Acquire The Fire 2011 (link to highlights video!!)

I have gone to Acquire the Fire for over 10 years. This was my first time doing it away from Michigan. In all the years that I have gone I never went to the youth leaders workshops. I didn't because I never wanted to miss what was going on in the arena. This year I decided to go to the workshop along with the volunteers that were on the trip with us. IT WAS AMAZING. We were equipped and God's presence was in the room!

The theme this year was "collision mend the broken" They used an illustration of taking a rust bucket car and restoring it. We've all had some sort of collision in our life and God wants to restore us. We have to go beyond letting God take us out of the "junkyard" and let Him get every speck of "rust" out of us even if its painful. Because a common mistake with restoring cars is not getting all of the rust out. It then grows and resurfaces and you have to start over. We don't want the rust to resurface in our lives. When talking with God we need to surrender our WHOLE lives to Him not just part of it.

That is just one thing the student's learned about this past weekend.

 Check out a video of highlights ATF in Greensboro! click the link below

http://www.ATF24-7.com/2011/03/21/highlights-from-greensboro/#comment-195

You can also check out pictures on my Facebook page.

COURAGE

This idea of being a "Trader" has really excited me! I believe it's excited those involved in our Sr. High Ministry as well. This Sunday we are continuing with the idea but going to start focusing on courage. Over the next 4 weeks we will discuss what it means to "stand alone, stand firm, stand out, and stand tall".

Many students fear what people would think if they stood up for the Truth. It is tempting for students to blend in with the crowd and keep silent. The risk of being rejected or alone for speaking up seems far too great.

This Sunday as we talk about "stand alone" we will be discussing how groups are very important to us. We need to be accepted. But that need for acceptance can become dangerous for us. Are we willing to take a stand for Christ even if it means standing alone? Are we willing to influence others more than they influence us? Are we willing to live out the reality of our true identity as a treasured child of the Father?

This is a lesson for all of us at any age. But I believe that teens struggle the most with wanting to fit in. As we mature we learn that life is far too short and there are things with far greater worth than what people think about us. Yet to a teen (and still some adults) it matters a whole lot what people think about them and how people perceive them. God calls us to be different. Thats what the word "holy" means to be "set apart", to be "different". Our challenge to our youth is to be different. Even when it means that your friends think you are weird. Even if it means you aren't the most popular person in school anymore. If we are going to be "traders" We have to have the courage to live for God even if those around us choose not to.

(If you don't know what I mean by "trader" look for the topic in my older blogs)