Spiritual Emphasis Week at SCCLC

Victory!!!

     Although I was not here at the very beginning of the year, the adult leaders and the youth minister, Ryan Parsons, set a goal of unifying the whole student body of the middle and high school.   This started through chapels, Monday night youth groups, along with the leadership of the senior class. 

God has already done great things with high school students through our Monday night youth group!  He is  alive and working!   Two of our Mondays since we have begun youth group, we have had two students step up and share what God is working on in them.  Tayo shared about the being the light using Matthew 5:13-16 and 2 Corinthians 2:6.  He was inspiring and knows the truth.  He is a leader in this school and I pray that his sincerity and passion for sharing the light continues after high school.  Recently, Nathan shared about running the race with integrity and purpose.  He used 1 Corinthians 9:24 to share his thoughts which led to a great discussion of how we need to do our best whether we are winning on Earth or not.  Two Mondays ago, we had the day off from school for Santa Cruz Day.  Ryan decided we would have a special youth group time.  The students worked as a whole group (40+ students) to accomplish 5 different events around the Smith's yard, pool, and house (pictures included).  If they finished all 5 in 1 hour, the students would get see Ryan dress like a woman for chapel. Throughout the games, leaders emerged and encouragement was evident.  I really believe these events were just the start of something big here at SCCLC.    All of these youth group moments, conversations on campus, and other events in the lives of these students have brought them to this week.....Spiritual Emphasis Week!



  And if tonight was any indication of how the Holy Spirit is working on some of these students, I don't know what is.  Tonight, was so great it brought tears to my eyes.  Ryan spoke about hypocrisy and  the fact that everyone is a hypocrite of some kind.  He used Matthew 23 and the 7 woes.  After talking about the first 2, the students split up into groups to talk about the others.  I followed a group of girls that I rarely talk to and listened as they read the Bible and interpreted it on their own.  Just sitting and listening made my heart sing.  Hearing the things that came out of those mouths was a blessing to my soul.  If that wasn't enough, Ryan called the students to step up and be real about their hypocrisy.  He placed a chair in the middle of the circle and asked the students to be real about the parts of their lives that they have been like a clean cup with dirty insides.  Five students got up one at a time, walked across that big circle, sat in the chair, and confessed to their classmates of the wrongs they have done while looking clean on the outside.  We forgave and prayed for each student.  It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!  

In this week leading up to high school retreat, students will go to chapel everyday to hear from Ryan as he casts the vision he has been given for the students on this campus.  He desires for students to serve and disciple each other as well as be discipled by him and other adults on campus.  Those true leaders and disciples of Christ are stepping up and stepping out in faith to lay before a crowd of people that they long to honor our Father with their actions, with their hearts, and with their mouths.  I am praying that through this week these students as well as the adults will be renewed in their (our) faith, but also truly open their hearts to God and allow Him to work on them through each talk and worship time. We have students on the verge of making the decision to say yes to giving their lives totally to God and his calling.  We pray that this is the week that allows them to see what it truly means to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus (Mark 8:34--Just happens to be the memory verse for my 6th grade students this week)!! 



Please pray for:
- the love and care that comes from their hearts this week and weekend will be lifechanging
- a revival of sorts this week and weekend at high school retreat
- Ryan as he conveys to the student body the vision that God has given him for this campus
- the adult leaders that we would be open and willing to reach out to students
- leaders to emerge in both the high school and middle school
- fresh revelation of who God wants me to work with, encourage, and disciple
- for the worship team as we practice in preparation for worship on the retreat ( I have never done this on a stage before...I am feeling very insecure and unworthy of this position!)