Hey sno-campers. I was really looking forward to your sharing last night in the "PraisenPrayer" time. And then the winds started to pick up and blow that powdery stuff around! Drat! Another time of fellowship thwarted by weather conditions in western NY. :(
I know that we attempted to get your juices flowing in the parking lot prior to departure, but it was not nearly long enough. Would you mind chiming in again and in print? Think about sending this link to some of the teens who were part of sno camp, but who are not necessarily part of our regular Sr Hi YG discussions. I would love to hear again (and more) of what God is doing in and around you through these events.
Here are some starter Q's:
- What was the bestest, favoritest part of the whole weekend? (Note: you may say hanging out with Pastor Mike -- only if it is true!) :)
- Rate the "cardboard sno snake sled" on a scale of one (what a watse of time/talent/energy and cardboard) to ten (that sled "rocked the house" dude -- or other appropriate teen-aged lingo).
- Rate the pizza Friday night on a scale of one (that was pizza?) to ten (Mama mia, viva Italiano, bon apettite, -- or other Italian phrases of delight).
- What ah-ha!/eureka!/oh-i-get-it-now! moments happened during this weekend?
- What one point of the messages really left a mark on your spiritual thoughts/life?
- What are you planning on working through with God's help in the next 3-4 weeks?
- Did you learn anything about leadership, teamwork, the group, yourself, ministry or the Bible?
I will add some of mine in a little while.
Thanks for going,
Pastor Mike
10 comments:
If I could just put my conversations with other teens in print that would take care of all those questions plus some and save me the time of trying to word out everything over again! BUt I suppose the more you think and rethink on it the more it becomes solidified in your brain so here goes! I had an a mazing time at snow camp i only wish a few more girls could have come and joined in it but I was so thankful for those who did. I feel like I know staphanie and Emily ten times better then I did before and Bethany too! OH, and I know for a fact I know Sarah ten times better cause now I actually know her and it was really fun getting to know her too!
So where do I begin? The pizza that I decided not to try this year? sorry everyone I cant comment on that cause I didnt taste it bit it looked.....well I hope everyone enjoyed eating that! Anyway moving on! I thought the snow buggy snow snake was great....even though we weren't very fast or anything it was awesome anyway because we made it and because we had fun doing it! And I know that even other teens from different churches got to enjoy it this year as well....it ws far from a waste of time! But then I can say all this cause I wasnt forced to go down in it this year! Was it a bumpy ride?
Honestly I dont know what my favorite part was cause it was all pretty great. I enjoyed every minute of it....well I am sure there were a few times that I was in pain or not happy about something but for the most part I wouldnt really cahnge any of it and even those not so great parts turned out to be growing experiences too.
The hardest question to answer (which should be the easiest) is how did I grow and what did I learn. This would be a whole lot easier if I could just let everyone into my head but that isnt gonna happen so I will do my best.
I was challenged to not be one more statistic .....oone more of those 50-80 percent of teens that will walk away from their faith. BUt more then just that I thought about all my friends. I have seen friends walk away I have seen past teens leave their faith behind and stop living for God. My reaction has always been to give up on them. I become disappointed and want to forget them and walk away too but that is just as wrong. I need to keep praying for them and encouraging them cause I could make s difference in whether they ever choose to come back to serving the Lord. I was really challenged to make sure I was doing everything for Christ. There are so many different motives for the things that I do but my motive my purpose in everything should be to glorify and honor the Lord. I want to serve Him first and I was reminded how easily I am pulled away. I am just as capable and likely to be part of that percent that walks away as any other teen in our youth group and I need to remember that. I am no stronger than any one else and I need people to help me and keep me accountable as I try to do the same for them.
I think one of the best things about this years snow camp believe it or not was the comversations I had with different people afterwards. Cause it was at those times that I really was able to get serious and glean out of everything I had learned. I was able to really get serious about Christ and pray with other teens about it together make sure we were totally committed to Christ and ready to serve Him and as a group beat the odds in our youth group......I dont want to be a youth group where we loe 50 to 80 percent! I want to defy the odds. And I know now that I am not helpless in changing that. i can make a difference even if I do just by praying!!!!!!!!!!
And now that i have finished writing this book I will try to leave some room for others to say something! ;-)
I had a wonderful time at snow camp. It was my first time, and it exceeded my expectations by far!
My Favorite part of the trip was probably the tactor/snake thing! That is so much fun! I should really ask my dad to do that with our tractor.
The "snow snake" was really cool! sorry I couldn't help make it but it was probably a 8 on the scale.
The pizza was pretty good, not AWESOME, but pretty good. and it helped that I was hungry. =]
The point Pastor Andy made about what christ did, taking whatever came at him, however hard it came at him, he still went through it all for our us. And the next thing he said was about what we should do to arrange our lives for Christ the way he arranged His life for us. That has made me think about some of the things I do only for myself when I could be using that time for his glory.
Even if that wasn't exactly clear, it really has been on my brain these past few days, and hopefully will be for a lot longer.
Thank you all for inviting me and including me.
Jacquelyn, you're the BEST!! I had so much fun with you this past weekend!
Emily~
the best part of snowcamp was the snake! i give the snow snake a 6 because it was lame !
the end
Next time I try to be moticational and get people to comment I will choose some one else besides my negative little brother to do the commenting!
