To God be the GLORY. GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE! He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it. HOW BLESSED IT IS WHEN BRETHREN DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY...Where there is UNITY, HE COMMANDS A BLESSING. Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, yes, yes!
Renew Day 1 (Sunday, June 5)
Following church services, we began to file into HHS. We arrived just as the skies opened up and let out a downpour. I guess we should have seen the symbolism, but were were too busy being busy! Various leaders set themselves to the tasks at hand. D and I had the responsibility of setting up the Encouragement Wall. I was thrilled to be given that assignment. "Words of encouragement" is my love language, but really, WHO doesn't love to hear words that bring life, hope and healing? The wall was set up to hold envelopes with each student's name. As the week progressed, they would write notes to youth in their work teams, youth group and new friends.
By two that afternoon, the leaders were together in the auditorium at HHS...the auditorium that was to become a sanctuary! That room became anointed and dedicated to Jesus, to His plans and purposes! Leaders from at least eleven different churches walked up and down the rows of seats, welcoming the Holy Spirit...we knew that OPPOSITION had been all around (the days prior to coming together there were many who were sick, car accidents, vehicle trouble, marital and relational strife, financial difficulties, etc.) and in my spirit, I began to tremble...I knew that I knew that I knew that God was about to do something that was going to upset the powers of darkness...I just didn't know how very amazing, awesome, epic, life changing it would be.
By four, we were registering volunteers and finalizing set up. By five, the youth began to arrive. I grabbed a chair and dove into the registration process with kids and began learning names. There was a buzz of excitement that seemed to grow by the moment. Kids were anxious to get signed in, set up their rooms and mingle with other kids. There were also those who looked leery, anxious and a few who flat out didn't want to be there...I just prayed and registered, prayed and registered!
By six, the sidewalks outside HHS were full of young people playing corn hole, volleyball, soccer, four square and a few were dancing to the DJ's tunes. Again, I looked around to see the ones who seemed to be on the outside, looking in...I smiled at some, introduced myself to others and marveled as I saw others doing the same. Normally in a setting like that I feel like I am the only one aware of the ones who are lonely...not the case at Renew! The other leaders and students came to love and to extend the hand of Jesus...I was moved as I watched them do just that!
By eight, we were filing into that auditorium that from now on I will just call a sanctuary. Some of the youth were ready to dive in to worship, others seem hesitant. Again, the prayers flowed from the hearts of those who knew the power of God...we left it in his hands. Worship was powerful.
During the ice breaker, D and I noticed one young lady who seemed to be by herself. She was super friendly, but seemed so lonely. The Lord put in front of us that night, giving us a specific assignment for the week. He had a plan to draw her into His presence, to heal her heart and to make her new...and the first night was just the beginning.
RH brought a word forth. The youth listened and interacted with him, they felt safe from the first time he shared.
After the service, we went into the gym and played some crazy ice breakers. 120+ people took off one of their shoes and threw them into the middle of the circle. Each person then ran into the circle, grabbed one shoe (not their own) and put it on. Then, they had to find the person who matched and make a chain, circle, whatever until the puzzle was completed. Hilarious! It was so much fun to watch (I got to hide behind my camera on this one!). Youth were loosening up. I noticed one young man who was super hyper, in the middle of EVERYTHING, giving high fives to everyone and having the best time. I remember thinking, "Well, whoever gets him on their work team is going to have fun...and have their hands full." Little did I know that he'd become one of "mine" by the week's end!
After more silly games and snacks, the youth were dismissed to their rooms. D was planning to stay all week with B during the nights, while I would be there from 7 each morning until 11 or later each night. Since no female youth from our church attended Renew this year, I didn't have to stay overnight, and chose to go each night to my dad's house nearby for sleep. I did join a room of ladies from the church I once attended. We helped get everyone settled in, shared some thoughts out the service and then I said good night to my precious A and her sweet friend, J.
I left the building feeling a sense of anticipation...I got a decent night's rest and returned on Monday morning, ready for whatever God had.
