StudentLife2014 - Stetson University, Deland FL
In America, it's become the annual summer pilgrimage for most church youth groups. Hop on the church bus/van or caravan to the most affordable student camp and spend a few days in worship, Bible study, recreation, team-building, and connecting with other students from across the region or nation.
Our home church, Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church, has chosen StudentLife as our youth camp of choice for the past nearly 10 years. The staff and leadership are over-the-top excellent leaders and they simply OOZE the love of Christ for students and pastors.
This year, our camp date had to reschedule to accommodate mandated calendar changes within our Mississippi school systems, so our plan for a late July camp became a 'hurry-up-get-ready' plan for late June. Wow. We had NO idea what God had in store for us!
Student Life at Stetson University was our choice where we met Sam Bhatt and again enjoyed the worship music of Bellarive. God showed up. We encountered the LORD Himself in worship along with a thousand other students. As a local church group, during our Quiet Times and Family Group Bible study moments, we were faced with the choices to dig deeper, love one another more authentically, make life-changing decisions to step it up in our Christian journey, and bottom line: TAKE A STAND for Christ, no matter what life throws at us.
Today, we are home after a hot, sticky, bus-engine-repair laden trip from Deland FL to Pascagoula MS. The journey to south central Florida was a long and hot humid ride. The expectation of camp made the ride all worth it. The journey home took 4-hours longer than expected because of mechanical failure on the bus. And, yes -- it was ALL worth it!
GOD changed our hearts at StudentLife2014. The challenge today: REMEMBER what God did in you at StudentLife2014. ENDURE hardship. CHOOSE joy. REMAIN humble and obedient.
Already looking forward to StudentLife2015!
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