For years my dear wife put up with my discontentment regarding my numerous employment positions. When the Lord spoke to me through Colossians 1:16, which includes the statement that, “all things were created by Him and for Him,” it finally occurred to me that I was not seeking to fulfill God’s purposes for my life. Rather, I was pursuing the American dream. Having gotten my attention, the Lord soon began to use some very definite means to answer my prayer as to how He wanted me to serve Him.
The first adjustment that Annie made was to get a school bus driver’s license so that she could be my substitute while I was on my first of many mission trips to Mexico as a bus driver. Of course, her first week on the job she experienced a major snow and ice storm, while I was enjoying the very dry and hot weather of Monterrey, Mexico!
During those first years doing mission work together, we began directing a week of kid’s camp here at Living Waters Bible Camp. When the opportunity came to serve full time in maintenance here at camp, Annie’s response to me was, “I’ll go wherever the Lord is calling you.” Those were sweet words to my ears and to the Lord’s ears as well. This meant moving 325 miles away from our home of 20 years and all our family except our youngest son Robbie who was about to enter the 6th grade.
Since the spring of 2001, Annie has supported and served alongside me faithfully. Some of those years meant her taking secular employment to help meet our financial needs. Up until just a few weeks ago, Annie has been responsible for managing all the housekeeping needs at camp as well as the numerous young people that the Lord sent to help in that area. I know that she has loved having her own position to serve. The relationships created and most of all, seeing how God has used the ministry of Living Waters for His glory have been a blessing to her! For each of our forty-four years together, Annie has been an amazing example of what I believe the Lord meant when He created a “help meet” for Adam! I have truly been blessed by her devotion, compassion, insight, hard work and desire to serve the Lord with me!
We started serving full time I was 42 years old and still pretty flexible, physically. At 63, my bones and muscles are telling me that it’s time to move on to something else. It is my prayer that as the Lord tarries, He will give both Annie and me opportunities and courage to be salt and light in this dark world. With all the turmoil going on around us, it has been my experience that people are more open than ever to talk about real life matters and the Good News about what Jesus has in store for those who come to Him by faith.
Annie has found a very flexible job that allows her to be “Grandma” as much as possible. Having a paycheck to help is an added blessing. As for me, my actual end date at camp is still to be determined, but coming around the end of this year or early in 2022.
Overall, serving at Living Waters has been a huge blessing in our lives. Our one wish is that we would have started years earlier so that our kids would have had a longer camp experience. The Lord has provided in so many wonderful ways. We learned by daily experience that our God makes GOOD on ALL of His promises to provide in every aspect of His care for us with perfect timing and abundance! And all the while giving opportunity to lay up treasure in Heaven!
It is with heartfelt thanks that we express our gratitude for every prayer, word of encouragement and for the faithful financial support of each one of you over the past 20 years! We would love to know that you are praying for us in the days ahead as well! May God Bless you and may you be found looking up as He calls us to be with Him very soon!
Chris and Annie Sutton