Winter Retreat Report: Day 3

Tonight, Caleb started his message saying, "Derry told me the last night of this retreat is usually cry night.  Not with me.  Tonight is 'fight night'."

As Caleb has walked us through the marks and characteristics of an Unusual Soldier, he has broken things down to say.

PASSION is something that many Christian have.

VISION is something that some Christians have.

COURAGE is something that few Christians have.

Tonight, we talked courage.  Out of the story of Caleb and Joshua in Numbers 13 and 14 where they had the courage to face the giants in the land God had given the Israelites.

Caleb identified 4 giants we will often face when God has given us a Vision:

1. Failure.
2. Losing your reputation.
3. Excuses.
4. Death.

These giants are nothing compared to the strength we can find in the Holy Spirit who resides in us.  We closed our time by allowing students to stand one by one and identify the giant in their life they'd be willing to face.  It was a powerful closing time as students took courageous steps to say that they will let the one who is in them win out over the one who is in the world.

Winter Retreat Pics: Day 2

Senior High Winter Retreat Day 2

We have a four-fold purpose to our Camps/Retreats:

1. Get Away: Hit the pause button on all the stuff happening at home/school/socially and simply step away.  This is a major reason why we ask students to leave the cell phones at home.
2. Connect with Each Other: It's exciting to watch new friendships form through our time together.
3. Allow God to Change Us: Wherever we're at, we hope to see every student allow God to show us that next step in the journey with Him.
4. Have a ton of fun: We want to create memories, laugh, and have as much fun as is legally possible!

Yesterday I saw all these purposes taking place through our various activities.

Our morning was spent in Time Alone With God (TAWG) where students had the opportunity to read scripture about what Intimacy with God looks like.  They also were able to work on their PVC pipe (read this post for more info on that).

We then went into a time of youth Group sharing.  Our morning session does not feature our speaker.  Instead it features our students sharing what God has been doing and what God wants to do in their life.  We simply circle the students up and ask them if they'd be willing to share.  It was a powerful time of praise, singing, prayers, tears and laughter.  God was with us as we connected with each other and were challenged through each other's stories.

The afternoon was a virtual cornucopia of activities. Tubing, horseback riding, swimming, table games, knockout, broomball, and just sitting around the fire talking were all ways students were able to connect with each other.

In our evening session, Caleb focused in on Vision, and more specifically God-given vision.  He talked about three ways God has given him Vision for what He wants Caleb to do.

Impressions:  That strange picture, thought, name, place or moment where it seems God is speaking.
Whispers:  Those moments where the still small voice of God tells us to do or not do something.
Burdens:  The things that keep us up at night because we care or hurt so much.

We closed our time with an exercise of simply giving the Holy Spirit to speak to individuals and give them His Vision for their lives.  God did speak to many in simple and profound ways.  Some dealt with sin struggles.  Some wrestled through life callings.  It was a great time.

We finished our evening all together on the tubing hill having a blast.

Looking forward to another great day that is focused on COURAGE!

Keep Praying. God has been good.

Winter Retreat Pics: Day 1

Senior High TAWG

Each night, Caleb is walking us through one of three key attributes of a person who is passionately pursuing Christ (what Caleb has called an Unusual Soldier).  Those three qualities are Passion, Vision and Courage.

Each student has received a small piece of PVC pipe.  Every morning during our Time Alone With God (TAWG), the students will take time to reflect on what struck them from the previous night's message.  On their PVC pipe, they will write or draw that lesson, thought or scripture. The PVC will serve as a take home reminder of the lessons learned on Passion, Vision and Courage (see the PVC)?

Based on this morning's sharing from students on what they learned about Passion, I'm very excited about what lies ahead tonight and the rest of our time!

Winter Retreat Update

As the lights go out on Day one of the Winter Retreat, I'm smiling big.  We had a fairly crazy trip to get here.  From our Senior High Speaker dealing with flight delays to a mechanical issue with on of our church buses (which caused us to cram people on to the other 3), we kind of had the feeling we're in for some good times of God moving... it just seemed like the enemy was working overtime to get in the way.

I was in with our Senior High as Jonathan Seller and Jordan Pearson led us in worship, and Caleb Bislow shared a message called "The Inner Circle".  It was a challenge toward passionate living for Christ.  The challenge was clear and powerful as Caleb painted the picture of the difference of three Circles in how we live for Christ.

Outer Circle:  Inheritance - where we simply choose Christianity for it's benefits (getting out of hell).

Middle Circle:  Infatuation - where Christianity is about a spiritual high or feelings.

Inner Circle:  Intimacy - where Christianity is about loving and knowing God personally and growing in a love relationship with Him.

God was speaking across the board to students.

Reports from Chris are that it was a great first night in Jr High as Jessica Noelle led in worship and Sarah Lawrence spoke.

Our night activity included tubing for the Junior High and "Tube Wars" for the Senior High.  Tube Wars is something that can only be witnessed to be understood.

Here's some ways to be praying:

• God is stirring.  Pray His will be done.
• There are many students here who don't know Christ.  Pray for open doors in sessions and in conversations for opportunities to show and tell salvation clearly.
• This time of year has sickness all around.  Pray health over us all.
• Pray for our speakers and Worship leaders by Name
• Jessica Noelle - Junior High Worship
• Sarah Lawrence - Junior High Speaker
• Jonathan Seller and Jordan Pearson - Sr High Worship
• Caleb Bislow - Sr High Speaker

• The leaders who are working with our students.
• The Spring Hill staff who serve us so well.

