In 2024, we held our annual dinner banquet on August 10. If you follow us at all, you saw where we had to relocate it going into the last week of preparation because of air-conditioning issues. Talking about scrambling! It was our sixth time hosting this event. And it just simply keeps getting better, and better, and better. And that is because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is making an impact on people\u2019s lives. And they want to contribute somehow. They want to be a part of something. They want to be a part of the Charlie 22 Outdoors family. Because they believe in the mission and they want to support the cause. Everyone has a role in making the events that we do successful. Including the banquet. Nobody has any more important role than another. Because it takes all of us to make it work. From contributing items. To working in the kitchen. To taking out trash. To being on stage. Doesn\u2019t matter. We all have our roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the banquet each year, I look back at what took place that night. And there are a couple of things that always stand out to me. First, the interaction between the guests and the volunteers. You just see it and feel it. Handshakes. Hugs. Laughter. Tears. The interactions are all over the place. Something else that stands out to me is watching the audience. I often hear how much things sell for above their true value. It really is amazing. Here\u2019s what I think is happening. And it goes back to what I was saying a minute ago. I think the Holy Spirit is moving and people want to contribute. So they are spending money towards something that they want. And then above the value of the item they are contributing to the ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does any of this have to do with the devotion? What does any of this have to do with God\u2019s grace? Here\u2019s what I think. When the Holy Spirit moves in peoples lives, great things happen. And I don\u2019t mean just the banquet. I\u2019m talking about every day. When someone experiences the Holy Spirit, it\u2019s very moving. And what takes place each year on, and off stage, is very moving. When we are talking about veteran suicide, we\u2019re talking about a very dark topic. It\u2019s a hard topic to talk about. But, when we are talking about the Holy Spirit moving and lives changing, we\u2019re talking about a very bright topic. Nothing dark about it. When I hear a veteran say that an event they came to changed their life, I let them know that was the Holy Spirit moving in them. Not me. Not us. Not the event. It was the Holy Spirit. And that\u2019s the point of the devotion. When the Holy Spirit moves, lives are blessed. Because God loves us. He always has. He always will.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 2024, we held our annual dinner banquet on August 10. If you follow us at all, you saw where we had to relocate it going into the last week of preparation because of air-conditioning issues. Talking about scrambling! It was our sixth time hosting this event. And it just simply keeps getting better, and … <\/p>\n