Can You Find Dre in this Picture?
Showing posts with label Falls Creek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Falls Creek. Show all posts
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Saturday, July 05, 2008
We are Back!
What a great week! Yesterday we had a great day of worship, fun and more worship! I want to say thank you to all of our sponsors and cooks: Hillary Atkinson, Megan Dobrinski, Shawna Mattes, Jana Purcell, Kristen Pieper, Sarah Lehew, Greg McMullen, James Purcell, Chris Matthews, Bob Thomason, Brian Shepard, Brandon Helscel, Jennifer Grant, Jana Foley, Pam Vallett, and Lena Mohney!
Our cooks won 2nd place for their meat dish: Subtle Butt(a.k.a. Roast)--ask your students about subtle butt :) They did such a great job! The food was tremendous!
A HUGE THANK YOU to Brian, Chris, Jake, and Amber for leading us in nightly worship---you guys are great! Thanks for your ministry to us during the week!
Also thank you to our students who helped to stay back and clean the cabin while everyone went home: Brittany, Kristen, Katie, Danielle, Andrea, Jacob, Nick, James, and Brian and Kristen! You guys did wonderful.
Overall we saw God do amazing things: One student gave their life to Christ, 5 students feel called to ministry, and we saw many students--over half of our students reconnect and recommit their lives to Christ!
We will be sharing what God did on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 a.m., so parents, I hope you will join us!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Falls Creek Update Wednesday, July 2
Hello again Parents and Church! We had a great day yesterday! Pastor Scott and Brian V. made it in yesterday afternoon. I am so grateful for our pastor...we are very blessed as a church to have Scott. Scott has always been so supportive of our students.
Parents, you will not believe this, but for us this is a first......drum roll please...........the guys won the Tuesday Edition of Dorm Wars! Not that it was perfect, but our guys won! Interesting enough you'll see the picture of the shrine of beauty products on our girls side....quite funny!
Our students played softball and volleyball yesterday afternoon.....our softball team played their hearts out, but lost. Our girls volleyball team won their first game!!! Wahoo!!
Our prayer this weeek is that students will "Be Still and Know that He is God". One of the ways is through teaching our students what a daily quiet time is. Please pray that
our students through this time will fall in love with Christ and His Word. Pray that the Word of God will bring refreshment and encouragement to the lives of our students.
Last night was a great night of worship! Darren Spoo, the speaker for our evening worship services challenged us out of John 1. He challenged us with the question: What kind of shoe are U in the context of your relationship with Christ? He brought out four pairs of shoes:
1. Fuzzy Slippers--fuzzy shoes are comfortable....are you tooo comfortable in your walk with Christ? Has it become just another thing to do?
2. High Heeled Shoes--high heeled shoes are tight and uncomfortable(not that I would know--but that's what the ladies say). Those who have a high heeled shoe relationship with Christ is characterized by being tight and uncomfortable--more about rules than a relationship.
3. Sunday Shoes--Sunday Shoes are shoes you wear once a week. those who have a Sunday Shoe relationship with Christ is characterized by an affair one day a week--your relationship with Christ is not a lifestyle but an hour or two.
4. Dress Up Shoes--he compared this to his children wearing his shoes for dress up. Dress up Shoes relationship with Christ is when you have not made your faith your own--you are living your parents faith.
So I ask, "Which one are You?" In our family group last night we added one more: Work Boots. People who have a Work Boot relationship focus so much on the doing that they rarely experience God. To be honest this is one I struggle with...I sometimes get so busy doing that I miss God, but I would say at the same time I also experience God through the serving....I see God change lives!
None of these shoes adequately describe or characterize what a true relationship with God looks like. The Bare Foot--no shoes is more of what a true relationship is---coming to Christ as we are with all of our imperfections and following Him.
God is up to something here. There are many students that are thinking. There are some students who know God in their mind, but not in their heart. Could you pray that would know in their heart that He is God?
We had a few students make decisions last night and I will share more either later today or tomorrow, but want to adequately follow up. God is doing work in the lives of our students and our adults.
Will try again to post pictures later today. Please pray for Pam V. as she makes her way here today to help cook! I love our cooks--it really is the hardest job of them all--Jennifer and Jana are wonderful! Thank you also for praying for Rachel B.--she is feeling better!
In Christ,
Mike
*Don't forget to also pray for our AWESTAR and China missionaries!
*Feel free to leave any comments and we will share those with the students!
Hello again Parents and Church! We had a great day yesterday! Pastor Scott and Brian V. made it in yesterday afternoon. I am so grateful for our pastor...we are very blessed as a church to have Scott. Scott has always been so supportive of our students.
Parents, you will not believe this, but for us this is a first......drum roll please...........the guys won the Tuesday Edition of Dorm Wars! Not that it was perfect, but our guys won! Interesting enough you'll see the picture of the shrine of beauty products on our girls side....quite funny!
Our students played softball and volleyball yesterday afternoon.....our softball team played their hearts out, but lost. Our girls volleyball team won their first game!!! Wahoo!!
