Worship @ Xtreme

Some of the group waiting in line.

Justin

Justin

Here in Gatlinburg

A 6 hour trip turned into 9 for us Monday, but we made it here. Even though our church van was acting up pretty bad, and it looked like there wasn't going to be an Enterprise Rental car place with a van we could rent, things worked out for us and we made it. God wants us here...that's for sure, but we saw that with our own eyes with the way things worked out in getting another van to drive on the way down.

On an even better note, I got to lead my brother-in-law to Jesus on the phone once we got here and had the chance to pray with another guy, Travis from Georgia, who was saved during our Monday Night Session. Pretty good night if you ask me!

We love you guys at home and we'll see you Wednesday Night!

Back Home!

Well, we are finally back in Henderson. After 10 hours of driving, and a 12 hour total trip, we got back last night around 11:45pm all safe and sound.

I hope this blog was something that you enjoyed while we were gone and I hope it half-way kept you up to date on things that were going on.

You've read and seen pictures of some pretty funny stuff...and you've also read some pretty good spiritual stuff that went on in PCB. You've read it, and you'll hear about it from the students, but I really want you to sit back and watch the change happen. Nothing is more powerful when someone says a change has happened in their life than for others to be able to see it lived out. All of our students were challenged this week, and some have already publically accepted the challenge while others are still soaking it in...but you WILL see change from some of the students. That gets me pretty excited to be totally honest with you. I remember how a camp experience like this one caused God to finally get to be about living a Godly life and I see it happening in the lives of some of the students now. So sit back and watch....watch the challenge to change lived out in their lives, then use that to lead yourself to change.

Back Home!

Leaving Panama City Beach.

The last song at camp...pumped and ready to head home.

The fearless men who saved the Treasure Ship from burning down. True story..ask the guys.

Justin

I'm sure most of you agree that God works in crazy ways...sometimes through crazy tests of our faith...sometimes through crazy people. I'm a person, for whatever reason, that draws that kind of stuff on a somewhat regular basis...and tonight was no exception. Brannon and I were at Hungry Howie's getting pizzas for tonight and met Jean. She had about 8 Wal-Mart bags in her arms and couldn't walk too well to begin with. She left the pizza place only to come back within a minute or so...moaning and holding onto her knee. Apparently she had tripped over "one of those stupid parking things" as she said, and scraped her knee. We got her some napkins to blot her knee and gave her a ride home that she asked for. Now I just said that not becaise it specifically relates to anyone of you...it's mine and Brannon's to digest, but I wanted to share that with you just to remind you that our faith is tried from time to time. For me it usually seems to be the "crazy" people I run into in weird situations and conversations...but when faith is tested, true faith rises to the top and true faith fakers show through too. We could have not been Jesus to the "least of these," but if we weren't, what would that say about our faith? It doesn't have to be Jean carrying 8 Wal-Mart bags, but when your Jean comes, which faith will shine through?

Justin

Two new brothers in Jesus tonight!!!!!
Hang tight for the rest.
Justin

Even huggers have to rest. You would have been proud of them...good huggers.

FREE HUGS!!!!

Student Blog

It has been so much down here in Florida. The place we are staying at is really nice even though I'm on the pull out couch. The ocean is beautiful, but there is a lot of seaweed right now. I like to walk on the beach to feel the sand between my toes. In the ballroom God has been working in great ways throughout all of us campers. A lot of us are getting spiritually right with the Lord. And mom, don't worry, I'm ok. Love you and miss you all. Oh, and mom....Can we move to Panama City Beach????? I love it here.

-Chelsea Smitson

Picture taken on the beach of Andrew, Daniel, Jordan, Nicholas, Leslie, Paige, Bobbie Ann, and Chelsea

Saturday:: Blog

Today has been a great day. We've had an amazing morning of worship and a good day on the beach and around Edgewater. Chelsea, Justin and Brannon were in a golf tournament today and did ok. They can write more about that later. The rest of us hung out at the pool and the beach during free time. Right now we are taking naps, waiting for dinner, and getting ready for evening worship. Here are a few pictures of our day today.

Left: Brannon, Amber & Paige before the worship service.

Right: Kathryn, Nicholas, and Andrew this morning waiting for everything to begin.

Left: Bobbie Ann, Leslie & Wanda during worship.

Right: Paige and Bobbie Ann during worship.

Whitney and I super excited about worship getting ready to start!

What Chelsea, Brannon, and I did today...golf tournament.

Justin

Andrew talking to his mommy Friday night.

