what a week...

I'm sorry that I don't have any more pics or vids to show...there's just too much stuff to download/process/edit/upload...

I will say that we'll be doing a summer re-cap service on August 31st, and we'd love to have you join us! We'll show vids from all of our summer activities, as well as hear testimonies from students whose lives have been changed...

First off, Kris is okay...he has a Corneal Abbrasion...he's got some drops and meds and he's going to be fine...thank you for praying...

Also, the girl that we were praying for has given her life to Christ! Praise God...She will be getting baptized tomorrow! It looks like there will be at least 4 people going through baptism...I'm sorry for not sharing names, but I want students to have a chance to talk to their parents first...

Tonight was the pinnacle...our worship time was in a word...unbelievable...I was so blessed to be standing amongst not just 750 high school students, but also our 40 kids who absolutely found a new level of worship to our Daddy...a very cool thing at the end happened...Jesus got an encore! The band was done, unplugged, but the students kept yelling, "ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG!!!" and they did one more, and it was the loudest song of the week...I'm getting chills just typing it...

After worship, the speaker (PJ) really hit a home run with a talk that challenged us about how the Christian life is not, and should not be, based on experience...because then our faith fades as the memory of the experience does...but instead should be based on the Word of God...he used a great example from Luke 24 about how Christ appeared and convinced a couple of followers about the fact that he was the Messiah by using Scripture (while he hid his identity). Had he simply revealed himself, it would have been more of an experience for them, but he convinced them by using scripture...GREAT LESSON...I would really suggest you read Luke 24...

Then it was a great time at "Victory Circle" where students stood and shared what they learned about God this week, as we sang a few more worhsip songs...

Our group has really bonded, seriously, like more than I ever imagined...I'm not saying everything is 100% wonderful, but what an amazing work God has done to build friendships and love in the group...

I am so blessed to be used by God here, I love these kids as if they were mine...thank you for entrusting them to me and the ministry of Horizons...

I pray you've been blessed by reading these little insights into our week...

GOD RULZ!!

TN

okay...last full day of camp, and it's not over, but it's had it's adventures...I'm on my way to dinner, but here's a quick re-cap...

got up at 7:00am for Dawn Patrol...pre-breakfast worship time (optional)...very nice to start the day off with the Lord...

After yet another awesome worship time at the morning chapel, we met as a church for about 40 minutes talking about what God has done this week, always one of my favorite times at camp...we for sure have one girl getting baptized tomorrow, and perhaps two or three more, but even if it's just one, it'll be a party!!!

Rec was, how should I put it, interesting...it was the day of the great race...one of our teams finished 2nd, and my team, which has been an adventure because of some guys from another church (more on that in a minute) finished last, I mean, DEAD LAST...like every other team was wondering where they were...a good 7-10 minutes behind the 19th place team...oh well, they came in chanting..."The Last shall be first" and it made everyone clap for them...

There are some guys on our team (from another church) that have been a challenge, and today it cost a little bit...

Some of them had water balloons, and were throwing them at other teams...led by their youth pastor...frustrating example...

One of the balloons struck Kris Hansen in the eye, and we didn't think too much of it at the time...

Immediately after Rec, about half of us went to the Padre game at Petco park, including Kris...well, not too long after we got there, his eye was really swelling up and running a bit...we got him to first aid, and the nurse there said we had to get him to urgent care, as she feared he may have a retinal contusion (he may have scratched his eye)...so I sent him and Rusty (yes, his mom knows) in a taxi to the urgent care, who wouldn't take his insurance. But praise God, his aunt works just minutes away from the Urgent care, so she picked him and Rusty up and took them to the Naval Hospital (Balboa) where they are now...sounds like things are going well, they are going to give him some washing, some anti-bacterial stuff, and some meds, and we're hoping he'll return to camp soon...please pray for Kris that his eye will be fine, which we anticipate. I am SO thankful to have someone like Rusty that I can trust to be my right-hand man for this kind of situation. He's really being a servant and being there for Kris while I keep the rest of things going...

I'll update later tonight, after the end of camp...which usually ends with dinner, the final chapel, and "victory circle" at the Greek Amphitheatre...

until then...pray for Kris, Rusty, and one girl who is really close to accepting Christ, she just can't quite pull the trigger. She has a lot of questions, but she's truly searching...I'm hoping she'll be getting baptized tomorrow as well, but it's the Lord's timing, not mine :)

Be Blessed!!!

God Rulz!

TN