Our prayer this weeek is that students will "Be Still and Know that He is God". One of the ways is through teaching our students what a daily quiet time is. Please pray that
our students through this time will fall in love with Christ and His Word. Pray that the Word of God will bring refreshment and encouragement to the lives of our students.
Last night was a great night of worship! Darren Spoo, the speaker for our evening worship services challenged us out of John 1. He challenged us with the question: What kind of shoe are U in the context of your relationship with Christ? He brought out four pairs of shoes:
1. Fuzzy Slippers--fuzzy shoes are comfortable....are you tooo comfortable in your walk with Christ? Has it become just another thing to do?
2. High Heeled Shoes--high heeled shoes are tight and uncomfortable(not that I would know--but that's what the ladies say). Those who have a high heeled shoe relationship with Christ is characterized by being tight and uncomfortable--more about rules than a relationship.
3. Sunday Shoes--Sunday Shoes are shoes you wear once a week. those who have a Sunday Shoe relationship with Christ is characterized by an affair one day a week--your relationship with Christ is not a lifestyle but an hour or two.
4. Dress Up Shoes--he compared this to his children wearing his shoes for dress up. Dress up Shoes relationship with Christ is when you have not made your faith your own--you are living your parents faith.
So I ask, "Which one are You?" In our family group last night we added one more: Work Boots. People who have a Work Boot relationship focus so much on the doing that they rarely experience God. To be honest this is one I struggle with...I sometimes get so busy doing that I miss God, but I would say at the same time I also experience God through the serving....I see God change lives!
None of these shoes adequately describe or characterize what a true relationship with God looks like. The Bare Foot--no shoes is more of what a true relationship is---coming to Christ as we are with all of our imperfections and following Him.
God is up to something here. There are many students that are thinking. There are some students who know God in their mind, but not in their heart. Could you pray that would know in their heart that He is God?
We had a few students make decisions last night and I will share more either later today or tomorrow, but want to adequately follow up. God is doing work in the lives of our students and our adults.
Will try again to post pictures later today. Please pray for Pam V. as she makes her way here today to help cook! I love our cooks--it really is the hardest job of them all--Jennifer and Jana are wonderful! Thank you also for praying for Rachel B.--she is feeling better!
In Christ,
Mike
*Don't forget to also pray for our AWESTAR and China missionaries!
*Feel free to leave any comments and we will share those with the students!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Falls Creek Update-Tuesday Morning, July 1
Good morning parents and church! We had a great day yesterday--only one snag with the transportation--we had to switch our charter bus at our lunch stop--it was a very smooth transition. We arrived at Falls Creek around 1:45 p.m. and got a chance to sing Happy Birthday to Elizabeth--she was a presented with a gift--"I Would Die for You" by Brent and Deanna Higgins--the story of BJ Higgins(www.prayforbj.com) who gave his life for Christ. Elizabeth is new with us this year, so it was a great opportunity for everyone to get to know her.
The students had an opportunity to go swimming and to the different ropes courses before dinner. Each student is in a family group led by one of our sponsors. Would you pray that through these family groups each of our students get connected this week? We've got a great group of students!
Also, please pray for one of our young ladies, Rachel. She has a sore throat and is not feeling well this morning. We took her to the clinic yesterday, but the doctor was not there--we will try again this morning. Just pray that she will be back to normal this afternoon after getting some rest.
Please pray for focus. Last night there seemed to be some sort of spiritual obstacle , not from students but from the enemy. We had our cabin devotions planned out, but changed them due to a sense that the enemy was trying to keep us from focusing. Last night in our cabin devotions, our theme was EXAMINATION using the Scripture from Psalms 139:23,24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." So essentially through this Scripture and speaking it, we were giving the Holy Spirit permission to step on our toes--to reveal anything that offends Him. As Brian asked us to pray, it seemed to be the turning point for the evening.This along with the worship was a turning point to becoming focused.
We asked the students and I ask you, "What Kind of Sheep are U?" Everyone falls into one of these three categories:
a. You are a goat, not a sheep(Read Matthew 25:31-46 and John 10)
Do you know Christ as Lord and Savior--not just do you say it but do you live it? Has there been a point in time where you gave your life to Christ? Unfortunately, according to the Scripture, if you have not done this you will be cast into the eternal fire(v. 41)
b. You are a sheep, but not following Christ
This is a difficult sentence as we explained tonight because in our church culture it seems we can justify anything and try to fit everything under the heading of being a believer. Essentially are you following or not...He's either Lord or He is not--there really is no in between although in our American culture we have added a category to make us feel "safe". (Romans 6:1-2)
c. You are a sheep on the heels after Christ following diligently behind Him
Are you following Christ as best you know how? Is He the center of your life?
What kind of sheep are U?
After our worship time, the family groups met to dive further into these three points along with talking about how they are doing. It was a great time of sharing and praying for one another.
We got to bed about 12:05 p.m. Man, our guys did great in getting to sleep--so kudos to our guys.
We have an incredible group this week. Today is our first full day and will be eating breakfast shortly. We have two incredible cooks--Jennifer G. and Jana F.--Pam V. will be joining the team tomorrow!
I will try to post some pictures later today and may see if we can get a video posted as well. You can check out last nights evening service at www.skopos.org .....go to Falls Creek/Current Camp Materials/Evening Service.