Here's a view of where we have our worship times.

Friday:: Student Blog

The beach!! It was a beautiful day today in sunny Panama Beach Florida. A bunch of us spent the day out on the beach, by the pool, and golfing! Justin is still a little under the weather so he stayed in today. A lot of us made a commitment before we left to make some crucial decisions this week and to simply say yes to what God wants for us and what he wants out of our lives. I've seen a lot of changes in all of us and I hope to see even more by the end of this week. thanks for all the thought and prayers! -Whitney Frields

Thursday Night

WOW!! What a day! I've been so ready to get here. There are several reasons that I've been looking forward to this trip. 1. Mainly to see the students challenged in a way they never have been before or maybe just for their eyes to be opened and finally see something the way God intended them to see it. 2. For me--to be willing and ready for God to use me whether it be with our students or with someone I meet in Panama City Beach. and 3. It's the beach...who doesn't look forward to an awesome time at the beach???!! :)

So we're all back in our rooms for the night. We finished our opening night of X-Fuge. We've started the journey and it is awesome! Spur 58 lead worship tonight and it was a great way to start off the week. David Nasser is our Camp Pastor for the week. Tonight his message was about how Jesus fed 15,000 (I know some of your are thinking...it was 5,000) but that's not counting the women and children. His challenge to us was that when we see a need, we need to meet it. Us as individuals and as the church are not doing that. The 15,000 were hungry and Jesus FED THEM! WOW! He was a servant. When we meet the needs of people, we build the bridge to show them the truth. He gave us the statistics that 35,000 will die today of starvation and the #1 health issue in America is obesity. It's very sad. It breaks my heart, not only to think about the one's starving, but to think of my own selfishness. He also spoke of the need for mommies and daddies for orphans. There are 200 million orphans in the world that need parents. Maybe it'll be one of us that finds room in our own house for a child or maybe someone reading this blog, may realize that's what God has in store for them.

Whatever needs you see that need to be met, MEET THEM. BE JESUS. It's that simple. We've got to start doing instead of just talking. I'm pumped up about what God will reveal to us tomorrow. I know that he is working in the students as well as myself. I ask that you pray for Justin. He has a bad sinus infection, not to mention he drove the whole way here and is very tired. He's taken medicine and is in bed. I just hope that by tomorrow he is feeling better.

Thank you all once again for all your prayers and for the Send-off at 2:30 am! It meant so much to us! Thank you to all the ladies that prepared the goodie bags for us. They are great! There are some of you that have written letters to us to open each day. Thank you for the great reminder that you are praying for us as well.

Well, I've got 45 minutes to enjoy the salty ocean air before going to bed. God has a beautiful creation before us at the beach. Thanks for making it possible that we're here. We love you all!

-Lindsay Carter

We're here! I'm wore out, but we're safe and sound. I'm so ready to see God change lives down here. The kids are heading down to look at the beach before we have to go eat supper and I'm going to take a power nap. Thanks again for all your prayers!

Justin

So it's Tuesday afternoon, and I'm ready to go to XFuge. I'm watching the All Star parade and something hit me. I just saw Josh Hamilton take a question about his accomplishment last night, hitting 28 home runs in one round of the home run derby, and give his relationship to Jesus top priority by letting all of America know where his "blessing" came from. Now it's easy to say that he has a larger impact than we could have on a daily basis...especially having such a great year in baseball, but are the few people we come in contact with daily any less important than the thousands that see Josh Hamilton in any given day? We're heading down to camp tomorrow to get recharged, but I hope that none of us (and I'm talking about all us Christians) forget that whether it's a few people we are around everyday or thousands we're around...we're impacting lives for Jesus, and no one person is any more or less important in Kingdom work. It's pretty cool to see an All Star living out Jesus on tv...so take note of people like that...pray for them and support them...but Be Jesus in your own spot where He has put you.

Alrighty, let's go to Florida!

Justin

What is this Blog for??

Hey! If you're here, it means you really care about our students and what's happening in our group while we're away from Henderson at any given time...or you just stumbled upon the blog. This blog is for the sole purpose of keeping our families, friends, and church up-to-date on what's happening day-to-day on our trips that we take as a Student Minsitry here at Immanuel Baptist Temple. Sometimes Justin, the youth pastor, will write on here...where sometimes students will write to keep everyone up to date. I hope this serves it's purpose as an easy way to be informed about what we're doing, and give you ways to know how to pray for our Students while we're away. Thanks for checking with us!!