Fresh Faith

This past weekend was our middle school youth kids spring camp and I went along. I will be honest with you I did not want to go at all.. I wanted a weekend without 2 kids in the house fighting over whose been on the Playstation longer (by the way I am about to sell that demon thing) I wanted a weekend with no smart mouth, I just wanted a weekend with Eric and Tyler the one that has not turn into a teenager yet. You know a peaceful restful weekend. Even up to the time we got there I was not wanting to go, getting on the bus I still didn't want too. I was struggling with it but I didn't want any of the kids see me feel that way cause these are a group of 30 great middle school kids. So, I took a deep breath and said a prayer. I didn't feel peace until we actually step in the church and our youth band Ready To Rise started playing at that moment I knew I was were God wanted me to be...

I was reminded what the theme was Fresh Faith, boy just seeing those words was something I knew right then I needed to be here cause I have been in a slump... We had a great speaker Chad and I think his last name was Irland but it might not have been.. anyway..He spoke from Hebrews 3:7 and basically told us that if we are 1 degree off with God our faith is going sour. If we are not engaging on a personal level with God and we are not encouraging each other then we will not be able to endure to the end... I could tell just from this night it was going to be a good weekend.

Saturday morning Stephen taught out of Psalm 42:1-5 and the basic of it was God tells us every day where to meet him but we ignore it and then our faith goes sour cause we are not spending time w/ God. We need to spend time w/ Him daily but doing devotions, journal, praying, and reading His word. We need to engage Him each day. He claims us as His friend and we say He is ours but when was the last night you spent time with Him like you would your best friend... ouch, toes are being stepped on...

Saturday night Chad came back and spoke to us again out of James 1:21-25 and this was on true reflections, God's truth is like a mirror and it reflects into our life. We need to examine our self and let God exam our heart, not to be just a hearer where we hear all of his truth but we don't do His work. We need to go out and explore ways to imply truth into our life. God puts you in places and puts people in front of you for a reason to be able to explore the truths. We are also to escape the things that keeps up putting off our faith and get rid of those things, tv shows, music, friends, places we go, on and on...

Then on Sunday Bucky closed it for us out and on this day boy tears c0me back.. He had us spread out for about 5 mins and for that time we were to sit there and sing whatever praise song we wanted to. Within a minute I could hear all these different songs being sung and I was just in ah with it hearing these 12-14 yr old kids singing praises out loud. It as truly a wonderful experience. Our goal should be to build our relationship with God. It needs to come from the inside out. We need to start with God, love Him, let Him come first, worship Him, be with people that share the same goal, encourage each other and strengthen each other. Our relationship with God should come above all else... Thank you Jesus, I pray to put you first and spend time with You each and every day...

You want to know what goes on these trips beside the spiritual which let me tell ya watching a group of teenagers sing,hugging each other, crying with each other, encourageing one another, praying, listen and watch God move in them you can't get no better than that. I am honor to be there. I learn so much from them each time I am around them. But here is all the other stuff.. We got on a bus and headed to Fayetville GA the girls were staying w/ Laura parents (have to be the nicest people ever, and just wonderful host) and the boys were staying w/ Stephen aunt and uncle and we were meeting up at Laura parents church that was in the middle.. So, after our worship session we get to the house and get our rooms and our kids in our room and no we didn't look first but me and Shannan got a room w/ a big comfy king size bed and a bathroom so we slept good. We had some great 8th grade ladies in our room and I swear being in a room w/ this group we felt like we were at a spend the night party w/ all the stories and laughter. After getting some rest on Friday night we got up Saturday went to the church for our morning session and then off to Stone Mountain we went. Now, we were told that we were hiking up the rock which I was not going to say a word but the girls in our room didn't bring hiking shoes w/ them they brought flip flops so I volunteer to take that group and we rode the tram up to the top.. WOW, glad I made it to the top it was beautiful looking at all God's creation. We did decided that we would hike down shouldn't take that long... WRONG!!!!!!!!!! We are not talking about walking down a path we are talking jumping from rock to rock, going down this big ole rock. Nor, did we know about the path that took you into Stone Mountain so we go all the way to the end then come out miles from where we are suppose to be meeting our group.. It took us another 50 mins to walk to where we were to meet. So, needless to say I got my walking in for a week in 1 day.. But boy, it was great to spend time w/ our group, spend time with one of my closet friends and God's glory.. We did meet up with the groups hiking up and I have to give them all hand. I honestly proud of my oldest cause he did it and I didn't think he could..Stephen my middle child hike up and down and winded up getting dehydrate and got sick several times on the way down.. Saturday night after dinner and worship the kids played some great games I got to be a 7th grade girl and help out some just didn't do the crawling. Sunday we got up loaded up and went to the boys place and had our last time together before heading off.. Did, I want to go? No.. Am I glad I went? I am truly blessed to be serving alongside great youth leaders and under Bucky and Stephen spending time with great group of kids... I was truly blessed, I love those kids!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait until the fall trip.