“So Phil, where’s your
office?” A normal typical daily question
that is asked of me. What’s my answer?
The paintball course, basketball courts over by Liberty Woods housing and by
Kessler Elementary School, my living room and dining room over a game of
Settlers of Catan, Soccer fields on post and in Jessup, Marne Lanes bowling
alley, Liberty County High Football Stadium on Friday nights, and the list
continues to grow more and more. Although we are expected to hold some type of
‘office hours’ during the week, it was shared with me by my dear friend in the
ministry how pivotal it will be to see how ‘few’ of those hours really come
together in that office. The more hours
I am out with our students is Christ in the community – HE will be seen.
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| Paint ball: A HUGE way to reach students like Jeremy and many others while having fun on Fort Stewart. |
One of my high school
seniors is a student who does very well many classes, taking multiple AP courses this year and
holds down a near full-time job while in high school. Then add in the time he
spends with his close friends while bowling in a league or just hanging out,
one wonders what time he has for anything else, even something like coming to
Club sometime. I met Jeremy a few other
times and invited him to come to a
weekly Club event, but it just never came together. Enter paintball, Settlers
of Catan and just coming to hang out at McDonald’s. After multiple paintball
events and hanging out at my place
playing an excellent game of Settlers of Catan together with the guys, it
clicked. Recently, on a rainy Saturday after hanging with the guys during their
bowling league, I mentioned we all could gather back at my place for a rousing
challenge of Settlers. They were all in. We played all afternoon and then we
headed to McDonald’s, our normal hang out spot in Hinesville. It was at that
moment that Jeremy and I were chilling in the booth with the other guys and he
openly shared with me “I don’t know if I ever have told you, but I’m really
glad I met you.” God opened the gates. Not in my timing, but in His planned
ways of reaching students in and through obedience. We talked about where he
went to church and his thoughts on college and it allowed a bridge to be built.
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| Mary (right) sporting like a champion for us during the clothes clips on our face competition! |
Mary is
a reserved, but very energetic 6th grader whom we love seeing come
to Club all the time. Last semester, we noticed the hunger Mary had for coming
to Club and being part of things and her friends who attended. She also has an
amazing singing voice which we learned about during the Christmas Caroling last
semester. It hit me like a ton of bricks
when she shared with me this month in passing during a Club meeting. “Mr. Phil,
I read my Bible all the time but I am the only one at home that goes to
anything like church. My family has a Bible at home but it’s because of my
mom’s college class that she took once that they have it.” Overwhelming feelings
of sadness and joy hit me at the same time, mainly because Club Beyond is that
place which is providing support and care for this wonderful girl. It was another reality check – what we do
matters well beyond the doors of our weekly meeting.
As we move into the spring season, I hope each of you get
moments where you see Christ peeking
through in some amazing God-filled moments just like these that have happened
here in Georgia. Your continued prayers and support of what is going on down
here has been miraculous. Truly is has been such a blessing to see and be a
part of God’s hands and feet here!
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