Renew Day 2 (Monday, June 6)
When I arrived at HHS on Monday morning, the buzz of excitement was building. I had already been to Walmart to pick up some things and to 7 Eleven to grab a cherry Slurpee for a certain young lady who really needed one! Many young people were already gathered in the commons, waiting for breakfast to be served. I'm pretty sure that AM was already doing something goofy while still managing to juggle 120+ people, various work projects and details. I'm not really sure HOW he did all that. Oh yeah...JESUS IN HIM SHINED THROUGH! Amazing! I'm also pretty sure that MS was everywhere at once, answering questions, smiling and making connections with each youth and adult. Again...JESUS IN HIM SHINED THROUGH. And CL was being CL...gentle, calm, even, stern when that was needed. What an amazing and humble servant...Yep, JESUS IN HIM SHINED THROUGH!
We went through the breakfast line in an orderly fashion. Tables filled up as kids munched on cereal, yogurt, granola bars. Milk, juice and fruit were also offered. The floor started to get a little sticky...(that is something that Mama B plans to do something about next year! I picked up trash and cleaned up some sticky messes, but it's all good!)
Work teams were assigned. None of us had any idea who we would be with. The one guideline was that each youth would have at least one friend from their home church with them on a team. Otherwise, the teams were mixed up so that several churches were represented on each one. I was thrilled to see that I was helping to lead a team with DY. He was my youth leader more than twenty years ago. He loves young people, is a hard worker and I knew we'd make a good pair. We were assigned eight boys. Story of my life, boys, boys, boys! I wasn't the least bit bothered by that! Each team was also given the name of city to represent their team. We became Team San Fransisco.
I'll use first names only in this blog...our team was made up of DY, Mama B, BB, DP, EY, AS, SM, ZB, NH and MH (yes, the kid I noticed the night before! High energy, passionate, friendly! He was to be in our care all week long! Thank You Jesus!)
Our first day's assignment was a food drive. On Monday, we were to staple flyers to hundreds of plastic grocery bags and distribute them to homes nearby. BB used the paper cutter to get the flyers ready. The other guys grabbed staplers and bags and got to work. Our first challenge of the week was realizing the wrong date had been printed on the flyer...we were to return on Friday to pick up the bags, but the date was wrong. So, we grabbed markers and fixed that problem as a team. I loved watching them jump right in to the challenge.
Once the bags were prepped, we divided into two groups and set out. I didn't even have a vehicle available (long story...but God worked it all out!), so I drove AY's truck and took BB, DP, MH and NH with me. DY took SM, ZB, AS and EY. We hit one subdivision before lunch. We met up at Westover park for a quick picnic, packed by the team that KS had organized. After lunch, my group went to MH's neighborhood. It struck me, again, how AWESOME this whole experience was going to be. Rather than taking a trip to another state or country, bonding with people, only to say good bye at the end of the week, we were in our own town, getting to know young people who live here. I know where he lives! Wow!
In that same neighborhood live several friends of our family. I was able to say hello to someone I haven't seen in years. She was once like a sister to me and time and the busyness of life have kept up apart for too long...my heart felt so happy when I saw her and hugged her.
DP suggested a duplex subdivision where we quickly got rid of most of the remaining bags. The boys were troopers! Hour after hour, they walked up to doors and hung the bags. It was tedious and we had no guarantee that we'd see bags full of groceries when we returned. I used this as an opportunity to teach them about faith and seed planting. Even if people didn't leave groceries, a seed was being plated, they were aware of the food pantry listed on the flyer and we were to bless them no matter what! I treated my carload to sundaes at McDonalds, then we hit one more neighborhood.
We came back to the school for some free time. The guys played in the gym and I just tried to make myself useful while keeping an eye on them. Supper was served, then we moved toward the sanctuary for another service. (Disclaimer Number 2--if anyone took notes of RH's messages, I'd love to get a few of the main points added into this blog! I had so much going on and forgot to take my journal along!)
Immediately following the service, we loaded our vehicles and headed to Funky's skate center. My guys were excited and the buzz continued to get louder. WAY LOUDER! When we arrived at Funky's they grabbed their skates and set off. Music drove the excitement. Every level of skating was represented, from beginner to "you flat out rock those skates, dude!" And no one cared who was "good" at it and who was using a "skating walker." I loved seeing the JOY on their faces! That same young lady who needed a Slurpee for breakfast begged me to go on a Frosty run at the Wendy's next door. Several others heard the request, so I made a Frosty run. About that time, D was joining us (again, long story...but that day he managed to get his motorcycle on the road, tagged, titled, fix an error with our bank account and went to work for eight hours...he was exhausted, but still jumped in with the young people and enjoyed skating and Frosties!). My boy, BB seemed to be enjoying himself, too. That was a relief. We basically forced him to attend Renew, because we expected it to be life changing and wanted him to be a part of it. However, he didn't have any close friends to bring with him (we invited some, but no one committed), so he was feeling out of place and lonely. I just kept asking Jesus to watch over him and to make it a week that he'd never forget...in a good way!
