The Brock Family

Are you comfortable? Do you need anything? Are you ready to read?

You are? Great!

I intended to write this in January…then February…now it’s March and this is still not finished. So, I’ve gotten up early, brewed some coffee, and I’m going to get this done.

Wait. My chair is not quite right. Ok. Fixed.

Now I’m ready.

I made a list of things to talk about and I’m already up to thirteen things to share! I’m not saying you have a low attention span…but if I were you I don’t think I could listen to thirteen things so I’m going to pick the best three…hmmm…four…well maybe five.

Enough preamble. We proceed.

In January, Ironwood had Nehemiah Work Week. Volunteers from all over came and worked at Ironwood for a week. So much was accomplished all around camp. They installed plumbing in the new cabin. They made progress on the Mo’java Coffee Shop remodel. The grounds were spiffyed up (I’m sure that’s not a word, but my mom used to say it so I’m going to say it!). Spring cleaning happened (Yes. We did spring cleaning in winter. Get over it.) and so many other things. It’s a huge blessing to see people investing in eternity through physical labor.

During the Nehemiah Work Week, Scott Grubb (an IT wizard who has been helping Ironwood for almost 5 years now!) and I worked on a restructure of the network organization, removed unnecessary network devices, developed a 5 year plan, and a 10 year plan for Ironwood’s IT. We got a lot done!

That’s 1. Next.

Ember and I went to Youth Winter Rendezvous with our youth group. I learned and played Pickleball for the first time…I discovered that the teens are significantly better than me and Ember. Despite that harsh reality, we had a wonderful time talking, playing games, and learning about God together!

That’s 2. Onward

I started working with a fantastic blog called Growing Fathers. They have authors all over the country and outside the country (now you know it’s cool) that write weekly articles specifically targeting the issues dads face. I’m responsible for their social media so I’ve gotta share it…so there!

I shared it and now you can click it.

That’s 3. Forward.

I wrote an article for Growing Fathers that deals with something I struggled with especially during our first year with Odyssey. Here’s a link to that article: https://www.growingfathers.com/five-biblical-helps-for-exhausted-dads/

That’s 3.5….(It’s not cheating. It’s creative numbering). Downward…?

Ember and I finished planning the Junior Camp spiritual theme and stage for summer! Here’s a sneak peak.

What do you think? I think it looks pretty spiffy (we call that a call back).

If your curious about Give, Give, Give then the last message I preached for our church will answer your questions: https://fb.watch/yyoMJotNsw/ (message starts at 36:19)

If you want to know how all of this is going to come together for Junior Camp then your just going to have to come to Junior Camp. If you’re too old for Junior Camp then I have one question for you…is anyone ever too old for Junior Camp?

That’s 4. Toward…(I ran out of “ward” words that make sense).

Sometimes, while serving at camp, gospel opportunities arise at the most unexpected times. I was hosting a Spiritual Emphasis camp for a Youth Group. Stephen (click here for his family updates) and I were running a team builder for them called Personal Preferences. After we finished, one of the teens came up to both of us and asked if he could talk with us. I had to go start dinner, but Stephen had time so he stepped aside and they began to talk.

This young man had come from hard background. He had made a lot of poor choices and seen a lot of hurt. He told us that he had just started going to church a few months ago, that he had questions about God, that he had fears, and that the team builder had him thinking. He wanted to know if God could look past his sin and he was afraid of going back to his old life. Stephen showed him how God’s love took a terrible sinner like Saul and transformed him into Paul. In a short time after a game and before dinner, Stephen was able to give that young man truth from God’s Word and hope for the future.

That’s why I love camp! We have a unique platform to share creative truth in a distraction free environment. That plus an eternally minded staff is what makes camp an effective tool for churches.

If you could be praying for that teenager. He might be a believer, but he still has questions and a difficult life to return to. Thankfully, his Youth Pastor had already been working with him and was going to continue discipling him.

That’s five.

I guess I can’t tell you about Ember’s new office or that I started a coffee roasting business that you can buy from or about the Pastor’s Roundtable or about the Church Tech Retreat that I’m working on (email me at bodiebrock@ironwood.org if you’re interested) or about Avalanche or about Resolved Retreat or about Ironwood’s new family retreat coming in August (learn more here) or about the new sign up form.

Maybe next time.

Huge thanks to those who financially support us.

Huge thanks to those who prayerfully support us.

My mug is empty, but at least I finally finished this update.

Thanks for reading!