What a week!

To be honest...the title I decided to give this post could be the only thing I write for today. It's a great way to describe what's been going on and specifically what happened yesterday. In addition to all of the on campus activites, some of our students signed up to go white water rafting on the Pigeon river (starting from the the actual border of Tenessee and North Carolina). Our river guide (Eddie) was awesome and has been a guide on rivers in four different states for 20 years. He's also the only person in the state of Tenessee who is able to certify other guides on swift water rescue...very comforting to our group! As Eddue explained to us - in the eastern U.S. there is a ranking system for white water rapids from 1 - 6. Niagra Falls is a class 6 rapid. The highest class rapid we manuevered yesterday was a class 4 and it was awesome! Contrary to the initial fears of some of our students rafting was a blast and I'm proud to say that no one fell out of our raft:-)

While we were having a lot of fun yesterday we were mindful that one of our group mates was not having very much fun at all. Unfortunately one of our students (Jessica) is dealing with a lot of pain in her mouth. She's been to a dentist here in Knoxville but the dentist wasn't able to really determine the cause of the pain and swelling. She was given some stuff to help manage the pain and possible infection but when we checked with her this morning...the swelling was a little worse and she wasn't feeling any better. Right now as I'm typing, Jessica is being seen by another dentist in the area and we are hoping that something can be done that will allow Jessica to travel home tomorrow with the least amount of pain possible. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated for Jessica as she goes through this bummer of a situation.

Last night's mainstage time was amazing. To give you the best glimpse of what happened I'm going to paste a posting from CHIC's website (http://www.chic2009.org/):

Judy Peterson shared a powerful, life-altering message that encouraged students to stop hiding behind a facade. I clean my house before the cleaning lady comes, she said. I used to set my alarm clock so I could get up before my husband so he wouldn’t see the real me without makeup. I paint my toenails before getting a pedicure, said Peterson. “I live a lie a whole lot of my life. I give the illusion I have it together all the time,” she said. All have their reasons for pretending, but one major fear is rejection. “It’s risky to put yourself out there,” said Peterson. Loving those whose brokenness and messiness is obvious is easy, such as the homeless or sick. For those of us whose messiness is not obvious, we really need to know God’s love because it’s easier for us to miss His grace, Peterson said. “Christians are often the best pretenders in this game,” she claimed. Even in our churches, so often our mess is hidden, Peterson said. When sharing prayer requests we pray for things such as holding off the rain for the church picnic. We are coming before our living God and we’re praying for rain? We pretend when our whole life is a struggle, why not be praying for that battle with that unending addiction? “Pretending lets you have more friends, but I don’t know if they’re friends,” Peterson said. Honesty takes time and we are so busy that we don’t take the time to be honest. Referencing the story of David and his affair with Bathsheba, followed by the murder of Uriah, Peterson read through Psalm 32. David tried to cover his mistakes, he tried to pretend his way out of it, but it didn’t work. It was not until he confessed his transgressions before God and accepted His forgiveness that David was truly free and able to rejoice. When sin is not hidden something amazing happens, you’re blessed, Peterson said. It is no longer a fight for survival, but a life of blessing. In an effort to emphasize her message, Peterson defeated one of her biggest fears onstage before all 5,200 CHIC-goers. Going without makeup is something she never does in public, it is a nerve-wracking exposure for her. Yet before the entire audience, Peterson used a wet washcloth to scrub off every bit of makeup covering her face. “This is what you have on your soul,” she said as she held up the filthy washcloth. Every morning, she shared, my sweet husband says, “You are the most beautiful without your makeup on” and kisses my eyelids. God says the same to us. When our souls are not caked in lies, discolored in false identities and hidden in fear, that is when God kisses our eyelids and says “You are most beautiful without your makeup on, My child.”A tender God He is, one who Jesus called “Abba,” which is what a Jewish child calls his daddy. Remain in the Abba love because the Abba calls you “beloved”, said Peterson. And nothing will ever separate you from the One who calls you “beloved.” Walking with the Lord is like dancing, Peterson said. Perhaps we have forgotten how, or maybe we have never done it before. Yet in His beautiful love He says, “Stand on My shoes, I’ll show you.” He holds on with a grip that will never let go and wondrously looks in your eyes, seeing you as His child, His pure, forgiven and forever-loved child. A cross was mounted in the center of the arena and the opportunity was made available for students to come to the floor and make commitments before the Lord. The Holy Spirit was densely present in the room as the process of becoming undone for many had just begun. Allowing time to process together what they had just experienced, students and their leaders were given about 30 minutes to break into small groups. Soon they silently filed back into the arena, as all prepared for communion. The CHIC band led the worship as each took their turn at the Lord’s Supper. In conclusion to the service, all linked hands and together recited the benediction. Many walked out of Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday night with their world rocked and life forever changed.

As you can probably tell it was a powerful night and I can tell you first hand...I'm not bringing home the same 11 students I left with. Yes, on the outside they might seem like the normal high school kids you know, but something has changed on the inside of each of these students. It only takes a couple of honest conversation with them to see the God has undone something in their lives. After our last mainstage time with the rest of CHIC (over 5,000 students), we'll board another bus...and then a plane and fly home. Please pray for our group tonight if you get a chance. Pray not just for the "normals" - safe travel, patience with each other despite our exhuastion, etc...but pray that we would not leave this encounter with God behind. Pray that we would come home and begin to live out the dream that God has for each of us. Pray that we would be the generation who sparks a new trend of "taking off the makeup" and living as honest, imperfect, and most importantly beloved creations of the God who put the cosmos together. I'm excited to share more with you all when we get

Rafting on the Pigeon

Jesus + Jeremy = BFF

Look who gave a seminar on Girls and their body image!