I hid behind my camera (again!). This mama would not dare put on skates! I enjoyed watching the line dances and other antics of our group...and I knew then and there that JOY WAS IN THE CAMP! The smiles of each person blessed me so! We left Funky's and headed back home to HHS. More snacks, then time to settle in. I tucked my sweet girls in and headed back to my dad's to rest...not knowing that the next day would be one of the best days of my life.
Renew Day 3 (Tuesday, June 7)
We were up bright and early. Breakfast, devotional, maybe some karaoke thrown in for good measure. Work assignments were given and teams loaded up vehicles and set out. I was very happy to have my own set of four wheels to transport my precious cargo. D was able to start the day with us before he had to go to work. We headed to Kelly Street to complete a task that the group before us began. We were asked to bring beauty to the outside of a home that belongs to a 99 year old lady. She lives in a nursing home and wants to come home to live her final days. We gave her dignity by making her home beautiful.
Serving with a local charity, "Rebuild Together," the Renew team on Monday power washed the front of her house and made it shine. They began painting and spruced up some things. We arrived to add a second coat of paint to her front porch and white picket fence. We cleaned and painted her porch floor. D assisted Pastor B by installing a hand rail to help her get into her house. The guys scraped paint, power washed and helped to clean up dead leaves and debris. They worked hard and did not complain. Rather that ask "Are you done yet?" they said "Can we do MORE than what they asked us to do?" Neighbors walked by and stared at the changes.
That morning, DP was running late, so he threw his breakfast into his backpack as we set out. When he went to retrieve it, he discovered that his IPOD and digital camera were soaked in chocolate milk. He handled the news pretty well, considering the loss. Later that day, ZB came to me and said, "That music that we sing in our services, I don't really like it." He wasn't rude about it, he just didn't "get it." He and three other young men on our team attend Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Their style of worship is very different from services we were having. I told him it was OK, that he didn't have to like it and that he would never be asked to do anything he was not comfortable doing. I told him that some people express their praise and gratitude to God by singing. Others, by dancing. Others by clapping or raising their hands. DP was close by and we have been on a worship team together. I know he has a passion for God and for worship, so I invited him to share with ZB and the others who were listening. "Worship helps me feel close to God. Sermons are good, but I feel closest to God when I am worshipping." It seemed to sink in for the others and we continued to work (more on this story later).
We returned to the school and have a bit of free time before dinner.
After dinner, we returned to our sanctuary. Worship ministered deeply to our hearts!RH spoke about the love of God and after he shared, he invited us to spread out in the room and get alone with God. He let the youth know that leaders were available if we were needed. I had been invited to sit right up front that night with dear, sweet N. I enjoyed being near the young people and feeling the fire that was burning in their hearts. LP was there that night and painted a beautiful mural during worship. The painting said "RENEW" an d it had a crimson colored heart in one corner and musical notes and vivid color all over. As N poured her heart out, I saw her in that painting. I listened and I prayed and I thanked God for bringing her to us, for allowing us the privilege to join Him in the healing He's doing in her heart.
After spending time with N, I walked out of the sanctuary into the commons. Youth were gearing up for laser tag, the excitement and chatter were intense. I walked through the room and saw ZB coming toward me. He was weeping as he held out his arms to me. Like a mother comforts her son, I took him in my arms, concern filling my voice and said," WHAT is the matter, buddy." Weeping, he said, "I felt God. For the first time, I felt Him. He used DP to show me his love." DP had simply walked over to ZB during ministry time and placed his hand on ZB's shoulder. I was overwhelmed and the floodgates opened up for me! I asked "Did you tell him that?" And he responded, "Not yet." I called DP over and he repeated what he had just spoken. D was nearby too, so I motioned for him to join us. When ZB told DP that he had ministered to him and shown him God's love, DP's entire face lit up. His grin stretched from ear to ear. He was beaming. "I've never had anyone tell me that before."
