Collide-Death

Main Thing
You can only follow God is you have DIED!!! (dead to sin but alive in Christ)
The world always seems to win right not, but in a collision the bigger thing usu. wins. God is bigger and in the big picture He wins.

Something new we learned
It's not about being GOOD, it's about being GODLY!!!
We should put our faith in God and not in the world around us.

What is one thing that we need to work on, based on tonight's lesson.
How to handle problems in school.
Filthy language.

What we learned about God.
God is our life. God should be our number one priority.  God deserves it.

Challenge!!!
Put at least 1 thing to death this week. (Col. 3: 5-9)
Put God first, put the world away. Pray daily, read the word.

Questions
Why must we die in order to be with Jesus?
What things need to die in our life (sin)?
What things to we need to put on?
How do we live for Jesus on a daily basis?
What are some ways you live for Jesus?
(stop reading the blog and comment telling us specific ways you live for Jesus)
IF you are following Jesus, WHAT are you seeking?
-Colton and Greg

Captive Col. 2: 6-15

Main Point
We are captive to sin. When people try to tell us to do things that are contrart to Scripture they are lying to us.  Don't believe lies and become captive to sin.

We are dead in our sins, God is allergic to sin. God can't have anything to do with sin. The only way we can have a relationship with God is because Jesus died to pay the price for our sin. The debt of sin was cancelled at the cross.

One thing we learned.
Even after being baptised when we become captive to sin again if we are not rooted in the Word.

The world and sin WANTS to hold you Captive.

What we need to do now.
Get rooted in the Word--read the Bible, do your TAWG.
Set your mind on Godly things, instead of worldly things around us.

What we learned about God.
God loves you unconditionally.
God will always be there to fall back on.

Challenge
Read your Bible and Pray at least 3 times this week.

Question Time
What do you have to be thankful for?
Have you put God before other things in your life?
How does God play a role in your life?
What sin hinders your walk with God?
What takes you captive?

-Victoria and Winter

Christ holds it all together

I hope you have been doing your TWAG this week, and if so then you have been digging in to Colossians. In chapter one we see the passage below, that Christ is EVERYTHING! He is our purpose. Is that true in your life today?

What verse has been your favorite in Colossians 1 this week and why?

Grass...flowers... The Word of the Lord

I hope you are taking time to be in the Word this week! Our TAWG is taking us through 1 Peter this week...

"All flesh is like grass And all it's glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls,
But THE WORD OF THE LORD REMAINS FOREVER."
--- 1 Peter 1:24-25

Baby baby baby oh!

Fun times tonight, learning that we need to crave spiritual milk like newborn babies!

MIA 1 Peter 1:13-2:5

MIA-Minds in Action. Prepare your mind to take action. What are you filling your mind with? Jesus or the World.

Don't be IGNORANT. vs 14.
Self-Discipline is a must. You gotta choose to make time for reading God's Word, but He's worth it.  It's all about obedience.  You can't live a holy life if you don't obey God.  Discipline is a way to DENY SELF.  Self-discipline is hard. Just like dieting-it ain't easy, but Jesus is worth it. You can do this when you focus on the Hope we have in Jesus and the GRACE that God gives us.  Part of obedience is getting rid of stuff. Things that need to be MIA missing in action: Wickedness, Deceit, Hypocrisy, Envy, Slander.   Part of obedience is also loving others.
You gotta Crave the Word.

-Hailey and Victoria

Puddin in Yo Face--Bottle's Up

Like a newborn baby CRAVE pure spiritual milk. So we raced eating nasty pudding and drink coke from a baby bottle. It's was ridiculous.  Sure there are pics to follow or ask a youth for a video.
-Victoria

I am not the same

This morning we sang "I am not the same" in our worship service. What a great message! Lately the Lord has been really showing how I really am not the same. Through conversations with you guys, I have just been taking trips down memory lane of my life in middle school and high school.

Man, I am NOT the same anymore.

I struggled so much with finding my identity in what guys thought of me and in being "popular". I found my worth in having a boyfriend and wanted so desperately to be his everything.

The Lord has truly changed my heart. It's hard to see sometimes, but He really was working all along. I blush now when I think of the pit of sin I played in during middle school. But the Lord change my heart because that's what He is in the business of doing.

Chances are, He has changed you too. You just need to take a moment and look back. What were you like a year ago, or maybe three years ago? Are you different now? In the girls small group we recently talked about how we need to tell each other when we see how the Lord has changed them. It's hard to see it in your own life. So encourage each other!!

Be encouraged youth, the Lord is doing a great work in you- and He is not finished!!!

(song lyrics for I am not the same by Aaron Keyes)

We are a little loopy with our fruit :-)

Come and See

When we experience Jesus, we can't just sit around and be complacent.  We have to GO and TELL what we have SEEN and HEARD.  We should tell people about Jesus.  We should tell friends and family about Jesus so they can, Know, Grow and Go.
We need to explain our experiences.
This is what it looks like in John 1: 29-51:
                See-Testify-Follow-Tell (John 1: 34, 37, 39, 41)
Believing in Jesus comes from experiencing Him. We need to point people to Jesus. We are either pointing people to Jesus or away from Him. We are the only Bible some people will ever read.  Christians job is to point people to Jesus.
-Hailey and Aaron

Back in the Groove at the Grove

We will begin posting a summary of Wed. Night Youth Group lessons beginning TONIGHT!!!
This will be a great resource for PARENTS to see what is going on and would be a great way to engage your son/daughter in conversation about Jesus!!!!
Also, STUDENTS can ask questions and comment about how things are going in their lives and what's on their mind.
Justin

Guess what we brought home?

We found this in the front of my can when we got home from camp. A stowaway. How gross is that???

B-B-B-BOAT RACE!

Closing Day is underway!

Well, we didn't win the B-B-B-BOAT RACE, but had fun regardless.

We had some students accept Jesus last night!!! Praise the Lord for new sisters in Christ!

We also have one student who is feeling called to ministry!

Exciting things happening around here people. We have loaded up the vans (terribly early!) and are about to head to closing activities. Then we will hit the road. Pray for safety and alertness for some very tired drivers. Also be praying for our youth to really use this week and the things they have learned as a jumping off point in their pursuit of Jesus, and not let it just be a cool thing they did.

We will see you guys soon!

Day Four- Its Still Hot Up in Here!

The meeting of the minds... haha

 Bostick doing it One handed!

 Colton, Brett and Scot

 Bostick, Penny & Dustin M

 Penny & Dustin M... and Bostick in the water

 Bridgett's awesome blob: 

 Matchy Matchy

 The goof and the Diva

 Becca and Penny Kayaking

 Pool Games! 

And now we are headed to the B-B-B-BOAT RACE!!!! Hopefully our Boat, the "Bridge Barger" will be the victor!