Coming into this summer seemed like a blast to me! I had worked here part time for the past three years, but did not even expect that the music i played was only a small fraction of what happens at the ark. If anything i learned that you cannot be a hard worker, or good employee at that without keeping a close relationship with God! I experienced this the hard way this past summer, but thanks to the fantastic leadership of my mentor Luke Pinegar he certainly kept me in check. This summer has been an amazing one, and i wish it never would have ended! But i also cannot wait to share the skills i learned with the rest of this world!
Blake Tallent

So where can I start? Noah’s Ark is a ministry like none other, but working there is a whole other story. I came with a lot of preconceptions on how things would happen and what I would do, and also with an open heart and mind to something new. And it is a good thing that God had prepared me that way because everything I thought pretty much got turned upside-down. I came with this close-minded, experienced worship leader mentality and that was the first thing to go. I learned to not just do songs for the sake of doing them but to really prayerfully think and work through set lists. I also learned that music is pretty much the last thing we concentrate on. I had to get down and dirty and there were days where I experienced plumbing problems I never want to encounter again. I also experienced what it was like to talk and reach out to the “untouchables” of society. Which is something God has really put on my heart.
This entire summer I truly believe I have been more blessed than any camper that has come here. God has and still is working in my life to keep me humble and help me really reach out and be active in my faith and live up to His Word.
I’m far from eloquent all too often, but Noah’s Ark changed my life – as a musician, as a leader, as a servant, but most of all as a Christian. It was really what I needed to keep going. What I need to hear what God had been screaming in my ears the whole time. And I made a lot of amazing friends doing it.
Whether or not God leads me back, I’m not worried about, but everyone should know that there is something special at Noah’s Ark, and I wanna make sure it stays wherever God takes me.
God was good to me this summer, and I pray blessings on everyone at and involved at Noah’s Ark in the future.

In Christ,
Stephen Barebo