Have you considered that God may actually be using technology and COVID to help us step out and try something new for His purposes?
On most Tuesday afternoons, we see ingredients flying all about several different kitchens simultaneously and the conversation was the usual casual chat. Sometimes the talks are about what happened at school or over the weekend or maybe sharing about a friend in need of prayer. Other times it consists of questions about the recipe ingredients or how thick to slice the zucchini. Sometimes it’s just plain TRUTH.
“Yeah, isn’t it cool that God takes things that we don’t like or want and uses them to get us to do something really good?” Words of a camper.
The conversation on this particular day started off with talking about how cool it is that we can have a cooking workshop with friends who are thousands of miles apart and it’s like we are in the same room. Moms and Dads pop on screen to ask a question or greet each other. Pets jump on camera and siblings sneak in to snag a taste. It’s so much more than instructors and campers. It’s a community.
Is God actually using technology?
Technology can be so cool. Right? Don’t get me wrong. I know there is the potential for danger. But, if monitored well, technology can be an awesome tool. People are using virtual meeting spaces in incredible ways.
Earlier that day, I had had the privilege of listening (in a virtual meeting space) to a missionary in New York share about how they have been able to use these virtual spaces to establish discipleship communities. This is happening because of the limitations brought about by stay at home orders in response to the COVID pandemic. God has pushed missionaries and local believers to get creative in finding ways to meet, worship and disciple others. If missionaries were able to continue meeting in person, there would be no need to explore other ways. When something is working relatively well, we generally don’t make changes.
“We’ve never done it that way before”
Maybe you’ve heard this phrase or used it yourself. However, trying new ways didn’t just accomplish the same results or reach the same neighborhoods. Now there are members joining in from all around the world. Borders mean nothing!
With that same need to find new ways to accomplish the tasks before us, we have all made changes and tried things that simply weren’t necessary before 2020. This is how The Steadfast Project came to be.
The Steadfast Project meets new needs
Once upon the year 2020…there was this camp director who loved her campers and staff. When health restrictions took camp away from all of them, it broke her heart. God opened her eyes to the challenges families were now facing in this world of ‘new normals’ and ‘unprecedented’ restrictions. Many families were now homeschooling, doing virtual school or attempting to do school in person but outbreaks, exposures and quarantines have made life, well, really unpredictable and definitely complicated.
Campers gain routine, community and mentorship
This director knows the three things that campers gain from summer camp are a dependable routine, community with believers and the mentorship provided by called and trained staff. Not being able to provide these in the traditional residential camp setting, Kaley Stephens was pushed by God to step out and try something new. Along with the talents of Maura Lyle and Spencer Martin, the group launched The Steadfast Project in the fall of 2020 in order to provide families the benefits of routine, community and mentorship during the school year by providing online workshops for their campers. When the schedule at school is increasingly unpredictable, The Steadfast Project offers security and routine through their workshops. Regardless of concerns about exposure to nasty pathogens, they are still able to meet.
It was in one of these workshops, the cooking workshop, where this conversation was taking place. Light bulbs were going off and we were all realizing that just like those missionaries in New York, we were all experiencing God stretching us to do new things…things that were good for us and good for the Kingdom. We may not like what has brought us to this place and we may have chosen something different than our current circumstances, but God is doing a work in us all. It’s up to us to hear Him and be obedient to His voice. We wouldn’t want to miss out on what He has planned, right?
Acts 13:41 tells us “Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.”
Could God be calling you to do something new?
What about you? Are you feeling God send you in a new direction or leading you to step out and try something new? Has He placed you in a situation that is not what you would have chosen yourself? Perhaps, He has a ‘new work’ for you…’a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’
I wonder what that could be??? I would definitely love to hear about it!
More about The Steadfast Project
The Steadfast Project is an online enrichment workshop and leadership development community birthed out of the unique needs and challenges presented parents and campers in 2020. I have have enjoyed being a participant and supporter of their Cooking Workshops both in the fall of 2020 and Spring of 2021. Leanstead will also be partnering with TSP in the near future for a fun weekend. More to come on that soon! To learn more about this group check them out by visiting The Steadfast Project.