After four days and four nights at camp, we are exhausted and energized, all at the same time. It has been a stretching and beautiful experience. The students have fully embraced us- again, the lower numbers of students make it possible for us each to have a personal relationship with each of them. It’s been great. We love each of them.
Annie spoke on Tuesday night about faith. The Lord showed up in a big way and about 80% of the students responded to the invitation to grow in faith.
Tom spoke on Wednesday about the life of Jesus and what it looks like to live like Him. Many students also responded to this message, as was evident in the small groups this afternoon- many of them spoke about Jesus and His life and what that meant to them.
The small groups have gone well. The students have opened up to our counselors and we are truly seeing lives changed before our eyes.
Tonight the talk was on worship and how to live a lifestyle of worship. For the first time this week, we really are seeing the students embrace worship. Even as I type right now, it is 11:35pm, and the students have been worshipping for over an hour. Which is HUGE because for the last couple of nights the students have “survived” through 2 songs after the message then scooted. So for them to somewhat grasp the goodness of God and decide that He is worthy of worship FOR AN HOUR! is amazing.
Be certain, though, that all of this fruit is coming at a cost- we are fighting spiritually constantly. Our prayer shield is more important to us now than ever. Please press in for us for the rest of camp and the rest of our trip. The enemy does not give up, and neither will we! We see God moving and we hang on tight to Him to be our Defender and our Protector, as well as the Victor in this battle for these students!
Here are our specific prayer requests:
Tom’s left ear is stopped up. It doesn’t hurt, he just can’t hear out of it. He says, “maybe God is trying to teach me how to listen”. ☺ We’ll see. Please continue to pray for him- he speaks tomorrow night here at camp and again Sunday morning at the church where the majority of students come from (Gary’s church). Pray specifically that the blockage will break up and his hearing will be fully restored.
Cheryl is still sick.
Our team, as a whole, is tired. We are pressing on and pressing in as much as possible, but we need your support to hold us up and help us complete the race we have run so far.
We have one more full day at camp and then the students leave around 11:30am. Pray that we will be creative tomorrow, as creative as we were on our first day! That we would be as enthusiastic as we end as we were in the beginning!
Tom is speaking tomorrow (Friday) night on Real Love, but at the students’ request (fantastic!), he will also be including how to hear the voice of God.
Our heart, above all else, is that God would make these PERMANENT changes in the students’ lives. That this wouldn’t be a temporary change, but a God-ordained life change. That God would seal the work that He has begun and that the church we are working with would foster and grow what God has begun here in these hearts.
There are two specific students we would ask that you pray for: Andrew and Jane. I don’t think it is appropriate to give you details, but they both desperately need the Lord’s touch. And maybe I can just say that our patience is near spent on Andrew, though our hearts break for him at the same time. PRAY for them.
And of course, continue to pray however the Lord leads you. Hopefully by the weekend we will be able to post more pictures and give you an overall report.
We have seen God move. And we love Him for it. And want MORE!
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3 comments:
Wonder what the students would think of Face Down!? I know the progress has come at a price, but a price worth paying. Reminds me of a book Pray the Price. Steve and I lift you up every day. I love the blog! Every mission trip should have one....It keeps us updated on your needs for prayer and we feel connected.
We are praying! What a terribly exciting time you are having, the Lord's voice and presence so real to you as you are forced to battle in the Spirit. The mission field always does that to me. I am reminded of this verse... keep pressing forward with everything you have. You can sleep on the plane.
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
" Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly (in our flesh) we are wasting away(getting very frustrated) yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles(frustrations, patience) are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen(their behavior) , but on what is unseen (their salvation!!) For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Love all of you....
The second verse was for the two kids....
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