I looked up to see SM, ZB's best friend, approaching. He was weeping, too. I felt the power of God inside of me, I was trembling from the fire that was burning in these hearts! He sat down and we brought him into the conversation. "Have you guys ever invited Jesus into your hearts?" They shook their heads. "Do you want to invite Jesus to come in now?" They nodded. I asked DP or D if they wanted to lead the prayer and they asked me to. So...we grabbed hands, made a holy alter (amidst the noise and chatter of 120 others) and we prayed the sinners prayer. Right then. Right there. Jesus came to live in the hearts of two precious souls. (They look like brothers and I told them "Now you are...you're twins actually. Spiritual twins, you share the same spiritual birthday) We hugged, cried, laughed, beamed...it was a holy, holy moment. DP shared that normally in a time of reflection, he would have turned on his IPOD to listen to worship songs. Since his IPOD was destroyed, he could not do that. Instead, he heard the voice of God telling him to go to ZB. And he obeyed. The rest is history.
The youth enjoyed lively rounds of laser tag. We had one "causality," sweet AM got injured in her eye. She handled the whole situation with dignity and grace. Somewhere around eleven, we sent the youth to their rooms to get ready for bed...and I wondered, "HOW will I ever go to sleep after THAT?" I went back to Dad's, tried to sleep and woke up at 4:19 a.m. with the word that is in the next post...
Renew Day 4 (Wednesday, June 8)
This is the word that God wrote though my hand on Wednesday morning, June 15, 2011. This was the morning after Zand S and perhaps others gave their hearts to Jesus. AM read this to us before we set out to work on Wednesday. God wants to speak to His children. We only need to be still and know that He is God...He will speak! I encourage you to look up the passages in your own Bible and see them in the written word!)
FROM YOUR FATHER
"My Child,
I love you. I have loved you with an everlasting love and I have drawn you with my loving kindness (Jeremiah 31:3). All your days belong to Me. I knew you before you were known and I have loved you since the beginning of time (Psalm 37). I know the plans I have for you. My plans are to prosper you and never to harm you. I want to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11-13) Your future is not by chance, your future is by design, by My design. Each day your story unfolds. Every moment another page is written and I want to fill the pages of your book with My best. I want to write chapter one of the book of ____________ (insert your name here). I want to write chapter two and three and four. You are my witness in the world you live in (Matthew 28:18-20). You are My hands and feet. (Matthew 25:31-46). There are lives that you touch, that only you can touch. Without My presence in your life, you can do nothing. With My presence in your life, you can do mighty things. Together, we can take My love and shine in a dark world. (Matthew 5:14-16) I am sending you into your home, your school, your job, your sports team, your choir, your club, your church, your neighborhood. Where I lead I feed (Psalm 23:1-2). Where I guide, I provide (Philippians 4:19). I will not send you empty handed. I will not send you without protection. I have placed my Holy Spirit in you. (John 14:25-27)
Our enemy, satan, is mad! He sees the way I am moving in your life and he does not want you to serve me. (Ephesians 6: 12-18) Do not fear, do not shrink back. I am greater than all the powers of hell. (1 John 4:4) I am with you, even to the ends of the earth. (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8) I will never leave you nor forsake you. Your father or mother may forsake you, your brother or sister may mistreat you, your friends may betray you,. your government may fall, your church may split. But I declare My truth over you...I am with you. (Proverbs 8:24, Psalm 27:10) You cannot escape my grasp. I will be there to catch you, each time you fall. I will minister healing to each broken place in your heart. When you seek My forgiveness and turn from your sin, I will forgive you. (I John 1:19)
My beloved child, you are My delight. I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) No one else can touch My heart the way you do. No one else can sing the song I've placed within your heart. No one else can write the story I've written for you. You belong to Me and nothing can snatch you from Me. (Romans 8:38-39) Come to Me, each and every day, ask Me to fill you up with My Holy Spirit. Each day, confess your sin to Me (I John 1:9) and I will replace your heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). A broken and contrite heart I will not despise. (Psalm 51:17) I love a heart that is moldable, I love a heart that is tender. Ask Me to keep your heart pure. Read My word, each and every day. It is Your life and breath. (Psalm 119: 105) Surround yourself with others who believe in Me and want the best for you. (Hebrews 10:25) When you are scared, tempted or troubled (1 Corinthians 10:13) , call upon My name and darkness will flee. (Philippians 2:10) Ask another Christian to stand with you. (Galatians 6:2)
You are going to do the impossible as you put your trust in Me. (Philippians 4:13) I want to advance My kingdom so that I can return and take My children home to heaven. (2 Peter 3:9) Take your place and run this race that I have mapped out for you. (Hebrews 12:1) Do not conform any longer to the pattern or ways of the world. Instead, let me transform you by the power of my word and the renewal of your mind. (Romans 12:2)
You are Mine, My precious child. (Song of Solomon 2:4) I love you, I love you, I love you! –From Father God
Wednesday morning I woke up so very early, with the word from God for our camp. After a powerful time in the presence of Jesus, I woke up my twins and we headed over to HHS. They had been staying with my aunt and cousins and on Wednesday they joined another family for the day. I loved having them there with me, in the midst of all the excitement. I was able to introduce them to my Renew family and their faces lit up in smiles. After breakfast, AM shared the word I had received and used it to commission us to our tasks. We were given our new assignments and we set off.
