Day 3 - Wednesday

We had lots of activity going on once again. It's been great seeing different groups of students diving in and getting to know one another who didn't connect before this retreat. Whether it was playing broomball together, tubing down the hill or climbing the wall it's been great watching students smile and laugh together.

Last night we looked at some key principles that we need to put into practice if we want to live courageously like Daniel...

We need to live consistently in front of others and the platform God has given us

Be in constant communication with God

Live confidently in the identity and purpose God has for our life

Stand strong in our resolve to obey God

Several students responded tonight, talking and sharing with leaders areas that they have been struggling to give God complete control of so they can stand out for Him. Other students confessed their need to make a change in their behavior and priorities so they can really get to know Christ in a deeper relationship then what they do right now.

After our session we headed to the game to play a nice friendly game of TubeWars in the gym. It's hard to explain the fun and competition that TubeWars brings but we're working to get some pictures up yet this morning before coming home so you can see for yourselves.

As we get ready to head home this morning pray for students as they are challenged to make a game plan for steps they need to take as we head home. To truly make the changes that students have said they want to they'll need to come up with next steps so they don't let those commitments slide. Pray for Wisdom and clarity as they seek God for those next steps.

Wednesday Pics

Today the students went through an experience to get them thinking about how God can use them when they get home. What if we stopped seeing ourselves as just Jr. Highers and saw ourselves as God did? Ferocious warriors for Him to use. We asked them to dream and think about ways that God wanted to use them in their schools, their youth group, in their relationships, to help kids in need and to use the platform that God has given them at school. The responses that the students shared were incredible.

In the afternoon we went to Monsoon Lagoon for some fun times miniature golfing, swimming and Go-Karting. It was a fun and exhausting time together.

Tonight our session was about bracing ourselves to be used by God. We talked about the traps that Satan likes to use to make us think that we can't be used. Traps that we hold on to and take our focus and attention away from God's plan for our lives. We looked at the traps of Sin, Image, Selfishness and Fear. In response tonight we asked students to identify the trap that they were holding on to, release it and share with their leaders so their leaders can pray with and over them. Many students responded in some amazing and powerful ways.

More later . . . enjoy some pics for now.

Day 3 - Brought Before the Crowd

I'm excited that you guys are being so open and authentic in your sharing. Keep it up!!! If you feel comfortable please share answers for the different questions such as examples or stories from your life. Sometimes here someone share a story helps us to not feel alone because maybe that same thing happened to someone else. Anyway, please continue to share and encourage others to post on the blog as well and to commit to the 30 day challenge. Day 3 is below:

Have you ever had a time where you did something or something happened to you in front of a large group of people and because of that people made fun of you or labeled you because of that event?

What happened and how did it make you feel?

Read the story of the Woman Caught in Adultery

The Bible says that the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought her in and made her stand in front of the whole group. Now we don't necessarily know just how many people that was but let's be serious, when we've done something that we know to be wrong, who really likes to have to stand in front of a whole crowd to admit it?

This was a huge group of people that were judging and criticizing her lifestyle and who she was. They were going to stone her. Let's be honest, we may not "stone" people with huge rocks these days but we can sure "stone" them with our words which probably causes more damage emotionally to a person than what physical damage may cause. I think there is a very important message in this passage for us to learn and apply.

We see Jesus step back and instead of judging or condoning the lifestyle of this woman he makes a completely different statement to these people and tries to get them to see from a different perspective. Was what the woman doing wrong according to how God would want her to live? Yes. But Jesus saw these teachers of the Law and Pharisees judging and criticizing her as if they had no fault or sin in their lives. Jesus said, "In any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." He knew that no one, except him, would be able to do that. Jesus knelt down and wrote in the sand. Although we don't know exactly what he wrote we do know that it made that group think and one by one they left.

Jesus was trying to teach them about a heart of compassion and forgiveness. When people sin, are different from us, look different, act different or just ARE DIFFERENT FROM US . . . sometimes they become an easy target for us to judge them. In those moments I truly believe Jesus would have us step back and have a heart of compassion for them. Not judge them, make fun of them or say false things about them that we know aren't true.

Jesus had the chance that he could have stoned the woman. It was lawful and he was the only one sinless there in that crowd. Jesus, however, choose not to stone her or condemn her. With compassion he pointed out that he no longer wanted her to live in sin but to live as God would want her. Because he handled things this way I believe she received his message and it made more of a lasting impact on her than anything the teachers of the Law or Pharisees could have ever done.

Next time you feel the need to judge or criticize someone. . . .STOP and THINK. Take the route of being compassionate to that person. How can you help them become better?

Has there been a time where you have verbally "stoned" someone that you can think of in the last day? week? month? year? Maybe the next step that God is asking you to take is to go and apologize to them and ask their forgiveness. Imagine how it could change their life and yours.

Share your thoughts with us . . . .