By John Pearson —
I pray that this “God Moment” story will encourage you. I was blessed to be a link in this God-orchestrated chain of events.
My brother, Jim, met his Maker on November 24, just three weeks shy of his 81st birthday. Jim had endured Alzheimer’s disease for over eight years but seemed content in a very caring home outside of Seattle, where his wife, Sharon, visited him every day.
My wife and I had an unplanned trip to the Northwest and visited Jim in September. While there, we stopped by SAMBICA (aka, “Sammamish Bible Camp” in Bellevue. I had served there as executive director in the 70s. A highlight that day: Jim’s grandson, Cameron Pearson, is now on the full-time staff and gave us a tour and a fabulous ride in one of the camp’s water-skiing boats. Not only is Cameron an accomplished ski boat driver, but he’s also the real deal with a heart for God.
The Celebration of Life service was Saturday, January 24. Sharon invited me to participate in the service by reading Jim’s favorite Scripture, Psalm 23, and offering my reflections.
Before flying to Seattle, I sensed a nudge from the Lord to order a shepherd’s staff (you read that right!). I thought perhaps I should share solace from Psalm 23:4, “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” But I wasn’t sure how it would fit in.
Little did I know what the Lord was planning.
I purchased the shepherd’s staff on Amazon and continued to pray how best to be a blessing to Sharon and her family and friends. What would I do with this, I wondered.
At the service, Jim and Sharon’s son, Scott, welcomed the large gathering at the church, in North Bend, Washington. Scott shared reflections and poignant memories of their dad. My younger brother, Carl, talked about growing up in a family of five boys.
Earlier that week, the Lord had reminded me about growing up at Elim Baptist Church in Seattle. In Sunday School, “Jimmy” and I could earn “camp stamps” to pay for summer Bible camp by memorizing and then reciting Scripture verses to our Sunday School teachers. You guessed it: we both memorized the 23rd Psalm.
I shared that timely memory in the service and also related how Carl recalled that Jimmy got camp stamps for memorizing the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Carl said that Jimmy recited that verse—for camp credit—more than once!
I then read Psalm 23 at the service and our son, Jason, handed me the shepherd staff which he had kept hidden under the chairs in his row. Holding the shepherd’s staff, I invited Jim’s grandson, Cameron, to come up to the platform to receive this tangible reminder of the Good Shepherd.
It seems that Christian camping has been a powerful theme in our family. (One year, our dad, and his five volunteer laborer sons, built 13 rowboats for Lake Retreat Camp.) So… I encouraged Cameron to spiritually discern who might need to borrow the shepherd’s staff from him—over the next few months and years—as a reminder of God’s comfort and guidance.
After the service, Cameron told me the rest of the story.
“Uncle John,” he began, “I was doing OK during the entire service, even when I shared—until you presented that shepherd’s staff to me. Then I lost it!”
Cameron said that 13 full-time staff members at SAMBICA had recently been on a retreat. One retreat activity planned by the director was: “Go off to pray on your own and ask the Lord for three words that could summarize God’s vision for us to follow over the next 90 days.”
Cameron told me that the 13 people (with three words each) created an impressive list of 39 words on the flip chart! But the goal was three words. So after a second round of prayer as a team, they landed on three powerful words symbolizing God’s heart for the upcoming quarter:
Rejoice. SHEPHERD. Flourish.
Cameron said he couldn’t believe it: One of SAMBICA’s key words for God’s ministry this year is: SHEPHERD! And the Lord orchestrated—at his grandfather’s memorial service—for Cameron to receive an actual shepherd’s staff. Praise the Lord!
But there’s more to the story!
At the Seattle-Tacoma airport the next day, while waiting for our flight back to Orange County, California, I spotted a college student wearing a SAMBICA sweatshirt! I pointed to the shirt and gave her a thumbs up.
“Do you know about SAMBICA?” she asked. I explained that I did—and knew about it long before she was born. I mentioned that I was at my brother’s memorial service the day before and had talked to Cameron multiple times.
“You know Cameron?” She couldn’t express her enthusiasm fast enough. She had just come from a staff training weekend at SAMBICA. About 55 college students attended. She, and six or seven others now at the airport, were Biola University students and returning to Orange County.
The group gathered around me, for the obligatory selfie, and told me that Cameron brought the shepherd’s staff that Sunday morning for his talk. They quickly connected the dots —and like me—couldn’t believe in God’s overwhelming creativity in nudging me to bring a shepherd’s staff to my brother’s Celebration of Life.
And to be prompted to give it to Cameron.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