60 Days of Beauty Project: Day 27 - 'Twas the Night Before Winter Retreat

First off, this blog is going to have some added posts over the next four days.  There are approximately 180 NMC and New Life Fellowship (Sister church in Lagrange) Jr and Sr High students heading to Spring Hill Camp in Evart, MI for our Winter Retreat.  I will be posting several updates with reports, photos, and prayer requests while there till December 30. I will continue the the 60 Days of Beauty journey while there.

The eve of a youth trip tends to have several things involved.

• Last minute calls from parents/students for a variety of reasons.
• Some level of panic over something that hasn't gone as planned in trip preperation.
• Packing.
• Finishing up details that result in a level of exhaustion leading into a trip that will make me exhausted.
• Explaining to Katylynn where Daddy will be for the next few days (this one's a little newer, still learning the ropes here).

Yesterday's activities were comparatively stress free and filled with some great moments.

• A little extra sleep due to different service schedule.
• A great morning of worship and challenge at church.
• 5 games of Settlers of Catan with Janelle (I currently lead the series 3-2).
• Lots of snuggling with Katylynn.
• A great bedtime for Katylynn with singing, reading, and prayer.
• A Colts win.

All in all, a relaxing, fun and enjoyable day to prepare for an intense four days of ministry to some amazing students.

A day that I would consider a beautiful gift from God.

Pictures from Tuesday

It was a day full of competition, fun, laughter, sharing, and brokennes for others.

Day 2 Pictures

Unedited... here's some pics from yesterday.

Winter Retreat Pics from Sunday

I haven't had time to go through and edit these photos, but enjoy some shots from Sunday.

The End of the Day

Long and great day. Just a quick post to say that tonight was powerful as we zeroed in on Satan's schemes to fill us with pride or self-loathing and not being able to discover who we truly are in Christ.

Some major breakthroughs tonight.
More to come, and probably some pictures tomorrow.

Keep praying for perspective and breakthroughs that will bring growth when we return home. Pray for rest, health, laughter, and connectedness.

December 27 in Review

5:30 a.m. - Alarm
5:30:01 a.m.- Snooze Button
5:45 a.m. - Up and shower
6:15 a.m. - Pick up my daughter. Kiss and hug my daughter. Tell her I love her.
6:30 a.m. - Leader meeting
7:30 a.m. - Kids start showing
8:00 a.m. - All kids Registered/ Opening Session at the church
9:30 a.m. - Load the buses and head out.
12:20 p.m. - Stop for lunch
3:30 p.m. - Arrive and Unload
5:30 p.m. - Supper
6:30 p.m. - TAWG
7:30 p.m. - Evening Celebration
9:30 p.m. - Tubing (so much fun)
10:45 p.m. - Cottage Group Times
11:30 p.m. - Lights Out

It was a fantastic first day. No issues on the trip here. Attitudes were fantastic. Lot's of getting to know each other. Some times of great laughter. Some serious times.

For our sessions, we are focusing in on Matthew 22:37-40... the greatest commandment. Yesterday we looked at the the key phrase to the first commandment, "Love the Lord your God wit all..."
LOVE - we defined love.
THE LORD YOUR GOD - Is this who we love. Is there something or someone that you would fill in the blank"Love the ______ your God".
ALL - Is it 15%? Sunday and Wednesday only? When I'm around other Christians? Or is it all.

We closed out by looking at I John 4:19... "We love because he first loved us."

We may fall short on the greatest commandment. But Jesus didn't. Jesus doesn't.

Lot's of processing going on.

Tonight we look at what it means to love ourselves. God wants us to have a healthy understanding of who we are in Him. We are going to look at Satan's schemes and how they attempt to keep us from discovering who we are in him.

Well the students are circled up for our morning youth group time. They are going to be sharing a little bit of "What's Right? What's Wrong? What's Confused? or What's Missing? in their life. Pray for a great day.

Retreat Time

175 Junior and Senior High students and leaders will be heading out tomorrow morning for our 2nd Annual Winter Retreat at SpringHill camps.

I will be posting pictures and updates for parents to the blog and to Twitter through December 30.

I will probably continue with a few 10 for the 2000s posts in the midst of week as well.

It was an awesome time, but it sure is good to be home.

Attention parents. we are running very early! we hope to have the buses pull into the church between 530 and 545!

we Will unload luggage under the carport at Entrance A. that's entrance A so you will have a little light to find your student's luggage.

This has been a very special three days. time away. lots of fun. new friendships. major connections with God. we've had a late night due to some upset stomachs and, of course, it being the final night.
Snow is falling outside and it is absolutey beautidul. Join me in praying for a strong finish, a safe an uneventful ride home, and the the spirit of God would connect what is happening here with whatver He wants to do back home!

The dominating dodgeball dawgs - aka 3D.

They actually challenged the guys champs to a game... The game lasted 30 seconds... maybe. no guys got out at all.

Random jr higher pic.

Afternoon Fun Time

Morning Time Session Pics