by Captain Sarah Eddy
In Indiana, we love to be outside! TSAO (The Salvation Army Outdoors) ministries are growing in the state, especially with archery programs in multiple corps.
Our High Adventure Camp also has become popular in the last few years. During the week, young people unplug from the world and focus on God’s creation while staying in tents, enjoying activities like fishing and swimming, all while learning skills like building fires and growing in their relationship with the Lord.
Last year for this camp, our division partnered with world-renowned wilderness survival instructor, author, speaker, and guide Creek Stewart. He not only shared essential survival skills with the young people in Indiana but, most importantly, shared his love of Jesus and passion for them to know Him more.
In one of the most captivating gospel presentations I’ve heard, Creek talked about how an ember works. Although hot, an ember does not recognize its full potential until air is breathed into it. Once air is breathed in, the flame can catch on, and its fire is essential to life—keeping wild animals away, cooking, cleaning, warmth, etc.
We are like that ember. When we allow God to breathe into our lives, we become a fresh fire for Him. We feed that fire by growing in our relationship with God, reading our Bible and sharing about Christ. The more we grow, the more the fire catches with those around us.
At the end of Creek’s devotional, the teens were challenged to allow God to start a fresh fire in them and to burn brightly for Him. Many of them decided to follow Jesus either for the first time or in a new way.
This is why TSAO ministry is so important. Through archery programs and camps, we can share the gospel with young people in a way they may not have experienced.
We can’t wait to see what God will do this year in Indiana as archery programs continue to grow and more opportunities open to teach our young people about God’s creation through TSAO.
