Student Life 2012

Day 2

It's hard to believe that there's only one more full day at camp, but it's been amazing to see how the Lord is already working in the hearts and minds of our students and adults.

The theme of camp this year is "AUDACIOUS," which means to be bold and forthcoming.  So often, believers are content to remain silent about their faith, ignoring opportunities that the Lord gives us to multiply our faith.  We've been challenged several times already to not allow the world or the enemy to make us stay silent about this salvation we've been given, and one incredible opportunity to change this apathetic trend has already been given and accepted.  One of Student Life's ministry partners is Compassion International (www.compassion.com), which works to release children from poverty in Jesus' name.

A former compassion child, named Victor, gave his testimony tonight about how his sponsor changed his life forever and allowed him the opportunity to hear about Jesus and become a believer.  Then, all of the students and adults here were challenged to take up the call of the helpless and sponsor children around the world.  Hundreds of students, including several Chapel Hill students, answered this challenge, and now there will be hundreds of children who have the chance to hear the gospel.  Praise the Lord for His mighty hand and the moving of His Spirit!!  May He continue to move and work among us.

Please pray for us while we are getting ready to finish up camp.  We need prayers for emotional and spiritual healing, and for the Lord to continue to lead us how He will and show us where He wants us to go.

If you'd like to see pictures from camp, click here!

Gatlinburg Official Video 2012

Gatlinburg Day 2

We've been having an incredible time in Gatlinburg this weekend.  The Lord has truly blessed us with incredible weather, incredible friends and leaders, and, most importantly, incredible time in His Word. The Bible Studies this weekend have been stemming from the most frequent "strange" questions that people have about Christianity and the Bible.  These are questions that people often wonder about but are too afraid to ask in a big-group setting.  So far, our topics have been what the Bible says about...

... Ghosts
... Dinosaurs
... Dragons
... Creation
... What Heaven will be like (Revelation 21-22)
... Sin, Salvation, and the Unpardonable Sin

We're looking forward to what the students decide they'd like to discuss tonight.  The best thing that's happened by far is that they are beginning to understand that the Bible holds all of the answers to every question we can have about life.  By it, we have knowledge of the truth, and if we believe the Bible's truth, then we can really know God himself, the One who gave us the truth that can transform our lives.

Please pray for us as we finish out our weekend.  It should be good!

Middle School Gatlinburg Scavenger Hunt 2012

I know this is short, but we have made it to Gatlinburg safe and sound. I will send a more detailed update in the morning. Please pray for our leaders and children as we begin our study in the morning!

Gatlinburg Day 3

What a day!  Our last full day in Gatlinburg has been one that we'll never forget.

We started off our day in Cade's Cove, taking a hay ride around the wilderness loop.  On our 2-hour trek across the cove, we saw five bears, two deer, and several turkey!!  Interesting to say the least, especially when three of the bears climbed the tree right above the trailer!!

More importantly than that though, we spent quality time in the Word talking about and learning about Heaven.  1 Peter 1:3-9 talks about our spiritual inheritance as believers... our salvation, Christ, that will be revealed in the last days.  We learned that the hope of Christ is what should drive us every day, in our decisions, in our actions, and in our avoidance of sin.  Lots of good questions were asked and a good discussion was had.  We ended with a challenge from Ephesians 4-5 that encouraged us to take every opportunity we have to live and share the gospel, so that this Heaven we discussed can be a reality for more and more people.

A special thanks goes out to Tyler Johnson, who spent his whole trip helping with anything at all that needed to be done.  Tyler, I don't know what we'd do without you!  (I have to type this, he's sitting next to me right now :) ).

We head back in the morning!  Please pray for us as we return home and get ready to put into practice what we've learned this weekend!

Gatlinburg Day 2

http://youtu.be/gHeRwEFMI5o

Here's the link to the youtube video of our scavenger hunt in downtown Gatlinburg today.  We had a blast and got lots of great pictures, so check it out!

We also had a great day in the Word today.  This morning, we fnished up on 1 Peter 1:2, talking about the issue of predestination and free will.  It was heady, but the students handled the information really well and had great discussion about this age-old topic.

Tonight, we went through several Scriptures related to topics that students had questions about.  It was a great Bible study and everyone contributed really well to our discussion.

Stay tuned to the blog for more updates on our last full day in the mountains!!