And so it begins. (OR: an online variation of my support letter.)

I must be crazy. Gas prices keep climbing higher, the planet keeps getting hotter, and I want to drive eighteen hundred miles so I can live in the desert.

For the second summer in a row, I’m safely stowing that college degree here in Richmond and going out West to work at summer camp. And what would possess someone to leave their moderately-lucrative career with the Starbucks Coffee Company and venture on such a bank-draining excursion? Besides wanting to escape the monotony of cranking out lattes in Short Pump, I’ve discovered Lone Tree Ranch to be a place of refuge, of beauty, and of growth (for myself, my fellow staff, and the campers). And I can’t think of a better way to spend my summer than being a part of such a place.

Lone Tree Ranch sits at 7000 feet in elevation, at the base of the 10,000 foot Capitan Mountains, on the edge of the Lincoln National Forest, in southeastern New Mexico (three hours outside of Albuquerque and eight miles outside of a small town obsessed with Smokey Bear). The Ranch is a high-adventure camp dedicated to spreading the gospel and encouraging people in their relationships with God through relationships with people. The camp offers a multitude of activities, including rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, remote control cars, and a mechanical bull. These activities aim to challenge campers and teach them about Christ in a loving, active, and fun environment.

Since the Ranch is an outreach ministry and doesn’t want the expense to prevent anyone from coming to camp, Lone Tree asks its staff to raise financial support. (Camper fees only cover about 60% of the cost to run camp.) If you would like to financially support Lone Tree Ranch, send your check (payable to “Lone Tree, Inc.”) to Lone Tree Ranch/P.O. Box 523/Capitan, NM 88316. All gifts are tax deductible (Lone Tree will send you a receipt), and we appreciate any amount you can give, no matter how small.

Lone Tree Ranch is a crazy, challenging, chaotic place. So, whether or not you’re financially supporting the Ranch this summer, I appreciate any prayer and moral support you can give. I’ve made a blog (you're reading it), so you can keep up with prayer requests and various camp-happenings throughout the summer. Also, feel free to send me e-mails during the week through the camp account. Just send them to nmranch@lonetree.org and put my first and last name in the subject line.

Let me know if you have any questions. If you want to know more about Lone Tree Ranch, or any of Lone Tree’s other ministries, visit their website at http://lonetree.org.

Thanks for taking time to consider supporting me and this ministry. I hope your summer is as awesome and as fruitful as I hope mine to be.