ROSCOMMON, MI – “Whatever it takes” - If you have ever spent much time here at Bambi Lake you may have heard those words spoken by Jimbo, one of our Bambi Lake volunteers and residents. Jimbo would usually utter these words when a simple repair turned into a renovation, a fairly common occurrence here at Bambi. I imagine if Jimbo had a dollar for every time he has spoken that statement of faith over his 15 years of service here at Bambi, he could buy his own private island.
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Now, although Jimbo may not own an island, he does possess something(s) of much greater value. Jimbo has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ which he would tell you is his greatest treasure. Ask him to tell you about what Christ means to him and you better be prepared to order a pizza, sit down and listen. He will tell you his journey with Christ has been filled with forgiveness, joy, excitement, pain, sadness, miracles, blessings and unconditional love. He will tell you that life can be done God’s way or the hard way. He will remind you that obedience brings blessing and serving gives fulfillment and you can’t out-give God!
“Whatever it takes” is more than a trite saying for Jimbo. It exposes his character and faithfulness to do what God has called him to do no matter the difficulty. Serving at Bambi has had it share of reward as well as challenges. Most often having to fix big problems with limited resources or not being able to purchase the right tool for the job - toilets overflowing, septic tanks backing-up, equipment not working, pipes freezing and on and on. However, in all the time I have spent with Jimbo, I have never heard him complain about dealing with crazy circumstances or minus 25-degree weather. His heart and attitudes are always about glorifying God in the task that needs to be accomplished. He is always seeking to do what is best for Bambi Lake and the guests who enjoy the property and events.
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For 15 years, Jimbo has been a testimony of Christ-likeness, faithfulness and servanthood here at Bambi Lake. He has served with a joy, selflessness and love rarely found in our culture today because Jimbo does not serve man, he serves God. Of course, Jimbo is not perfect, Vicki his wife will tell you that, however the love he has for Christ is encouraging and contagious. If you ask, he will humbly tell you that since Christ did “whatever it takes” to save him and forgive his sin, how can he do any less to serve and follow his Savior.
I wanted to personally share all this about Jimbo because he is retiring from Bambi Lake at the end of November. After 15 years of faithful service and witness for Christ, Jimbo is excited to experience the next season of his journey doing whatever God has for him. To say he will be missed cannot begin to describe the thoughts and emotions of our Bambi Lake staff. Nevertheless, we are excited to know that God already has ministry for Jimbo and that he will do “whatever it takes” to see it accomplished! Thank-you Jimbo, Bambi Lake Loves You!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake.
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