Winter Retreat Pictures

More Jr. High pics from the Winter Retreat.

Great afternoon

This morning during our group time we asked the questions, "what is it that you are struggling with that is leading you into the darkness instead of the light?" As we went around the circle in our group there were several themes that we saw from friends and peer pressure to anger, issues with trust and distractions. Many students saw that there were others who felt the same way and struggled with the same things. The thing that we're going to challenge students to answer before going home is identifying the next step or steps that they need to take so that they can allow the light of Christ to SHINE IN THEM the way HE wants it to.

Then in the afternoon we spent time playing broomball, paintball, basketball and of course more tubing. We just finished dinner and are about to start our last evening session. This has the potential to be a very challenging one for the students . . . to step out of their comfort zone or the trend they've lived in for so long and STAND OUT for Christ.

Be praying that the hearts of students would be open and that the walls of things like pride, fear, self-image, etc. would be put to the waste side and that students would have a desire and passion to CHANGE THE WORLD for His glory!!!

Winter Retreat Pics

Here are some pictures from the last few days. Enjoy . . . we definitely are!!!!

Monday Snapshot

What an awesome day. After breakfast we had an opportunity to spend some time alone with God. Afterwards we split out into seperate youth groups for some individual time to talk about what God is doing individually. Students were very open during the group time sharing what God has already been teaching them and some shared steps they need to take to get closer to God.

After lunch we had times for paintball, horseback riding, cross country skiing, broomball, gym time . . . pretty much just about anything. We had four hours of amazing fun times together to laugh and get connected.

The big moment last night was during our session. As Drew shared about how sin can really cause an infection in our heart caused by sin. He challenged students to identify what sin they have been struggling or what things they have been doing that have been causing them to sin. They were challenged to release those things to Christ and allow him to cleanse them. We celebrated together in worship together. They're have been some great discussions during our dorm times of what students have released to God.

For our final activity together we pulled together in the gym for a time of community dodgeball. There is no better way to bring a group together than to throw rubber balls at one another. Guy or girl, leader or student, this was an awesome way to end the night together in fun.

Continue to pray for God's move in the lives of the students as the next few days go on and continued safety. Pray also for our time together after TAWG this morning in about an hour and a half.

We'll be posting some pictures this afternoon so you can see first hand what we've been up to. Until then . . .

NMC Regional Winter Retreat

Sorry for the late update parents. We arrived safely to SpringHill last night around 6 pm. Dinner was great and students were ready for some food.

Drew Ryall is our speaker for Jr. High and he did a great job last night in our time with students during our first session. Students were challenged to let Christ be the source of energy and life. They were asked to evaluate where they were at in their relationship with Christ.

Afterwards we had a time of community building as all Jr. Highers and their leaders went tubing down the tubing hill here at SpringHill camp. We all had a lot of fun laughing together down the hill.

Right now we're sitting in the cafeteria about to eat. More updates to come . . . .