Site Map

Photos 74

Philippians 3:10

MATURE • MENTOR • MINISTER • MAINTAIN • INVESTING IN BLACK FUTURES THRU STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Photos 'n Notes from Sandy Cove Ministries on Chesapeake Bay in MD
while participating in
Cosmopolitan Mission Service Baptist Church's Youth Retreat
August 10-12, 2007

COSMOPOLITAN MISSION SERVICE BAPTIST CHURCH YOUTH RETREAT ("Soldiers for Christ") - Sandy Cove, MD - August 10-12, 2007.  Thank you, Calvin Kelly, Jr. and Dana Polk (soon-to-be Mrs. Dana Kelly) for having me in on your church's youth retreat at Sandy Cove.  It was a grand time in more ways than I could have ever imagined (hence this entire to what went on that weekend!).  We looked at David and Goliath's "duel of champions" ("Soldiers for Christ: Go with God or Bow to the 'Heavy'") as a paradigm for what's goin' on out on the street and how to handle it, and it seemed to be well-received.  Through the cross-boundary invitational ministry of C.M.S.B.C.'S Bro. Ron ("not all who wander are lost"), we were especially blessed to have the men of Lighthouse Community Church (shepherded by Elder Kevin Ragland in Egg Harbor Township, NJ) in on the session as well.  [Looking forward to getting together with them in the future.]  Also had the good opportunity to meet and talk with former Sandy Cove president Robert Palmer (what a wonderful encounter that was!), as well as Pastor Abraham, who is working as a church planter in several Indian communities in Delaware (their group met in the room next to ours).  Also was delighted to see Sis. Debbie Crabbe (from First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, MD) up there for a women's conference!

While I can't fully comprehend or even articulate it, I do know this:
the weekend marked a significant signpost in my life and ministry.

Had the awesome and providential opportunity to talk at length with Bob Palmer and hear firsthand the story of how Sandy Cove came into being.  His oldest brother George Jr. had a love for the water and lived to sail sailing, and told their Dad, George A. Palmer (a Pastor in Haddon Heights, NJ and one of the earliest Christian radio broadcasters [the 1930s], hosting the program "Morning Cheer"), about the prospect of buying this waterfront property on the North East River in Cecil County, MD.  George Jr. died tragically at the young age of 24, a couple of weeks before before Sandy Cove Bible Conference opened.  The ministry blossomed through the years and the Lord Jesus has blessed and increased it in many, many ways.  And it most certainly has been a blessing to thousands through its 60+ years of operation.

Don't miss the fact that a good number of Jesus' interactions took place around the Sea of Galilee.  That's really interesting because the Jewish people weren't particularly fond of large bodies of water (much less traveling out on them).  But Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen (along with probably 3 other disciples [see John 21]), and Jesus wasn't adverse to going out in the boat with them.  Actually, I think He maybe even got a bit "amped" when it came time to hit the water.  How so?  A fair number of miracles and interactions in the Gospel's (e.g., Jesus walking on the water, the calming of the storm, the miraculous catch of fish (twice), Peter walking on the water, Jesus teaching by the Sea of Galilee, readying breakfast for the 7 disciples, etc.) each took place while they were out on the water or next to it.   

It really is amazing how sometimes the Lord Jesus allows us to see things come around full-circle.  As a new Christian and a junior in college I used to listen to many Christian radio broadcasts: "Songtime" with Rev. John DeBrine, "The King's Hour" with Dr. Robert A. Cook, "Thru the Bible" with Dr. J. Vernon McGee, and "Morning Cheer" with Dr. George A. Palmer.  Back then I had no idea how important those programs would be in laying a foundation for my walk with the Lord.  I find it intriguing that over the past couple of years or so, the song "Jesus Never Fails" had come back to memory time and time again.  While some may write it off as an "old school" hymn, its text is just as relevant, applicable and meaningful today as it was when it was used on the "Morning Cheer" broadcast:

Jesus Never Fails

Earthly friends may prove untrue
Doubts and fears assail
One still loves and cares for you
One Who will not fail

Jesus never fails
Jesus never fails
Heav'n and earth may pass away
But Jesus never fails

Though the sky be dark and drear
Fierce and strong the gale
Just remember He is near
And He will not fail

In life's dark and bitter hour
Love will still prevail
Trust His everlasting pow'r
Jesus will not fail    

Words & Music by Arthur A. Luther

For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know.  The day will come when I will die.  So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time.  I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze. — Richard Bode

Personally, I have come into the joy of sailing only within the last year or so, when I built a sailboat called "Hummer" (an 11' 7" Passagemaker Dinghy from a kit produced by the folks at Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis, MD).  My boat (and the processes of building and sailing it) provides apt, real-time illustrations for me on the challenges believers face in living the Christian life.  I started learning how to sail from my brother-in-law Jim Morgans on July 16, 2007 in Echo Lake on Mt. Desert Island off the coast of Maine, and made further progress with the help of his son (my nephew), Spencer as we sailed Southwest Harbor and beyond.  When Bob Palmer told me the story of his oldest brother George's love of sailing and of his vision for the property on the North East River at the head of Chesapeake Bay, I swallowed kind of hard, realizing that it's likely that I'll likely never see the complete fulfillment of the vision the Lord's given me for seeing street-oriented YUBM being mightily used by the Lord to reach the world, but nevertheless, I still want to press on and through, and trust Him for the outcomes.

"The Bewildering Call of God"
from My Utmost for His Highest
by Oswald Chambers
August 5

’. . . and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.’ . . . But they understood none of these things . . . — Luke 18:31, 34

God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance — they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.

If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, "I wonder why God allowed this or that?" And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.

View of the dock from the long, spacious, nautical-themed sitting room in the main building

Miniature boat with fishing tackle in a corner of the sitting room

Fireplace in the sitting room overlooking the water

Another view of the pier and the walk

Saw this rabbit from my window, having Saturday evening dinner on the lawn

View of the main building, chapel and outdoor pool

Sunday morning sunrise at Sandy Cove

Two boats running and a sailboat at rest

A heart-felt message for the road back into the valley called Philly and its troubled trenches.

It's true, son, sis: whether it was founding a ministry during the Depression in the 1930s or carrying it on even now.

         

Home

•  Aiyo  •  Background  •  Prayas Only  •  Re-Present His Word  •  Bring It Again  •  Multimedia 1  2  •  Photos 1  2  3  •  Newsletters  •  Resources 1  2  •  Tools

Visitors:

Photos,  text and YUBM logos © 1998-2008 - YUBM Ministries - B. Hepburn.  All Rights Reserved.