In our vehicle, the B family extended united! D was able to take the whole day off! He drove me, B, C, J, DP, ZB and SM in our family vehicle. We jammed to Michael Buble tunes and introduced ZB and SM to "Jesus Freak." Windows rolled down, heads bopping, voices declaring "What will people think if they hear that I'm a Jesus freak? What will people say if they find that it's true? I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak, there ain't no disguising the truth!" I felt the rushing wind of the Spirit say, "This is what I made you to do! This is why I created you, to lead people to my heart. I heard your heart's cry a week ago when you told Me you wanted more children. I have given you spiritual children and I've entrusted them to your care. Your quiver is full." There were not words that were adequate to describe how I felt!
We dropped the twins off at their friends' and doubled back to our next job site. We were blessed, blessed, blessed to be given the HONOR of serving a dear, dear lady. Mrs. R is blind and recently lost all of her family. Her grown sons, in their forties, passed away, one in November of 2010, the other in February of this year. Her second son and his wife and two children had lived with her until his death. After that, they moved out, leaving her completely alone. She has wonderful neighbors and a supportive church body, but most days she is very much alone. I love Psalm 68: 5-6, "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." (NIV) I saw each part of that verse being lived out this week!
When we arrived at Mrs. R's home, DY was already there with EY, AS, MH and NH. He explained that today we would dig down deep and work hard, until the task was completed. We gazed at a house that needed to be power washed (shout out to ZB's dad who was generous enough to loan us his power washer!), a pile of rubble that need to be loaded and hauled the dump, a yard that needed to be weeded and mowed and bed that needed mulch. The guys jumped in and gave it their all. BB power washed, AS weed "ate." I helped DY and the guys sort through the rumble. Wood, tree stumps, iron, glass, trash, slugs, you name it, we found it in our pile. (Yes, that certain slug was named "Bill" and he can to ZB in a dream...and MH was dared to lick him and he did it and C and C got it all on camera!) The task was laborious, but the guys stuck with us. I ran to Walmart to get more trash bags and work gloves...in the end, DY took 1300 pounds of debris to the dump and we burned a huge pile of brush. WOW!
All throughout the day, the guys would take turns going inside to visit dear Mrs. R. EY, forever the outgoing extrovert, loved that assignment! DP really took to Mrs. R and found a special place in her heart. It was precious to behold the tenderness and respect the boys extended to her. When we took our lunch break, DP escorted her to the shade of a huge tree in her front yard. We shared our picnic lunch with her. We also spent time passing around cards with each team member's name. We were to choose one word to describe each person. The guys rose to that task as well and really came up with some awesome adjectives for their brothers and Mama B (as I was now called).
After lunch, the coach in DY kicked in and he gave the boys a pep talk, declaring that we had two more hours to knock out the rest of our work. By this point, I was beyond exhausted, so I followed Mrs. R into the house for my visit. What a blessed time we had. She is so easy to talk to and her story gripped my heart and caused me to weep. I was amazed at the lack of bitterness in her. She is very sad and lonely, but she loves God and does not blame him for her suffering. I prayed with her and felt the peace and presence of Jesus right there in the room with us.
