A "Nostalgic" Weekend in FOCUS

It felt "familiar," but not. Bay and I spent the weekend speaking at a youth retreat for a local youth ministry that is ExTrEmElY reminiscent of our POWER HOUSE life (what feels like only days gone-by, but, in actuality, is almost 20-years in the by-gone). There were even former staff and students in attendance...now the staff and students have teens that are a part of this ministry. In case you're wondering, we felt old; but, the good news is, not irrelevant, or useless.  About 50-gathered at Sonlight Christian Camp here in Pagosa (which is really a good number, considering all the students that are involved in sports). Our job was to speak (see pictures above) Jesus-Truth, and unwrap just how He can help us live "Faith Over Feeling." Teens in today's era seem far more governed by emotion, than I remember a generation ago. So, the two of us tag-teamed, and had the privilege of sharing our stories of surviving GIANT emotions that threatened to take us captive...and how the Lord and His Word helped us walk through struggles to victory. Of course, we can't expect Him to be our VICTORY, unless we have truly surrendered our lives to Him and allowed Him to reign on the throne of our hearts...  

So, in the final message, Bay discussed exactly what it looks like to surrender, to "bata/batach" (see link for explanation - literally, to bow low in confident expectation), as in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust (batach) in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." At the end of his message, Bay gave the students an opportunity to do just this, "to fall down in confident expectation (batach), trusting what the Lord might want to do with them from this weekend forward. One young woman, in sobbing tears, surrendered her life to Jesus. Multiple others surrendered to future ministry, clearly knowing they were being called, though not having clear direction yet. Even others made commitments between themselves and Jesus that they are beginning to discuss with the leadership. It was an absolutely incredible weekend!

God was PRESENT (of course - He always is) - tangibly so! 
When His Presence is known, lives are changed...
...and, that they were!