Also, keep praying for our AWESTAR and China missionaries this week!
Jacob sends out a shout out to his family--Woot, Woot! Zachary says hi mom in Kansas!
Thank you for praying!
Mike
Good morning parents and church! We had a great day yesterday--only one snag with the transportation--we had to switch our charter bus at our lunch stop--it was a very smooth transition. We arrived at Falls Creek around 1:45 p.m. and got a chance to sing Happy Birthday to Elizabeth--she was a presented with a gift--"I Would Die for You" by Brent and Deanna Higgins--the story of BJ Higgins(www.prayforbj.com) who gave his life for Christ. Elizabeth is new with us this year, so it was a great opportunity for everyone to get to know her.
The students had an opportunity to go swimming and to the different ropes courses before dinner. Each student is in a family group led by one of our sponsors. Would you pray that through these family groups each of our students get connected this week? We've got a great group of students!
Also, please pray for one of our young ladies, Rachel. She has a sore throat and is not feeling well this morning. We took her to the clinic yesterday, but the doctor was not there--we will try again this morning. Just pray that she will be back to normal this afternoon after getting some rest.
Please pray for focus. Last night there seemed to be some sort of spiritual obstacle , not from students but from the enemy. We had our cabin devotions planned out, but changed them due to a sense that the enemy was trying to keep us from focusing. Last night in our cabin devotions, our theme was EXAMINATION using the Scripture from Psalms 139:23,24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." So essentially through this Scripture and speaking it, we were giving the Holy Spirit permission to step on our toes--to reveal anything that offends Him. As Brian asked us to pray, it seemed to be the turning point for the evening.This along with the worship was a turning point to becoming focused.
We asked the students and I ask you, "What Kind of Sheep are U?" Everyone falls into one of these three categories:
a. You are a goat, not a sheep(Read Matthew 25:31-46 and John 10)
Do you know Christ as Lord and Savior--not just do you say it but do you live it? Has there been a point in time where you gave your life to Christ? Unfortunately, according to the Scripture, if you have not done this you will be cast into the eternal fire(v. 41)
b. You are a sheep, but not following Christ
This is a difficult sentence as we explained tonight because in our church culture it seems we can justify anything and try to fit everything under the heading of being a believer. Essentially are you following or not...He's either Lord or He is not--there really is no in between although in our American culture we have added a category to make us feel "safe". (Romans 6:1-2)
c. You are a sheep on the heels after Christ following diligently behind Him
Are you following Christ as best you know how? Is He the center of your life?
What kind of sheep are U?
After our worship time, the family groups met to dive further into these three points along with talking about how they are doing. It was a great time of sharing and praying for one another.
We got to bed about 12:05 p.m. Man, our guys did great in getting to sleep--so kudos to our guys.
We have an incredible group this week. Today is our first full day and will be eating breakfast shortly. We have two incredible cooks--Jennifer G. and Jana F.--Pam V. will be joining the team tomorrow!
I will try to post some pictures later today and may see if we can get a video posted as well. You can check out last nights evening service at www.skopos.org .....go to Falls Creek/Current Camp Materials/Evening Service.
Also, keep praying for our AWESTAR and China missionaries this week!
Jacob sends out a shout out to his family--Woot, Woot! Zachary says hi mom in Kansas!
Thank you for praying!
Mike
Monday, June 30, 2008
Falls Creek or BUST!
We leave in the morning for Falls Creek. If you don't know much about Falls Creek, it is the largest youth camp in the world. Each week, 5,000-7,000 students gather together to worship and seek God. You can check out more at http://www.skopos.org/ and go to Falls Creek. You can also listen to the evening worship services by going to the same website and clicking on Falls Creek/ Camp Materials/Listen to the Service
It's going to be an incredible week. I am hoping that we can provide you with daily updates to see and hear what God is doing through pictures, testimonies, and blog reports. The first update will probably be Tuesday morning--Mondays are always a hard day due to traveling and getting everyone on the same page.
Could you pray with us this week? Pray for those who do not know Christ to ask Him into their lives and for each of us as believers to truly seek God. The theme for the whole camp is GRAZE....our cabin theme/t-shirt is "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There." We've all heard at one point in our life from our parents or another authority figure, "Don't Just Stand There, Do Something." We want to challenge our students to simply spend time with our Messiah--simply to love Him--adore Him. Our desire is to "be still and know that He is God." Would you pray that our students would not be blinded by the misperceptions that is presented to them about who God is by the world? Pray that they would KNOW the real God and His deep desire to know and love them.
Parents, I pray that you will be refreshed this week! I will be praying for you as you prepare for your students return on Saturday.
Mike
**Also, while we are at camp....check out the AWESTAR updates of our missionaries in Peru(Mikayla and Aaron) and Chile(Bethany) among other trips @ http://www.awestar.org/ and to go trip updates. We also have another missionary in China(Mandy). We had a great opportunity to host the AWESTAR missionary leaders before they headed for AWESTAR University--what a great experience--so in essence we feel like all those who are going on AWE trips are part of our church family!
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