We finished up, said our good byes and our vehicle went to pick up the twins. We also showed ZB and SM where we lived, since we were so close by. I know they will be in my home often, eating at our table, playing games, worshipping and learning more about Jesus. I cannot WAIT to see what He has in store! We also had to drop the boys off at my dad's, so they met him...and they met Hedgie! We returned to the school to relax for a bit.
Around 5:15, we loaded our cars and headed to JMU U REC. PE had secured the facility for us and we took over! We were given a schedule and stayed with our work groups. We ate pizza outside near the sand volleyball pit. The guys enjoyed indoor soccer, wally ball, connector basketball (they paired up and had to hold arms/wrists with one other person while running and shooting the ball...it was so funny to watch!), the rock wall and swimming. We gathered outside for our group photo before heading back to HHS. Again, the Buble was blaring! I loved every minute of it!
We were blessed by another awesome set of worship led by the worship team. RH brought another timely word and we were invited to spend time listening to the voice of God. The youth ministered to one another. I prayed with some and just sat and soaked in His presence. Dear, dear brother JM played the piano for over an hour...Bless him, Lord, for his servant's heart of worship! CF took up a guitar and began playing and singing and JC joined him with a drum. I loved the passion of these young men. They gave their all for Jesus that night. I lingered in the sanctuary, unsure of how many other adults still remained. Ever the mother of the group, I wanted to be certain that the place was kept holy and was respected by all who were in the room. Outside, in the commons, others were laughing, eating, playing cards and writing notes for the encouragement wall. I left around 11:30 and there were still some who were awake...
Renew Day 5 (Thursday, June 9)
Thursday dawned and the buzz in the commons at 6:30 a.m. was a bit more subdued. OK, it was a lot subdued! The intense work days and late nights were having an effect on our camp. Leaders looked like they might need toothpicks to prop open their eyelids. Youth moved about in a more trance like state. Still, the spirit of the camp was joyful and cooperative. After breakfast, we set out for our new work assignments. I had not slept more than an hour or two (I was restless and when I finally dozed off, one of my twins woke up, sick. We had to rearrange our day so that he could stay home and recover), so I was glad that Adrian choose to keep our team local for the day. He sent us a local church and gave the guys their most laborious task yet. The clothes closet at his church was experiencing flooding every time it rained. The guys were asked to dig a trench, two feet wide by forty feet long. They had picks, shovels and a wheel barrow to work with. At one end, the trench was to be eight inches deep and it would recede to as deep at twenty four inches. The ground was solid, red clay. It was very obvious that they had their work cut out for them.
DP was hobbling around with a bruised foot. I knew he could not do the manual labor that day, so we joined another team inside the church and helped to make cards and cookies to be delivered to the various organizations we had served throughout the week. We also grabbed SM and went to his house to pick up a pair of crutches for DP. We delivered cookies to Mrs. R's house and blessed her. We also took cookies by the Salvation Army and the Boys and Girls Club. While there, we were asked to transport some guys from another team. They decided they wanted to go to the church and help our guys with the digging. We dropped them off and then went to pick up some items for Friday night's meal. Back at the church, we filled up the vehicle with tired guys and took them back to HHS.
After dinner (tacos!), we had another "ice breaker" in the gym. By this point, there was no more ice to melt. We were all family! We used soft darts to play a version of dodge ball, leaders versus students. My camera battery died, so I decided to just join in for this one...and there began a releasing of a JOY in me...I acted like a total dork, pegged youth right and left with the darts and loved every moment of it! Then, we set out for Ashby pool. By this point, we were so tired, but somehow, we got a second wind! My car was BB, DP, SM and ZB. We rolled down the windows and cranked Buble tunes as loud as we dared. They wanted to be the first ones to arrive at the pool, they were excited to see some friends who worked there. Once there, I didn't really plan to get in the pool, but Mike made an announcement, stating, "Everyone needs to get in the pool...that includes YOU, HB..." so I decided I'd get in rather than be thrown in (word to the wise, AY...you should have heeded this!). We played a screaming version of "Marco Polo" with nearly 100 people in the pool. It was utter, and beautiful, chaos!
I saw NH's parents arrive to bring him a towel and he and his sister sat down to share some of their stories with them. It was precious to behold! Truly, God was doing something AMAZING and these awesome young people were being touched for glory!
