Good afternoon LifePoint Family!
Pastor AJ here with this week’s edition of Jym Shorts. Pastor Jym likes basketball. I like running. My goal is to keep the length of this update in proportion to the length of our preferred sports' shorts, respectively.
Many of you know, our high school students will be headed out on our Spring Retreat this Thursday-Sunday. I am SOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED for our group and wanted to take a moment to fill you in on our theme for this year and ask you to begin praying for us as we head into this meaningful time in the life of our youth ministry.
As humans, we can at times become nearsighted. We get consumed by what is right in front of us. Our routines hold us captive, and we go through life on "repeat." And then something happens, and our horizons are expanded. Maybe it's a new relationship. Maybe a story or movement breaks us out of our monotony. When we expand our view of our surroundings, profound things can happen.
This is true in our lives and is WAY truer in our faith.
Because as humans, we can at times become nearsighted in our view of God. We are consumed by what is right in front of us, and we forget that there is a God who is eternal. We become slaves to our routines and go through life on "repeat," unaware of the impossibly HUGE power that dwells within us. It doesn't have to be this way. The truth is that God, the eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, gracious, loving…
God makes Himself known to us. We just have to WANT to know Him!
Please use the prayer guide below to partner with me, our volunteer leaders, and parents as I prepare to introduce our students to the God who is both massive in scale and intimately personal. I hope that we will each be captured by the grandeur of God and His love for us and motivated by His perfect plan for our lives.
THURSDAY
o Large Group - Please pray that our students will learn that some realities are true simply because of who God is and their relationship with Him. First three truths: God's got you, God delights in you, and God empowers you.
- Ephesians 1:15-23, Zephaniah 3:17, Ephesians 3:20–21
o Small Groups - Please pray that our students learn that God is immeasurably more than we can ever imagine, but out of His grace, He makes Himself known to His children.
- 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 and Isaiah 55:8-9
FRIDAY MORNING
o Large Group – Please pray that our students learn a fourth statement that is true if they have come to saving faith in Christ: They are an essential part of God's plan. For some of our students who do not yet know the Lord, I will show them how the gospel can make this become true about them.
- Ephesians 2:1–10, Romans 5:9, John 3:36
o Small Groups - Please pray that our students learn that God's love is immeasurably more complex and complete than we could ever expect.
- Philippians 2:5–11, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Ephesians 2:4-5
FRIDAY NIGHT
Please pray for good weather as we would really like to have a time of praise & worship around the campfire while some of our volunteer leaders share their testimony of how God has worked and continues to work in their lives.
SATURDAY MORNING
o Large Group – Please pray that our students learn a fifth statement that is true about them if they are in Christ: They are not alone. The Church is a gift God has given them as an incredible resource. We all must embrace this and do our part.
- Ephesians 4:1-6
o Small Groups - Please pray that our students learn that God’s vision for their life is immeasurably greater than they can anticipate and that He is present with them as they go.
- Joshua 1:6-9 and Isaiah 41:10
SATURDAY NIGHT
o Large Group – Please pray that our students see how because of their relationship with God their lives have tremendous potential, but yet so many don't even realize it. Unless they embrace this, their lives will not have the impact they COULD have.
- Ephesians 4:17-24, Galatians 5:22–23
o Small Groups - Please pray that our students learn that God has given His people a source of strength that is immeasurably more powerful than most ever realize.
- John 14:15-17 and Ephesians 3:20-21
SUNDAY MORNING
o Large Group Worship – Please pray for our students to see the power and clarity of God’s Word as we read and pray through the book of Ephesians.
- We will be departing Twin Lakes Camp at 10:00 hoping to arrive at 11:45 AM prior to the second service dismissal.
