It's Crazy!

CHIC is going awesome! Everything is running really smooth...the students are having an absolute blast...and I can already a change in their lives. I wish you all could be here to witness it first hand, but I guess the best I can do is to relay some of what's happening. I could probably fill up pages and pages of stuff from just the last 24 hours alone but I won't do that. Instead let me just tell you that last night's mainstage time rocked our world. We were lead into worship by an incredible band called the David Crowder Band http://www.davidcrowderband.com/2.0/ and then we were challenged with some thought provoking words from a very solid Christ follower named Shane Claiborne. God used Shane to open our eyes and hearts to the "rawness" (not even a word but oh well) of the gospel and how we should be living if we are true followers of Christ. I'm not talking about good old Sunday morning pew fillers but people who actually live their lives as disciples of Christ. Not the kind of people who play the Christian game of politics and selfishness...and hide behind the comfort of a church but the people who follow in the footsteps of Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46). Our group had an great discussion after mainstage and I can tell you that these kids get it!

As I said, I could go on and on about the highlight of the last 24 hours but I really just wanted to share the most important stuff with you and ask you to pray that God would continue to speak to us. In addition to sharing some more pictures with you...take a look at the lyrics from one of the songs the band played last night. I think it's a great way to sum up what really lies at the root of what CHIC is all about...It describes the driving force for this generations desire to be Jesus to the world.

He is jealous for me,

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden,

I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,

Oh how He loves us,

How He loves us all

We are His portion and He is our prize,

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,

If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,

When I think about, the way…

He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

Hanging out and listening to a band called Salvador yesterday at

"the block party" which is held each night before mainstage
a little racket ball action with the boys before mainstage yesterday

A huge spray paint wall...one of many ways students

are being encouraged to express themselves this week our group competed in a dodge ball tournament this afternoon

hanging out after dinner tonight