Belly flop and biggest splash contests were next. Ice cream treats were handed out. DP and AY had yet to jump into the pool. She told him that if he did get in, that she would as well. About five minutes before we had to leave, DP got into the pool...AY just kept sitting on the edge. I told her, "A, I want you to be a woman of your word. I want you to have integrity, so I'm willing to HELP you." (Wink, wink.) I thought I had some back up, but I ended up pushing her in all by myself. I don't think she thought I would really do it. I don't think I thought I would really do it! But...I did. There's a first time for everything! She acted like she was mad...but I think she'll still love me. At least...I hope she will!
Back at HHS, we poured in the sanctuary and the excitement was intense! Each night, the buzz grew and by Thursday evening, I believe we were EXPECTING God to show up! And, He is who is faithful did just that! We had powerful worship, a simple message and ministry time. During one song, one of my precious girls found me and just wept in my arms. It was such an honor to hold her and to pray over her. After that, I looked up to see one of "my boys" coming toward me, weeping. I grabbed his youth pastor and a few of his buddies gathered around us and we began to pray over him. I felt someone behind me and turned to see my own son, B. I took him in my arms and said, "Son, I love these other guys so much. But you are MINE. God chose me to be your mom. I am so proud of you and I want you to know that I am here for you, anytime." It touched my heart so deeply to have him standing there with me.
Following ministry time the mic was opened up for testimonies...I felt such an intense stirring in my heart to be sure everyone in that room had the opportunity to invite Jesus into their hearts. Since some guys on our team had made that decision for the first time, I assumed that there were others that needed to as well. I tried to find some of the other leaders, but couldn't so I walked to the mic and invited everyone to close their eyes and pray with me. We prayed the prayer of salvation and I asked those who had prayed it for the first time to share that news with someone that night.
After that, there was opportunity for the young people to share the work that God was doing in their hearts. For almost ninety minutes, there was a line of youth lined up who shared powerful testimonies. I wept with them as they shared the specific ways He was moving in their hearts. After testimonies, we were given a few moments to finish praying and then sent to our rooms.
I recall talking to at least three young folks about returning to Renew in 2012. While most were beyond excited about coming back, there was a handful who said, "We're here this year. We'll give it our best, but we will not be coming back." I told them that was OK, that I appreciated their willingness to just be there. After Thursday night, two of them found me and said they'd be back next year!
Renew Day 6 (Friday, June 10)
Our final day at Renew camp dawned. I know that most of us were quite sad to know that the most amazing week of our lives was coming to a close. Already, I was planning ways to keep in touch with the youth on my team. I arrived at HHS around 6:30, asking God to fill me up for the day ahead. The team leaders met together for an early meeting. We ate breakfast and had our devotional together in the commons. AM gave each team an assignment for the day and we gathered in our huddle to plan our mission. On Monday, team San Francisco dropped off grocery bags in nearby neighborhoods. On Friday, our assignment was to return to those areas and collect any bags that were filled and left outside for us. The sky was looking ominous and rain was lightly falling as we loaded into our vehicles. I had B, DP, NH and MH in my car. DY took SM, ZB, AS and EY. When we arrived in the first neighborhood, I told the guys that we had no idea what to expect. The first few houses didn't leave bags out and I could see them getting discouraged...I reminded them to bless each house anyway! We didn't know what circumstances people were facing. Some were away on vacations, others may have just forgotten. Finally, we began to see the bags and the guys got so excited! We filled the back of my Trailblazer with groceries, then headed to NH's neighborhood. His mom and some of the neighbors had filled bags for us. NH's mom also treated the guys (and me!) to homemade chocolate chip cookies. While there, we ran into DY's crew, they were nearby at ZB's house. Again, it hit me how AWESOME this whole adventure was! I now knew where each of my guys lives! Wow!
We met up at Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene, ate our lunches, checked the progress of the other team who had ditch digging duty, then began to weigh our food. Our team gathered, weighed and sorted over 500 pounds of food. YEA, GOD! What a great project to conquer together!
We had some time left in our day, so we gathered in the food pantry and debriefed a bit. I asked each guy to share a high and low for the day. I was blown away by the testimonies that they shared and the work that God did in each heart. We found out that another one of our teammates had accepted Christ earlier that week. One young man had not yet accepted Jesus into his heart, so DY explained the plan of salvation and led him in the sinner's prayers. For me, that had to be the highlight of the entire week! Four new souls entered into God's kingdom! Thank You, Jesus!
