The end of April, and Carol's retirement date of July
31st was rushing toward us. Cross Roads Retreat was once again in the position of
finding a person to continue the ministry.
The position was placed with an employment agency, to no
avail. Internet searches didn't turn up
anyone with the wide assortment of skills needed for the opportunity being
offered. We joined the Christian Camping and Conference Association in hopes of
finding someone through their Staff Recruiting Center, but once again, lots of
folks, but, no one with all the qualifications, or interest in, the
multi-faceted job at Cross Roads.
I was quite literally paralyzed. I didn't even know where to look at that point
and had no choice but to just wait upon the Lord.
Interminably long weeks passed before my daughter, Nina,
called and told me that she felt like God was telling her to tell me that we
needed to pray over the camp. That
through the years thousands of people had passed through the gates of Cross
Roads, and many had left their emotional baggage on these grounds. That baggage needed to be prayed over and
tossed out. We needed to start over -
clean.
One Sunday, Nina, my husband Pat, and our friend Erica
from our church, Area 3:16; gathered at the camp and we prayed. We anointed every building, the walls,
windows, doors, grounds, we prayed over it all to renew, purify, rededicate and
reclaim Cross Roads for Christ. We asked that any evil baggage that might have
been lingering here to be laid at the foot of the cross and covered by the
blood of Christ. We welcomed the Holy
Spirit back in full force to Cross Roads.
The next morning I received an unsolicited email. It was from a man who had heard about the
opportunity at Cross Roads through a mutual friend. He did not say who that friend was. He was currently serving as a Student
Minister, had served twelve (12) summers in the camping ministry, and of those he
had been full time staff for three (3) years.
He stated he had a heart for camp and retreat ministry. He assisted with
website, marketing and community outreach. He represented the camp at
conventions, job fairs, recruiting and other public events. He is gifted in the
area of relationship building and likes to cook.
As I read this, my excitement grew and I struggled to
maintain a professional, cautiously optimistic objectivity. Then I saw his
signature. His name was Jeremy
Hellums. No, I did not know him. Yes, my
maiden name is Hellums. I nearly fell
off my chair. I turned to husband, Pat,
who is a statistician and asked him what the odds were...he replied,
"there are none." We sat in
awe - speechless wonder - at what God seemed to be doing.
I contacted Jeremy immediately and set up a meeting for that
very afternoon with him and his wife, Kari.
While walking the trails I told him that my maiden name was Hellums, and
as it turns out, we share the same Great-great-grandfather.
A memory flashed through my mind. A few weeks before all of
this came about, the leader of a women's group at the camp came up to me saying
she had a word from the Lord for me. She
said, "The Lord told me to tell you that because of your faithfulness many
generations of your family will be blessed."
As if I needed any more confirmation, Jeremy's wife, Kari,
is a 3rd grade teacher. Their family was already in the process of moving to
Kari's hometown of Milano, which is a few miles up the road from Cross
Roads. Her parents still live there, and
she hoped to secure a position with the school district.
God had a plan for Cross Roads Retreat generations ago.
On August 1st, the Reverend Jeremy Hellums will answer God's
call to become the new Director of Cross Roads Retreat.
All glory to God.
