The Pursuit!

The Middle School Retreat (The Pursuit) was this past weekend in Sunset, South Carolina. We ended up taking 39 students and around 12 leaders. Our speaker for the week was one of Mike's good friends; Clint Wyllie. He flew in from Livingston, Texas to join us for the retreat and speak from God's Word. The theme for the weekend was: SPEAK. We learned from Jeremiah that God has formed us, set us aside for a specific purpose, and that God is always with us. What a powerful and relevant message for these kids!

We began the weekend with a 3 hour drive up through the mountains to Camp McCall. After the kids got settled in the dorms (dragging their leapherd printed suitcases up the hill) we had our first session in the chapel. It was a beautiful setting on the top of the mountain and the kids were excited to be there. Our first late night activity was called the "Russian KGB" where the leaders act like they have taken over camp, and the students must find clues to "destroy” them. Even in the middle of pouring down rain, we managed to get them excited about this late night camp adventure!! Leigh and I watched over the tiny innocent 6th grade girls who would scream at any sight of trouble. We had a great time running around camp with them and ended up getting 3rd place – They were very proud of themselves!

Saturday we woke up to a gorgeous day. It was filled with games, worship, 2 messages from Clint, the zipline, the pole climb, the human swingshot, and the high ropes course over the waterfall! The bright leaves were out in all their glory and the fall colors were simply unbelievable. Many of the students had never been in the mountains, and they really appreciated the beauty of the creation around us.

Romans 1:20 says
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Saturday evening was a challenging time for our students. Many were faced with the opportunity to make commitments to Lord; whether rededicating their lives or for the firs time. I personally had the privilege to pray with 3 girls who made a first time commitment to Christ. It was incredibly exciting as I watched their child-like faith come alive. I learned big lessons from them that night.

After spending some time in their life groups we had the traditional smore-making, hot chocolate drinking, camp song-singing fun around the camp fire. The night got colder and colder and not too many slept through the frigid night. Many were bundled in sweatshirts and blankets for our last session on Sunday morning and eagerly jumped on the warm bus for the ride home. Despite the conditions, however, I could tell their lives had been touched and that they have hopefully embraced the challenge to SPEAK in their schools and to be intentional about telling their friends about Jesus.

The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."

But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

JEREMIAH 1:4-8