Dear Faithful Supporters, Recently I read “They forgat God their savior, which had done great things in Egypt” Psalm 106:21. How true it is that just like Israel, we tend to forget all that God has done! May we not only remember Him, but also give thanks and praise to God during this season. We recently held our board meeting and it was staggering to list all the things that God did on this mountaintop last year. The souls that were saved, the many decisions made, the financial blessings, and God’s grace upon us has been overwhelming. “Oh give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good!”
Our Men’s Retreat in September was a good time for men to be challenged and strengthened in the Lord through the preaching of Pastor Bishop. While the preaching is always the center of every event here, I also heard many compliments about the good food! We were very thankful that God held off the rain to allow the outdoor activities to take place as scheduled.
December 28-30 is the Winter Retreat for college, career, and teens. Evangelist Dwight Smith is our speaker this year, and we look forward to hearing from the Lord.
On September 21, Wildwood signed the 10-year deed of trust for the 39 additional acres we are purchasing, interest free, from my faithful mother, Janet Marshall. We have already received over $20,000 designated for this purchase and made the first two years’ payments. As a testament of God’s amazing grace and for His glory, we would like to pay it off early.
During the past two years God has consistently impressed upon me the need of camp as a place for young people to “come ye yourself apart into a desert place," free from the distractions of this life. For Wildwood to continue and advance, it needs more time from me than the evenings and weekends I have been able to invest. I believe God would have me transition away from my secular job and into the ministry full-time, although there is currently no visible pathway to do so financially. For those unaware, from the camp’s beginning in 1986, my parents and now my family have worked as volunteers and have never been supported by Wildwood or other churches. With the blessing of my pastor and the other board members, I will be seeking support for my family from like-minded churches. I would welcome the opportunity to schedule meetings in 2024 to present the burden God has given me to your church. If you are interested in my family coming to your church, please contact me.
If God would lead you to support my family, that support should be sent to Independent Baptist Church, 917 North Preston Highway, Kingwood WV 26537 and marked “The Joel Marshall Family.” I have asked my pastor and church to provide oversight of the support I am requesting for my family. This support will be used to support my family while allowing me to focus on maintenance and expansion projects, and to further develop the program of Wildwood. God alone knows the timing of this transition period, but I am setting things in motion to step out by faith in anticipation of God’s blessing.
For those interested in regularly supporting Wildwood, support should be sent to 79 Ken Snyder Road, Tunnelton, WV 26444.
Above all, please pray for God’s guidance as we set sail in uncharted waters.
Looking unto Jesus,
Joel Marshall