We returned to the school to do clean up detail. We were blessed to be able to use the HHS facility and we wanted to be welcomed to return one day! (Another powerful testimony is how much the administration enjoyed our group. They said the atmosphere in the building was RENEWED and that our group was welcome to come back anytime. Thank You, Jesus, for FAVOR!) The youth cleaned out their rooms first, then came to the commons for extra assignments. I was asked to run some more cookies to Our Community Place, so I asked AY and JP to join me. On the way back to HHS, we picked up D, C and J.. The young folks brought all their belongings out of their rooms and placed them in the commons, then went into the gym for free time. Meanwhile, an awesome group of volunteers set up a banquet for the youth. Around 6, we began to eat the best meal ever...homemade lasagna, salad, bread and brownie sundaes. They ate it up! The three Renew directors were presented with plaques and 8 x 10 group shots of the Renew team. We finished up with whipped cream pie in the face! Awesome! (Except for the injury that occurred due to the slippery floor...and for the licking of that nasty floor by none other than our very own...MH!")
Parents began to arrive and anticipation was growing! We filed into the sanctuary for our final service. Earlier in the day, DP and I had been jamming to "Shout Unto God with a Voice of Triumph" and we had asked CM to include it on the list...and...he did! Such a VICTORY chant...
"The enemy has been defeated
And death couldn't hold You down
We’re gonna lift our voice in victory
We’re gonna make Your praises loud
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph
Shout unto God with a voice of praise
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph
We lift your name up, we lift Your name up"
We dismissed the youth and I tried my best to meet as many parents as possible. What a flurry of activity! Leaders stayed behind to finish cleaning...and then...Renew 2011 came to a close...Oh Lord, knit our hearts together. Keep us close to You and each other. Cause us to grow in our faith so that when we come together we hear even GREATER stories of Your goodness in our lives...Yes, Lord, yes!
WORK PROJECTS COMPLETED AT RENEW 2011
Here are the stats that Adrian read to us at the closing service tonight. GO GOD!
6 construction team leaders
23 incredible adults
11 student work teams
99 students
11 different churches
14 different organization served
We worked on 6 different houses
-replaced windows, gutters, doors, and lighting
-cleaned, scrubbed, and painted
-gave a 99 year old woman a chance to finally come home
-gave a woman who was totally blind some joy, comfort, and healing
-when we started one house it was a complete wreck, by weeks end, it was a home again
We provided several thousand pounds of food for our community and beyond
-spent time every day at two different farms, Our Community Farm in Timberville and the Volunteer Farm in Woodstock
-single handedly collected over 500 pounds of food that will get redistributed within our community
-volunteered with 2 food banks right here in Harrisonburg
Loved on two different nursing home communities throughout the week, making their facilities beautiful and bringing joy through activities like bingo, and a free car wash for all the residents and staff
We built a shed to serve Our Community Farm, a place of hope and healing for those who have lost their way
Spent time caring for Harrisonburg High School, the place that became home for us all week
Partnered with the Salvation Army, Mercy House, the Boys and Girls Club, First Step, and the Valley Association for Independent Living
We helped ensure that a clothes closet will stay dry and continue to offer resources to those who often go without
We delivered cards and hundreds of cookies to those who we got the privilege serving, and to others organizations in our community who are often overlooked
We held a carnival for kids and their families at the Boys and Girls Club, a chance for smiles and celebration for all
Places/Organizations served: Harrisonburg High School, Rebuilding Together, The Volunteer Farm, Our Community Farm, Mercy House, Salvation Army, First Step, Valley Association for Independent Living, Hope Distributed Food Bank and Clothes Closet, Blessed Sacrament Food Bank, the Boys and Girls Club, Sunny Side Retirement Community, White Birch Retirement Community
SONGS WE SANG DURING RENEW 2011
Better is One Day
Let the Praises Ring
How Great Is Our God
Here I Am To Worship
How He Loves
Holy Is the Lord
Hungry
Revelation Song
Overcome
Rooftops
Cannons
Hosanna
Shout Unto God With A Voice of Triumph
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