Thursday with Derwin..

So..part of the problem of having such a full schedule is that I don't get a chance to sit here until late at night, and then I'm too tired to have complete thoughts.  BUT...if I had all my wits about me, I would share about how awesome our speaker, Derwin Gray, was this morning.  He spoke about the incarnation of God.  How He came down so that we could have relationship with Him.  He talked about how God is our relentless pursuer and how He wants to be the One who we get our worth from. 

"Don't surrender your Divine Birthright to other people's opinions and plans for you"

"You are my treasured possession"

"You are a chosen people"

Derwin challenged the kids not to underestimate the power that they have to change the world around them.

"God's objective for young people is this: that they are ambassadors to this world and HE wants to change the world through them."

Derwin also shared the deep love God has for each of us and His desire for our lives to collide with His.  You can't imagine how it looks to see over 6,500 teenagers bending their bodies forward to listen intently to this man speak.  He challenged the kids in some very practical ways. 

We also enjoyed some great worship music, as well as poetry by Bradley Hathaway

The afternoon was spent at the Louisville Slugger Stadium, where we enjoyed a concert by the band, "Kutless", dinner, and a baseball game.  During the middle of the 5th inning we were called on to do a little dance that all 6,500 of us have been working on all week.  Just a few minutes ago Joe Burchill called to say that our "dancing" had made it on the News!  It had to have been over 100 degrees outside, but it really was alot of fun!

Kutless

A bunch of kids ate HUGE sno comes to cool off...

Anyway, if I had my thoughts together...or maybe if I just had a tiny bit more sleep, then I could tell you story after story about the ways the kids have been getting along and enjoying being together. These really are some great kids, and I believe they are being challenged and transformed.

The song playing in the background is one of the songs we've been singing all week, it is another message of God's greal LOVE for us. 

Before I go...two short messages to the kids I left at home...

ALEX:

I didn't get much of Trace Bundy's performance, but here's a little clip for you!

{It won't download!!!!!  Sorry, Alex, here's a picture instead...}

Emma...

It's possible...MAYBE I bought this shirt for you. 

I thought it was cute...and a little funny!

{Miss you guys...thanks for keeping things together at home!}

I'm off to bed...the other leaders have beaten me to it!