Challenged

Last week was Challenge 2008- an Evangelical Free Church youth conference for 7th-12th graders. This year it was held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Adam and I went as youth leaders along with 4 other leaders and 31 teens. We had a blast!

This year Starfield, the featured band, led worship for all 9 rallies. We were fans before going and even bigger fans now! It was awesome to see how a predominantly Christian rock band could maintain their quality and style while leading 5,500 kids in amazing God-centered worship.

Above, hanging out with Jon of Starfield
Below, cracking jokes and signing Bibles with JD Greear

The rallies included amazing speakers, performers, skits, and even got the audience involved in an effort to set a Guinness world record: the largest Kazoo ensemble! All 5,000+ of us kazoo-ed Amazing Grace for over 4 minutes! It was... beautiful :) Word on the street says that St. Louis may have broken the record on July 4th though... we shall see. To hear it, check out Amazing Grace (and fast forward a couple minutes).

Our group, along with Jon's (my bro-in-law's) church, got to stay all week at the Hilton. It was a gorgeous hotel across the street from the conference center and complete with a pool, workout room, sun deck, etc. Quite different from the non-air conditioned dorm rooms at Purdue 8 years ago! (remember that Karen!)

Throughout the week, our group really bonded. We played several games of ultimate frisbee, soccer, football, and volleyball. We went on a late night excursion to McD's, shopped at the mall, {tried to} donate our lunches to the homeless, played cards and had some great discussions.

Above, not particularly known for our volleyball skills (soccer's our thing) the girls decide to go with the "distract the other team" method by dressing in crazy outfits. It didn't work.

Below, 4 guys drink 36 cartons of milk one morning... a GEFC tradition.

One afternoon, we helped in packaging 58,000 bags of food for kids in Congo. It just so happened that we participated at the same time as Calvary EFree (my home church in CT), an EFree church in Annandale, VA (my aunt and uncle's church) and the church pastored by old CT friends (Matt and Olivia). It was a lot of fun to see so many people I know from all over the country.

It amazes me how every Challenge conference I go to (this was my 6th!) they seem to get better and better. And the speakers are so challenging even for me being 8 (gasp!) years out of high school. I think the most poignant lesson I learned last week was how much we need God and ONLY God. There are so many things in life that we value, hold on to, depend on, and even idolize. But nothing and no one can satisfy us or save us except for Jesus Christ. I know that, and I believe that, but my actions and attitudes do not always follow that. I pray that I'm up to the challenge of living for His Glory all the days He has blessed me with.

2 Peter 1:3 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."