God’s grace – providentially delivered into the proclamation of the gospel! Praise the Name of the Lord! It is such a grand thing to witness the testimony of God’s presence and provision. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to press on for the glory of Christ!
Please do not forget to pray for the staff and children that are scheduled for the rest of this camp season. These hot blistering days can be tough to endure! Your prayers are a source of strength and comfort so we can get through it.
A double wide mobile home has been delivered to Del-Haven for the family of Jeff Hall. Please pray with us for Jeff – and the men that are busy working — to get his new home completely ready for him and his family to move in. This is yet another new chapter in the history of Del-Haven! A lot has been done – and is getting done — but there is still a whole lot that needs to be done. Nothing is too hard – or, too wonderful – for our great Savior. Jeff definitely needs your prayers – and whatever help you can give him. He will be a wonderful asset to have on the camp premises!
by John Carpenter | Apr 10, 2018 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Praises and Prayer Requests
Well dear ones, we are now only a couple of months away from the launch of our 66th annual camp season. We are committed and dedicated to serving the Lord in ministering the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ unto 6 to 12 year old children. This has been, and still is, the primary purpose of the existence of Camp Del-Haven. God has sustained us all these years. We truly do need your continual prayers for the spiritual fruitfulness of our faithful endeavors. God has ordained it for prayer to be a means of His accomplishing what He wills.
That being said, we humbly ask for you to please seek the Lord with us in His provision for willing men and women to help us to minister directly to the boys and girls that the Lord will send to us this year. Thank you all for your past faithfulness to provide. We love you and your persistent prayerful support. We praise our God for each and every one of you!
Pray also that the Lord will continue to lead in the completion of the renovation of our kitchen and shower house facilities. It is looking very good! Prayers of joy and thankfulness fill our hearts and our voices over what we see has happened – and is happening. How we long to see the completed outcome!
We still need to put everything back together. We still need someone who is an experienced spray painter to help us with the kitchen cabinets. We have got them sanded – please pray for someone to help us get them primed and painted. If you can be of service in this way, please do not hesitate to call us at: 816-690-8465 or 816-277-7071.
Thank you all for the way in which you have responded to our ongoing needs. We can’t tell you how that encourages us. We see it as a manifestation of God’s faithful leading and providing!
We have listed a few expense items that make our summer months a little more financially straining. You may notice that the list is half the size as last year due to the fact that we were able to paint the dining hall and begin the projects in the shower house and the kitchen. We are so thankful to the Lord and to those of you who have prayed with us and even given toward meeting the extra needs we had last year.
Van Rental to transport campers from Kansas City ($200/week x 6) = $1,200
Chemicals for the swimming pool ($200-300/week x 10) = $2000-$3,000
Recreation/Craft/Program Supplies = $400
