Relevant In the Grove: June 2009

Thursday, June 18, 2009

my camp story

well, we have been back from camp for about two weeks now and I want to check in.

have you continued to try to move beyond yourself and towards the Lord? Have you let camp be a one week change in your life or a beginning to a lifelong process?

I became a Christian in high school, and my coming to faith was definitely a process. I did a bible study with a church, then decided to go to youth camp that summer. It was at camp that I finalized my decision to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, and made it public to my youth group. I remember feeling so close to God at camp. I remember thinking that spending time in the Word and worshiping were two of the most amazing experiences ever!

But then i went home. And i remember it being a roller-coaster. At home I had responsibilities, friends who didn't want to live for the Lord, and luxury and comfort to just be lazy. I struggled to be consistent in quiet times. This was the summer after my junior year. For the rest of high school, my faith was an up and down battle. Sometimes I was super into church and sometimes I wasn't.

Then I went back to camp the next summer (the summer before I was going off to college). This time the Lord just really spoke to me, it was like He gave me an ultimatum- either I got serious and let Him be the Leader (Lord) of my life, or I quit pretending. I chose the serious one and determined to start seeking Jesus harder than anything else in my life. And by His grace i have been doing this every since.

A few summers later, I became a camp staffer for the camp I had been to as a camper. How exciting! But I quickly realized God had brought me full circle- the very place I had finally decided to follow Him was the place where I had to step up and challenge others to do the same.

How about you? Are you seeking Jesus, or are you playing the game? Our prayer is that you are seeking Him DAILY! OPEN UP YOUR BIBLES! PRAY! Let your faith become real!

Your Turn: Post a comment telling us what camp has been for you. Be honest, remembering that confession is the best place to start moving away from our mistakes! Has your life been different since you got back? Or have you gone right back to the same o same o routine?

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Want more photos?

So as I mentioned all week, I took LOTS of pics at camp! We also have some from Haven's camera and a few on Dustin's. So how am I going to share all of these with you?? ONLINE... I just love the internet!

I have put all of the pictures in an online Picasa web album, that way all of you can get any of the pics you want and it doesnt cost us (or church) any money for cds!

So you can click here to view the album.

If you have any questions about it let me know.

Pics from our last day!

Well we are home from camp, but I thought I would share a few pics from our last day there.

Our girls with Lauren, one of the staff members

We won the Boat Race!

Some of the girls with Sarah, their bible study leader.

Group shot

Another Group shot with the blobs in view!

They made us eat blue breakfast Friday morning, to remind us to "go beyond".

Thursday, June 4, 2009

What a day!

Update #1: WE WON THE BOAT RACE!

Update #2: HAPPY BDAY TO MCKENNA!

Update #3: IT STOPPED RAINING!

It has been quite a day here. It is pretty cold and wet from all of the rain, which our students had to be out in all day. But they have had a ball! First, at lunch we surprised Kenna with gooey cookie sandwiches and has the whole dining hall sing to her. Then the kids competed in a thing called a Mega Relay with their bible studies, and they all enjoyed some cold POI's. Here are some pictures of the day, sorry no captions today- i am running late for worship! The pics uploaded backwards, so they go from tonight into this morning...

We have to check out of our rooms at 8 AM! Then we have a bible study and closing worship. So I probably wont post about tonight's worship till we are home, just fyi.

See you guys soon!

Wednesday Night Worship

Good morning everyone! It is a rainy and cold day here at camp, which means we are more sleepy than ever before! Please pray for the rain to pass over as soon as possible, so that our last day at camp is a great one!!

Last night’s worship service was a powerful one. They switched things up and organized things differently, and I think that really resonated with our students. Instead of starting with lots of worship music then having a sermon and then being dismissed, the sermon and music were woven throughout the night. It helped us focus in on the message and really think thru the words we were singing too.

Yesterday’s focus was on getting “Beyond your performance”. The day’s bible study and worship focused on us not being able to earn our salvation, or add anything to it. We are saved by grace alone! The Camp Pastor pointed out that most of us like religion because it gives us a system of measurements and standards to follow, a checklist. We are often trying to earn our entrance into heaven, but we must realize that our entrance into heaven will only be determined by what we did with Jesus Christ... did we accept Him as Lord and Savior or do we pretend to be a follower when it was convenient? He pointed out that often times Christians try to coerce God to answer their prayers by doing good deeds, so He will owe us something. God doesn't owe us anything. ANYTHING. And yet He has given us that which is EVERYTHING, Jesus Christ.

During worship, we went through the first 4 chapters of Galatians. I would recommend reading it today, just to challenge yourself to remember we are saved BY grace THROUGH faith. What are your motives for doing things? Whose approval are you seeking? These are the questions John Nix presented to our students. He proclaimed that it is not what we are doing but why we are doing it. Are you living so that Jesus will be exalted and proclaimed, so that people will know him? Or are you living so you will be exalted and proclaimed, so that people will notice you?

The main point to drive home today was to understand the Salvation we have received. That being a Christian is about having a real and lasting relationship with Jesus Christ, not doing all the churchy things to look good. Please be praying for our students to truly understand this, and please challenge them when they come home to live like this!

Also last night we had Stage Night, and Colton was in it. He played the guitar and sang a song. Several other groups from camp were in it, and it turned out to be a very entertaining night.

Today’s focus is moving “Beyond your plans”. We are going to be looking at how we fit into God’s plan to redeem humanity. Each of us are called to be a part of the plan, however God always requires more that we can offer so that he has the opportunity to fulfill through us what he requires.

Also today is the BOAT RACE! It will be at 6:30 pm tonight, so pray for the rain to go away by then!

I hope to have many pics to share later, but we will have to see how the weather goes (my camera doesnt seem to like lots of rain!).

Things to pray for:

Energy!
For our students to really confront all they are being taught and make a change in their lives!
Safety in the rain!
For the community to continue to grow, they are doing a great job of getting closer!
That our students would be grounded in their understanding of the gospel and would commit to trying to live each day seeking the Lord!