"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still despicable Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8
Yesterday marked the end of one of my favorite weeks of the year, the week spent at HSU in Abilene for Super Summer. 600-700 Christian students, from those going into 8th grade to those going into their freshman year of college, gathered together for a week of Jesus. Each grade was placed in a colored school before being further split into small groups called family groups. After every school session and Rainbow Celebration, we would get together in our family groups and discuss what God had told us.
After the pictures below, I wrote down a few things that stuck out to me over the past few days.
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| The Yellow School room, where we had all of our school sessions |
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Due to a rather intense rainstorm, the rec fields were too wet
and muddy for us to play on them, so we went into the gym |
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Tuesday's "Wild and Crazy" games were patterned after a car race, with the
addition of numerous road hazards--such as rain (a.k.a. a bucket of water
in your face). |
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These are four of my closest friends, (from left to right) Delaine, Angel,
Timothy, and Crystal. |
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The main speaker of the week, Ryan Fontenot, came to do a Q&A with
our school on Tuesday. |
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Left to right: JT, our school's Worship Leader; Jonathan, our Assistant
Dean; and Nick, our Dean |
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| This is my (amazing) family building a pyramid. :D |
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The golf cart drivers had water guns and were quite happy to use them on the
students. |
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Nick played "Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fire" for us one day.
It was absolutely fantastic. |
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Jeff and Jourdan Johnson, the main worship leaders for the week, also
came to do a Q&A. In this picture, Jourdan was telling the story of how
Jeff proposed. |
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| Ethan and I... |
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| ...and Clay and I. :D |
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Family photos--we should make greeting cards or something.
The back row: Brandon, Teddy, Joel, Connor, Lucas, and Blake
The front: Tanya, Emily, Sarah Beth, Macy, Kali, Starmie, Alyssa, Delaine,
myself, and Momma Kim |
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And finally, on the day we came home, I was able to meet up
with two friends of mine, Macy and Miranda, at Chik-fil-A in the mall. :D
And...I was just a bit sunburnt... |
This year was my fourth and, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my absolute favorite. First off, it was the first and only year Ethan, Clay and I would all be able to go as students, so that made it special. Also, my family group this year was exceptionally fantastic. Each and every one of my brothers and sisters contributed to family discussions with wisdom, prayer requests, encouragement, and lessons learned. They all showed incredible honesty and maturity and it was a blessing to be able to learn from and get to know them. My mom, Kim, and my dad, Tyeler, both exuded Christ in all they did. It was an inspiration to be around. In addition, we were able to see God work in mighty ways--even in just a few too-short days--by answering prayers the day they were asked.
It. Was. Awesome.
Out of the hundred things that God reminded me of or taught me this week, I feel called to share a few.
• During one session on prayer and desiring God, I thought, "How quickly would I jump at the opportunity to freely talk with the President or Queen of England or some other celebrity, but I so often put off talking like a friend with the God who created me?" Ow. That one hurt.
• When Moses saw the back of God on Mount Sinai, his face glowed so brightly that, when he came down, he had to cover it with a veil. But "we all, as with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Cor. 3:18). If Moses just saw God's back and his face was so bright others couldn't look at it, how much brighter ought we, who have seen God's face, to shine His glory in all that we do? Like that song says, "Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine!" Let your light shine! We're not one of many lights of the world, we are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14).
• As you live for Jesus, Satan'll come for you, and it'll be hard, but guess what: he ain't winning. Even though you may not be able to feel Him, God is with you all the time.
One way the devil attacks us is through the mocking of others. In Lamentations 3:14, Jeremiah said, "I have become the laughingstock of all peoples, the objects of their taunts all day long." But later on in verse 61 and 64, he says, "You have heard their taunts, O Lord...you will repay according to the work of their hands." I just find it such a comfort to know that God isn't deaf to the insults thrown at us. He's our Dad, and, like a good dad, He comforts his children when they're hurt.
• "We don't have to change the World--leave that to Christ. Let Him change your world. Then you will affect others around you."
• In Psalms 23:6, David says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." But just two verses before, he talked about walking through the valley of death. So even when we're walking in that valley, God's goodness is still present. He saved us! In the words of a song, "Though troubles linger still / Whom shall I fear?"
Finally, a word of encouragement to anyone who went to Super Summer: You know that work that God started in you this week? Remember in Sonrise, the first song that we sang went something like this: "Promise Maker, Promise Keeper / You finish what you begin." The things God began to change in us this week He will complete. He doesn't do things by halves. So don't give up. Yeah, it'll probably be really hard, and it'll hurt, but you know what? He's worth it.
And you know what else? No matter what, because of Christ's work, you are Despicable No More. Don't forget it.
