Full day in camp ... heading out on the hike!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Hey GVPC (and many others) -

This will not be a long blog entry, for I'm up early for hiking tomorrow!

Weather has been absolutely great, other than on the warm side (we had some sunburn going on from the lake time yesterday … Justin, Tim, some French students … don’t know about our gals) … and I understand you are getting plenty of heat and humidity back on the US East Coast as well. We had another full day today, this one around the camp. Morning small groups, followed by worship and a large group talk by Damien … all focused on Jesus and Simon the Pharisee (and the woman visitor who dried Jesus’ feet with her hair). Damien has a speaking style that really connects with me, and he did a nice job of taking us through three embarrassments of the event (Luke 7:36-50) and then what Christ was teaching … that although Simon was a good, religious guy … he had started to see himself as a good, religious guy before God … rather than as a sinner that needed God’s mercy (as the woman at Jesus’ feet was an example). Oops … the anti-gospel … that we can earn God’s favor and meet his perfect standards (harken back to Dana’s talk on full day no. 1). The gospel is presented often here … and Champfleuri TED is a very intentional atmosphere, but without any pressure conditions … simply people that know the Lord being moved to a closer walk with him … and people that don’t know the Lord being prayed for, and brought alongside a number of healthy relationships. Pray for our students, for they really are the missionaries on this trip … and God is at work through them in that regard.

Anyway, the afternoon was filled with games and preparation for our hike, and our evening included more games … and a bit early to bed. I’m looking forward to the hike, for although it will be an easier hike than previous years, the hike time and tent time is potentially really effective. I was reminded again by the Lord today that I needed to push my conversations beyond trivia quizzes, or idle banter ... to discussion on Him! Some of these students are believers now ... but hearing about the Lord ... or about how the they could be serving the Lord with their natural, God given abilities is new to them ... and therefore pleasant to be used of God to foster.

Love from the team (probably won’t hear from us for a day and a half),
Jim