As we celebrate the origins of America with 4th of July events, it’s a great time to reflect on the beauty of God’s earth, the people He created, and the ways we are gifted to serve and be served by others. Amy Kennedy and David Degler are part of a ministry called A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, formed to meet the faith needs of national park employees while also helping visitors find the most beautiful manifestations of God’s creation in the parks. John Sowers is an author who developed a love for writing when his grandmother wrote him weekly letters while he was away at college. He carried that legacy forward by writing special letters to his daughters, which he shares in his latest book entitled Say All the Unspoken Things. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Rick Steves

Upcoming interview: Sara Gruber

A Christian Ministry in the National Parks

Amy Kennedy

David Degler 

Olympic National Park

Smoky Mountains National Park

www.acmnp.com 

John Sowers

Say All the Unspoken Things

www.johnsowers.com

Interview Quotes:

“That summer, I learned so much about who I was, what God was calling me to, how to love people, and just really opened my mind for a bigger world.” - Amy Kennedy

“The heartbeat of [the ministry] is that we would provide a space for people to use the national parks landscape and the beauty that's there to reflect the love of this great Creator.” - Amy Kennedy

“Our team members are intentionally working on their own leadership development while trying to be a great example of Christ in the place that they live, work, and serve.” - Amy Kennedy

“I left that summer, and I realized what ministry should be. It's not sitting behind a pulpit and speaking to people that you never interact with. It's being a part of a community, showing up daily, interacting with them, getting to know them, and figuring out how to share Christ's love through your actions on the smallest level.” - Amy Kennedy

“Writing to me has just been a real blessing and a real fulfilling thing that I feel like that's why I was put on the earth.” - John Sowers

“I have a whole stack of these beautifully cursive written letters from my great-grandfather to my great-grandmother. And so it's been really neat to be from a family of letter writers and then get to carry on that tradition to write these letters to my daughters.“ - John Sowers

“Do my friends know how much I love them? Am I holding on to grudges? Have I expressed my full heart to my children or to my spouse or parents? Have I said all the unspoken things to them?” - John Sowers

“[When I lost my mother and grandmother] I had some really great friends who showed up for me and who helped point me to God and, in some ways, helped be the hands and feet of God to me.” - John Sowers

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