Huge Prayer Request

Most facebook notes are about 25 things about me. Most are outdated. Most are posted because I wasn’t doing anything else and I had to make it seem like something was happening. Just bein’ honest. This one, however, is a little different. It’s a little crazy. In fact, it’s absurd. But it’s happening. And I really need your prayers.

So here’s the scoop: The Saturday after Christmas was a bright, sunny, warm day. Scotty, Aaron and me drove down to a place called Camp Jumonville to walk around, relax, and forget that we have day jobs. It was a pretty awesome day. We just pretty much hiked and chilled. My perfect day.

And then it got a little out-of-hand. Scotty told me they’re always looking for people to work there. I leaned out the window and asked God, “Could I? Could I really work here?” I was pretty excited with the idea. Scotty said he thought it would be good for me, and that it’d really stretch me in my faith.

I talked to God about it. I talked a LOT about it. I had peace about it, and I was constantly getting the sense of go ahead.

Now here’s the other factor: I’m 23. I don’t have a college diploma (or nearly enough credits to get one), but I’ve got a decent-paying job that’s full time and has benefits. It’s safe. It’s VERY safe. And camp Jumonville is only a ten-week job. No job security. Plus about a month training. So… in a nutshell….

I’m leaving a permenant-type job with benefits
for a summer job
that pays 1/3 of what the perma-job pays (per day, not per hour, but includes room and board)
and will be over at the end of summer.

And trust me. It’s not a sacrifice. What I’m hoping and praying for is an opportunity to live out of my heart. I’d work there without pay. I’ve become convinced that God is with me in this endeavor.

but that’s not really the problem right now.

I’m getting kicked out of my grandparents’ next saturday / sunday to make room for the next one of my sibs on the “launching pad.” And I need to rent an apartment — for three months. Because if I get the job, I’ll be living at Jumonville over the late spring / early summer, and I won’t need a place to live, so I don’t need to be dumping money into an apt. that I’m not even going to be living in.

SO PRAY FOR ME PLEASE!!!!

Seriously.

I really and honestly believe that God is with me on this. I don’t need cash, I don’t need funds – I just need a place to stay for three months. And I have money to pay normal rent. It just doesn’t make sense to dump over $2000 into a rental place and not even live there during those months.

The craziest part about this is, I don’t even know for sure whether I’ve gotten that job or not, and I won’t until after March 14th. So until then, I’m keeping my current job and I’m not even going to mention this one to my employer. He’ll think I’m crazy. …more so than he already does.

So please pray for me to find a place to live. I’m confident in God that He will take care of me and take care of the details, but at the same time I covet your prayers (did i just say that??? i sound like a fundamentalist! PLEASE PRAY THO!), and if you know anyone I can rent off of for about 3 months starting next weekend, please let me know!

Thankyousomuch!

FURTHER DETAILS ON WHY I THINK IT’S RIGHT TO DO THIS:

I sent the camp director this email a month ago:

Thanks for the quick reply! I appreciate your willingness to pray with me and go over this.

I don’t want to rush this decision, but I’ve been giving it a LOT of thought and prayer, and a lot of people have given me advice to GO! and when I read the Bible I find everywhere that God is faithful. Besides, there are still interviews and things of that nature to go into where God will be able to close doors… but here’s where I’m at, and some stuff God has shown me.

Tonight during worship, God reminded me of a line from a song based on Psalm 126: “He protects the simple-hearted.” It was a reminder that even if I do foolish things, HE is my source and will take care of me.

Ephesians 2:10 says that WE are prepared for good works, and GOD has prepared the good works for us to walk in them. We’re prepared for doing good works, and they are prepared for us. When we walk into them, they fit (I think…). And this seems to me as if it would fit. Something deep inside me says yes.

And as far as the job thing, Jesus said he who tries to save his life will lose it, and he who loses it for His sake and the Gospel will FIND it. And there’s a story in Jeremiah 42-44 about how a lot of people in Israel attempted just such a thing – they sought security in Egypt, and not in God. HE was supposed to be their security, and He told them NOT to go to Egypt. Had they stayed, they would have been safe; when they left to BE safe, danger came. Security isn’t in a job, or in Egypt – it’s in God.

I don’t believe it would be WRONG not to take this opportunity. I truly and honestly don’t. I don’t feel that God is telling me TO go, either. It’s more like.. “This mission, should you choose to accept it…” God holds out to me an adventure in testing His faithfulness (He ALWAYS been faithful, but I have never thrown myself on Him like this before!). I don’t have to take it. I can stay in the boat like 11 perfectly sane disciples. But I think I have the heart of Peter. I’m going to ask my Lord to tell me to come to Him on the water.

This is all excellent theory, but I’m talking about real life here, and MY life! And then as I was thinking about it while I was driving home tonight, I was reminded that I’m also NOT just talking theory. I’m talking about real GOD here. And if He’s real (as I say I believe that He is) then all this is not moot theory – this is the nature and character of an amazing God.

If what I believe isn’t real, I’m going under. If it is, I’m about to walk on water. God’s inviting me to try His splendor out. I’m raising my hand. I’m saying yes. I’m signing up for the Great Adventure (going with God).

David M Schell About David M Schell
I am a doubter and a believer. I have a Master's in Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, but because faith grows and changes, I don't necessarily stand by everything I've ever written, so if you see something troubling further back, please ask! Read More.

Author: David M Schell

I am a doubter and a believer. I have a Master's in Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, but because faith grows and changes, I don't necessarily stand by everything I've ever written, so if you see something troubling further back, please ask! Read More.

4 thoughts on “Huge Prayer Request”

  1. dude….camp jumonville is an absolute amaznig place and i hold a special place in my heart for it!!! If you do go through with this I fully believe it will be worth it and i agree with scotty…it would be an awesome oppertunity!!!! I was actually thinking about doing a similar thing this summer though I do not know where yet but i will keep you in my prayers and that God will direct your path and that He will reveal it to you soon!!!! And if you do end up going there, look for fuzzy bugs….they are the aboslute only insects that do not freak me out!!!!!

  2. Thank you so much! I'd kinda already decided to go through with it… it's more if THEY decide to take ME. Oh… FYI… jumonville wants apps in by march 1 if you were going to do it there.Thanks for praying for me!…and the fuzzy insects.. not so much. lol.

  3. You are definitely in my prayers bro. Even though each step we take doesn't always give us immediate clues; we sometimes need to take those leaps. As I'm sure your grandparents want to give another relative the chance to get moving in life; the timing seems a bit odd to me considering how things have played out for you. The only possible angle that I can see is that God has something bigger in mind for you. We've both talked about it numerous times but our ability to believe so much further is so hard sometimes. This camp is gonna rock for you & your next living spot will work out & it'll be a cool bachelor pad that fits perfect for what you need. :)-

  4. Thanks man 🙂 HEY! once i get a place that means you can stop by sometime!I talked to this one guy who knows people who'll do three-month leases, so I should be okay I think.. God'll take care of me.

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