Brace for Impact
We had the incredible opportunity to take 11 of our students to Student Life Camp in Lynchburg, VA, earlier this month. It was a week full of fun, worship, and spiritual growth. The theme for this year was “In His Name.” Each evening we gathered to hear powerful messages that explored the different names of Jesus— like our Comforter, our Shepherd, and our Righteousness. In the mornings, our speaker helped us dig into the basics of Christianity: faith, identity, prayer, and what it means to truly follow Jesus.
The worship times were amazing—there’s something powerful about looking around the room and seeing our students fully engaged, singing with all their hearts. And of course, rec time was a blast and left us all completely exhausted (in the best way possible)!
More than anything, this week gave us the space to slow down, enjoy fellowship with one another, and go deeper into God’s Word. We’re praying that the conversations started at camp continue to grow and bear fruit as we head into the school year.
It’s easy to underestimate the struggles our students face. They’re often told things like “It’s not the end of the world” or “Just wait until you have real responsibilities.” But the truth is, for many of them, these challenges do feel like the end of the world—because it’s the first time they’re experiencing them. And while we know from experience that it gets better, maybe what they need most isn’t a lecture… but someone to listen and remind them that Jesus is with them in it. As our camp speaker put it, “We are really good at trying to look good on the outside, while being a mess on the inside.” That’s true for all of us—and that’s why we all need Jesus.
We’re excited to share that two of our students made the decision to follow Jesus and receive Him as their Lord and Savior, and one student committed to getting baptized! God is clearly at work in the hearts of our youth, and we are so grateful to be part of their journey. Thank you to everyone who prayed for our trip. Your support made a difference, and we’re trusting God to continue the good work He began at camp.
Pastor Tyler