Good day, Black Creek Church Family,
September and the cycle of the seasons has certainly shifted from Summer to Fall.
Now that Camp is done, Donna and I enjoyed staying after church last week and visiting.  We also enjoyed a Sunday Afternoon nap!
This summer I have been listening to The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis.
My latest listen is the story of the "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" where 2 charactors from previous stories are pulled into an adventure with their irritating cousin called Eustace Clarence Scrubb .
Lewis has a way of making the little prissy, self-focused, whiny boy someone you want to leave far behind.... 
And yet.... Just when it seems that they are finally rid of the obnoxious character, he becomes repentant  and actually someone that you hope makes it through.... 
He is redeemed through suffering, an encounter with Jesus (Aslan) and a shifted perspective!
While I was at camp, I watched a few similar scenarios.
Young people who were focused on self, and yet willingly joined into community.  A place where service and servant leaders were modelled all around them.
And not all of them changed, 'got it' or became 'easy to live around'.....  But I saw a shift beginning.  For some it will continue next year.  For some, the Lord will bring others into their lives to model, challenge, care and encourage them.
Thank you for 'loaning me' to Camp for the Summer. I love watching the battle to grow up in a Kingdom way begin to shift hearts and minds to become more like Jesus.
It has certainly helped me to see the 'long game' and not lose the focus when someone irritates me.
This passage in Scripture is soo real...

 Acts 15:36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, 

“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 
38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. 
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Some time later, Paul reconciled with Barnabas and John Mark....  
Because it is all about.... the Long Game....
Blessings as you make space to be changed
and to be an encourager for change....

Peter Jackson
Pastoral Team
Black Creek Community Church