A Loving Father

Post for July 8, 2024

Our first day of programming is in the books, and it was AMAZING! We started our day with breakfast on the rooftop and a RAINBOW! We had waffles, pancakes, eggs with ham, banana, pineapple, cantaloupe, and fruit punch. Pastor Lord and his family joined us for breakfast, and we each shared a word that described what The Gathering was like last night. Words like powerful, prophetic, necessary, special – The Gathering has been transformational. After enjoying breakfast, we split off individually for quiet time.

Before we knew it, it was time to leave for St. Matthew’s for Bible Adventure Camp! We gathered our supplies and loaded the bus for St. Matthew’s! While we waiting for the kids, we prepared classrooms and started playing music. As the kids got off Estellyn’s bus, Amy gave them name tags and assignined them to groups. Squad leaders jumped right in and started getting to know the kids in their groups. High fives and hugs were shared between returners and kids, and it felt like a family reunion! Today’s Bible Point was “God is a Father, He will never leave you”, and the lessons were about The Prodigal Son. Samantha and Olivia led the dance moves for our opening songs before we dismissed each squad to their station. In the Hydration Station, each squad got to choose a name and make up a chant. In Bible Discovery, we watched a video about The Prodigal Son and had a dance party. In Fun and Games, squads had to keep a balloon in the air while picking up ping pong balls and matching them to the cup of the same color. In Creation Station, each kid made a craft to remind them that we’re all part of God’s family. In Daily Quest, squads had to work together to solve an escape room style challenge. Walking into every room, there was so much excitement and joy. It was such a FUN morning!

After camp ended, we huddled as a team and shared wins while waiting for the bus to come pick us up. We got to hear God moments immediately from team members and celebrate together. Once Estellyn came back with the bus, we loaded up our stuff and ourselves to head back to the hotel for lunch. We had fried chicken, potato salad, garden salad, french fries, and horchata. Talk about DELICIOUS! After lunch we had a few minutes to refresh and prepare for our afternoon programs. We huddled up again to make sure we had all of our supplies before getting on the bus. Estellyn dropped us off before driving up and down the Hummingbird Highway to pick people up. We made sure that all off our spaces were ready to welcome in each person. 

The Women’s Conference space was so beautiful! Upon entry, each woman received a tote bag with a few goodies inside along with their book for the week’s devotional. Tables started to fill with women ready to listen and engage. There was so much joy in the room! During the conference, the women read the story of Eve to understand God’s heart for women. Today’s theme was “I am cherished.” At the end of the conference, the women were invited to respond to what they learned by coming to the altar.

The boys hosted Warriors for the second year in a row. The theme this year is “Becoming God’s Man”.  James shared a heartfelt message about making Godly decisions and about how decisions made for us don’t disqualify us from becoming men of God.   After the message, the boys were separated into tribes and everyone went outside to begin their first challenge. Members of each tribe were blindfolded with only one person from each tribe guiding them to find the pieces of their puzzle. Upon solving the puzzle, each tribe went on a scavenger hunt for the materials to set up their tribal territories. 

This year, the teen girls conference is called “Sister Squad,” as we invited girls to experience the true sisterhood that we find in Christ. Today, the girls studied the story of the Bleeding Woman. Within the story, the girls discovered the true power of faith. After studying the Bible story, the teen girls decorated tote bags. Some of the bags were decorated with, “God is my Father” and “Sister Squad” and “I am forgiven.”

After all of the programs, the team cleaned up from our afternoon programs and rode in the bus to drop some of our friends off at home. Then, it was time for dinner. At dinner, we had spaghetti with tomato sauce, ground beef, garlic bread, salad, tres leches, and tamarind juice. After dinner, the team gathered for worship. Amy shared 2 Chronicles 15:7 to encourage the team that our work is not fruitless. Although we may not always see the reward for our investment, there are times God shows us. Together, the team shared evidence of the ways God is already moving. 

Following worship, we prepared for tomorrow’s activities. For now, it’s time for bed! Thank you for your prayers!