By the way the snow snake wasnt lame and all I have to say to you Jordan is at least we brought the one we made if I do recall yours stayed at the church! Well, everyone I hope you all enjoyt writing and are a little more postive cause I thought this year was the best yet!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. BBB
I was at snow camp for one session but the message then was on how we need to be willing to let GOD rearrange our lives when and where he wants to.
this is something I have to continually remember because so often I have my agenda and I really need to be willing to do what God wants me to do when He wants me to.
I brought Stephanie homeand shetold me what she had got out of the sessions and then in talking to Bethany I wondered if they were at the same meetings. Just a confirmation that God meete people whjere they are at pretty cool.
First of all, what's up with no one saying that they liked hanging out with me at Snow Camp? Didn't you understand my coded message? :D
I am so excited about your growth -- that is what is the most important part of snow camp. For me actually the favoritest part of snow camp was mealtime -- that was the only time that we were all together and looking at each other and talking (with our mouths full of food!).
The cardboard snow snake was so cool! It looked good, it was a great project -- thanks to all those who helped build it. Jordan is however in charge of his own build team next year!
I have to admit that the pizza didn't look very good at all and only tasted okay. But there was a nice recovery from the kitchen staff with the chicken fingers on Saturday.
I appreciated Pastor Andy's heart and of course his camp experience. It really helped when it came to connecting with teens. This year's chapel services were great as far as the teens attention in chapel.
I was struck, as many o fthe others of you were by the staggering statistics that Pastor Andy shared. I really can't think about that figure or it will totally depress me!
I choose instead to assume that there are the next wave of church leaders here in the YG if there are 50-80% leaving. I have learned that as much as I hurt over those who are missing, (I miss them too)I have to minister to the ones who came. And the ones who came are my stewardship to lead.
I love hearing about your growth. I love watching your growth.
But I love helping you grow the most! :)
Pastor Mike
sorry about missing my first comment...but it wasnt that inportant. one of the best part s of snow camp was just going and learning was "Andy Man" had to teach. i liked how he got up there not to have a good time, but ended up having a good time cause he was up there.
i enjoyed making the sled but only wished that more people had shown up for its constrution.
the pizza was more like pizza than it has ever been but it still wasnt pizza.
my "i get it now" moment was in the second sermon during the worship. i dont really know what it was other than the hly spirit convicting me of not how i was living but how i wasnt living. i really took the statistic that Andy gave to heart, one in four teenage Christians will ditch their faith in the next ten years. that drove home a point that i never want to forget. i just realized (with some help from a friend) that i can talk to certain people about God and Christian living but why cant i talk to others, and im not referring to witnessing to the unsaved but encouraging those who are saved.
im not really sure how i am to be going about this change that has happened to me. but i am open to suggestions. i really need prayer in this area of my live; i mean i know what needs to be done, just not how to do it.
my leadership growing was changed, maybe put in check is a better terminology. i have been told that "im a leader, im a leader." quiet frankly i never wanted to be a leadr, but i see that God needs me to be more bold about my faith, not only with unbelievers but also with the saved.
in closing i want to say that this is the best year i went, partly because i was less injured than last year, but mainly because i can say that i remember what Andy talked on.
------Andrew
Well thanks a ton for making me cry my eyes out in hearing how amazing it was and that i missed it.. responsibilities stink!!! lol jk but i have to say how great it is to read all your comments and even though i wasnt there a couple things have already hit me pretty hard.. We have an incredible God.. We really do and he is doing not only amazing things in my life but all of yours and THAT IS SOOOO EXCITING TO HEAR!!!! because a very good friend of mine has this way of just saying something and getting me on fire for christ! but more than that i need to follow through with it all and like andrew said its not things you are doing but the things you arent doing! pretty bold statement right there.. Can we really ever do enough to Satisfy God??!! But if we whole heartedly give ourselfs to the Lord isnt that enough??!!Jacquelyn everything u said in your "book" :-) really got me thinking alot about life.. ya know we all are heading off to college soon scary i know.. CAN WE ALL HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS???!!!! LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH!!!! because how much it would hurt to be living and growing now then go to college etc and jes let it all fade.. Im not willing to put any of you through that and i hope you all wont do the same to me.. SO im asking you as teens,as leaders, to hold me accountable to that statement..
So see you dnt have to go to snow camp to learn!! :-D
by the way.. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO YOU ALL!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!
Yes. I love this kind of internet chatter. You guys are doing great!
As I listened/read to your comments, here's what I observe:
Jacq -- usually the first one in the water, usually calls others to follow her in; IF you want to be first, you had better get there before Jacq does; She will also hold you accountable to what you said you would do
JORDAN! -- can be needled into a response but will not give a good one; He has to decide to do it for himself; He will jump in first if he thinks that it is a race; He may jump in even if no one else does, if it looks like fun; He has my pal Brad's low tolerance for poor quality pizza! :)
Androoo -- will not easily back down from a challenge, simply need to be "double dog dared" to do it; anyone who gets back in the ring with the snake simply because he can't stand by and watch has some sort of leadership ability or a low fear of pain
ED NOte: IF Andrew posts "I am not a leader" or makes any comment to that end on this blog anymore he owes me a quarter. If you ctach him doing it and tell me about it, I'll give you the quarter!!:)
Laura -- has to have space to process things; can and does learn tons from listening to people debrief or directly challenge her; willing to listen; IF you rush off without giving Laura time to think about it first, you will be dragging her along and missing out on her insights; It kills Laura to be separated from the group -- SHE GETS TEAMWORK and has by the way issued you teammates a huge challenge (If you didn't listen, reread her post!)
Great thoughts all. Except for Jordan! LOL!
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