Houseboats Prep

Sunday I take off, with 7 other youth leaders and 22 high school students, to Sonshine Specialized Camping Ministires (Houseboats Summer Camp). I'm very excited to spend my time with these students and leaders. I know that most of us are looking forward to the vacation aspect of the trip (myself included), but I'm also very excited about some of the difficult conversations that I know will come up. Some of these students have been dealing with issues that are just so much larger than they are (not too large for God). My heart is made happy to know that I can walk alongside them as they deal with these things. I definitely don't have the answers they want, but I can help them carry the weight of these things and help them trudge through the mud puddles that result from these things.

I've been tasked (lovingly) with writing one of the devotions that the students will read during their houseboat experience. I'm a little bit stuck. Chris, our Wwonderful youth pastor (praise God for him!) gave us writers these instructions:

I have been prayerfully seeking an overarching theme for our trip, but have not had a sense of peace about what that theme is. Rather, I have a sense of clarity and peace about what our students need or are searching for. So rather than leading with a theme, I would like for each of us to sit before God with the needs that I suggest and others that you are aware of, and then craft a devotional that you believe speaks to the needs. I believe that our overarching theme will emerge as we bring these different devos into one booklet.

• In a word, Passion.
• I believe that our students are looking for something worth dying for, which would give them a reason and purpose to live.
• I believe that our students need reminded of the real difference that God's existence, activity, grace, power, and justice make in our world and in our lives.
• And I believe that our students need to see that following God has implications for the "big things" of our life and the "small things" (Matthew 25:21).
• Even our students who are currently active in their pursuit of God, I think it is a critical time that their questions/thoughts are rooted in a deep love of God rather than a love of knowledge.
• Ultimately, our students need to fall more in love with God with their whole heart that leads them to love God with their strength. How can we create time and space for them to be with God and fall more in love with God such that we see their actions/decisions change?

So here I sit... God please prepare my heart to process your Word and hear from your Spirit. Please direct me in the way I should walk during this time with these students. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)