Transitions
This year saw Kaz heading to college. . . . five little monkeys jumping on the bed…..then there were four….don’t get used to it, soon there will be three. And such is life. I recently read the analogy from Shannon Martin in The Ministry of Ordinary Places that life is like salted chocolate. She says pain is not an indictment of our faith. “We are at liberty to feel sadness with our joy, a sprinkling of salt on bitter chocolate. It is in the blending of the two that we experience the solace of being stowed away in the shadow of God’s wing.” C.S. Lewis said that God, “whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Life is never perfect, no matter how much I would like it to be. Most days are bad and good, filled with joy and pain. I, Cheryl, think of my favorite book of the year, Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hubbard. Sorrow and Suffering are Much Afraid’s constant companions as she journeys to the High Places, where eventually they are given new names, Joy and Peace, as Much Afraid is transformed into Grace and Glory. They are the same and yet they are new. I’m sad every day. I’m joyful every day. I will be for the rest of my life. Isaiah 25:8 says, “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” We aren’t supposed to live on this earth dry eyed. We are made to feel pain. He doesn’t prevent pain but will wipe tears from our faces. Embrace the sweet and the salty. For all of it counts toward aligning our character with Christ’s. Thanks for walking this journey of life with us. We look forward to that day when death is swallowed up forever! Enjoy some salted chocolate today.
Cheryl and Shawn Ammons
Family Briefings
Arabella Anne Rose born October 26, to our oldest son Kileab and Amanda. Kileab is Head Ninja Coach at FlipSide Ninja in Rogers, AR
Galilee Rain is 18 months and keeps Kendra and David Abel busy in Winfield where David is an Agronomist at Valley Co-Op Inc. Check out Kendra’s poetry/photography blog: https://www.photoblog.com/kendraabel/
Kramer and Callie are moving to AR this month to pursue their dreams of being in business for themselves. Check out Kramer’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOLE9sefMl1AaytbN_D6M7Q and Callie’s blog at https://www.callieammons.com
Kodi returned from 2 years in India this summer and is currently studying in Fort Worth at Lifestyle Christian U. https://lifestylechristianity.com
Kaz is studying and playing basketball at OKWU. https://www.okwu.edu
Kip is a junior in high school, played soccer and basketball.
Kreed is a 6th grader, hunting, hunting, hunting
Kade is a 5th grader playing piano and cooking.
Kami is a 2nd grader enjoying reading and obstacle courses.
Cheryl is an amazing CDO for our family (Chief Domestic Officer)
Shawn is living a dream as a Creative Shepherd and Evangelist. You can check out the latest on his youtube channel or website. https://www.shawnammons.com
Ministry Update
One of the resources that has made an impact in our lives the last couple of years is called Younique. lifeyounique.com The life planning experience focuses on God centered life design. God not only made us different, he made us with purpose. The journeys help people know themselves better, value every experience including the good and bad, see the hand of God in it all, and have the courage when it is time to take a leap of faith. Our transition from the Midwest District to be InFaith missionaries serving Sonlife and Extreme Encounters has been brutiful. This is a word I, Shawn, learned on the Younique journey. Many times life is both brutal and beautiful at the same time and we can practice the presence of God in every situation. Practicing the presence of God has been a reoccurring theme for us.
Outdoor Ministry Expanding from Weekend To Year
God has blessed us with many many years of disciplemaking experience helping others follow Jesus and equipping them to help their friends do the same. As we have reflected on our outdoor ministry journey we have seen 15 years of weekend ministry at West Rolling Hills at Milford Lake. We took youth from Emmanuel and West Free over this time period to use the outdoors to do ministry. These years were followed by 13 years of summer ministry at Milford Lake State Park. These years were spent stewarding Extreme Kansas Camp as a disciplemaking camp. Our West Rolling Hills ministry experiences were for the weekend. The Extreme Kansas Camp ministry extended the ministry to month long intensive disciplemaking in June the last 13 years. We are preparing to expand from one month a year to a year round Disciplemaking Training Camp. This has been made possible by God as the Army Corps of Engineers offered us a 25 year lease. This lease is an old Scout Camp called Camp Cutteru.
This past summer we were challenged and blessed at Extreme Kansas Camp. You can watch an awesome video at https://youtu.be/9JuIkupHP1U
In July Volunteer Christian Builders came to Camp Cutteru and built two cabins. We are excited to finish the cabins. https://youtu.be/Kdy5PbFtFzA
Serving Together
The ministry we do is made possible through a special partnership:
God: the one who has called us to minister.Missionaries: the ones who have accepted the call to a specific ministry.Partner Team: praying, loving, and giving people who make it possible for the called to fulfill the ministry that God has called them to.
Please pray about being one of our disciple-making partners. Your partnership makes it possible for us to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.
How You Can Help
We believe that we are not only God’s workmanship but that God has prepared some good works for us to do. (Eph. 2:9,10) Consider partnering in one or more of the following ways.
Pray. Prayer partners are a vital part of the ministry. Give. Financial supporters are essential. They meet the monthly financial needs of the ministry that God has prepared in advance for us to do.Serve. There are several ways you can serve. If you are interested in serving as we feed the poor, encourage thousands, train/teach hundreds, coach for implementation tens, and mentor a few please let us know. Extreme Kansas Camp and Camp Cutteru utilize servants like you each year. Consider serving for a week or a weekend at camp.
Here are a few different ways to get involved:
Prayer Support:
Click this link if you would like to be added to our weekly prayer encouragement newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cWre29
Financial Support - Here are a few ways to give:
By Text: Text the word Disciplemaking to 41444
By Mail - Make checks payable to:
InFaith
145 John Robert Thomas Drive
Exton, PA 19341
Include a note saying you are supporting Shawn and Cheryl Ammons.
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