PING: Anyone who follows Christ.

[Ben E Lou]

Yup, it is that time o' year again. Last year, several of y'all prayed for our trip, and I'd appreciate the same this year. We're heading off to our week of summer outreach camp next Thursday (5/27), leading a trip of 90+ high school kids and 15 leaders. Apart from my responsibilities for leading the overall trip, I have 10 or so junior and senior guys for whom I'll be the cabin leader. Very few of them have a strong relationship with Christ, if any relationship at all. I'm trying to get each of these guys prayed for by name every day that we're there. If any of you would be interested in being a part of my "prayer team," let me know and I'll send you a guy's name. Here's a basic day-by-day prayer guide:

THURSDAY (5/27)

Departure--7pm
Overnight on bus.

Pray that the time on the bus will be a great time to break down walls and enhance kids' relationships with their leaders. There are a handful of kids going on the trip who aren't known very well by any of the leaders. Also, because of our large numbers this year, there are a few leaders going who don't know any kids. Pray that the bus ride would help jump-start relationships.

FRIDAY (5/28)
Bus--all day until late evening (10pm-ish)
Hotel in Denver overnight.

Pray for fun and memorable times on the buses. We have several things planned to help enhance the relational experience of the bus ride. Pray also for our safe arrival in Denver.

DAY ONE (SATURDAY--5/29)
Leave for Camp--11am
Lunch in Winter Park--1pm
Arrive at Camp--2:30pm

Message--Kids will hear tonight that God desires a relationship with them so much that He became a person and lived among us.

Pray that kids would be see clearly that they are valuable and loved by their Creator. Pray for Mike "Ash" Ashburn, who will be representing all of the leaders as the camp speaker for the week. Pray also for the obstacle course that kids will do with their leaders tonight, that it would be a great cabin bonding time.

DAY TWO (SUNDAY--5/30)
Message--Person of Christ: Kids will hear today about how Jesus interacted with people--how He was the most magnetic person to have ever lived, and how people responded to Him.

Pray that kids would see be able to see past their preconceived notions of who Jesus was, and see who He really was. Col. 1:15. Also, pray for the all-camp volleyball tourney this morning, that it would further help with cabin bonding early in the week.

DAY THREE (MONDAY--5/31)
Message--Person of Christ/Problem of Pain: Kids will hear today more about how Jesus interacted with people, and particularly those in emotional pain. We'll begin to discuss "if God is good, then why do bad things happen..."

Pray that kids would be honest and vulnerable about their own pain on this day.

DAY FOUR (TUESDAY--6/1)
Message--Sin/Separation: Kids today will hear that it is the fact that sin has entered the world, and that is what causes us to have to deal with the stuff discussed last night in our cabins. They'll also hear the consequences of their own sin: eternal separation from God.

Pray that kids would understand the difference between "sins"--the symptoms of the problem and "sin"--the condition of our hearts.

DAY FIVE (WEDNESDAY--6/2)
Message--Cross/20 Minutes: Today kids will hear that God provided a solution for the sin problem at the Cross. After the message, they'll have 20 minutes of quiet to consider God's love for them.

Jesus said if I am lifted up, I will draw all men to Myself. Pray tonight that kids would see Him lifted up on the Cross, and be drawn to Him. Pray during the day that kids and leaders would have a *fantastic* and memorable time as we hike to the top of Lost Mountain and look out over the Continental Divide.

DAY SIX (THURSDAY--6/3)
Message--Response to Cross: Today kids will hear what it means to follow Christ. Mike will use the analogy of a marriage relationship. He's also planning to talk about how we try to "compartmentalize" our lives, but that Christ wants to permeate every part of our lives.

Pray that kids would understand what it means to be in a relationship with Him.

DAY SEVEN (FRIDAY--6/4)
Message--Going Home/Say So: Mike will remind the kids that Jesus doesn't just live at Crooked Creek Ranch, but that He lives inside of them if they invited Him in. He'll also set up what we call a "Say So" after the message. Kids who have began a relationship with Christ during the week will have the opportunity to stand up and say just that in a brief sentence (ie "My name is Ben Lewis. I'm from Tucker, Georgia, and this week I asked Christ into my heart.")

Pray that kids who came to know Him this week would have the boldness to stand up and say so. Pray that those who didn't will continue seeking.

We'll leave camp around 10:00pm Saturday night.

SATURDAY--June 5th
Bus ride home. Just stopping for meals. Return home around 6am Sunday morning.

Pray for good conversations between kids and leaders about what they experienced this week.

Also, here are some "general" things to pray for.

1. Safe travel.

2. Pray that the Holy Spirit go before the leaders to change our hearts to be sensitive to His leading and open to His amazing love, mercy, and grace in the lives of the students.

3. Pray that we all have a great time! (I've left out most of the details about the "fun" side of camp. It should be an absolute BLAST!)

4. Pray that God will give the leaders unity and bodies that don't tire.

5. Pray that the kids going will have hearts open to receive God's amazing love for them.

6. Pray for life-long relationships to be established between leaders and kids.

7. Pray for healthy follow-up with kids after camp.
8. Pray for the many kids going on this trip who have been personally touched by the tragedies in our community in the last year. Siblings of students who died this year will be going on this trip, and several who were close to one or both of the Venables.


Thanks in advance to those who choose to partner with me in this VERY significant way. Press on!

--Ben

[FBPro]

Put me down.

[Buccaneer]

I was a y'all last year and I will certainly will one again this year.

[MrBug708]

Done

[terpkristin]

Will do.
Best,
~k

[hoosierdude]

consider it done.

[SplitPersonality1]

done

[SirFozzie]

Good luck Ben. Thoughts and Prayers!

[Poli]

Sign me up, Ben.

[GrantDawg]

I'm in it to win it.

[sachmo71]

I'll put in a note at church.

[Miller Time]

Put me down also. Best of luck these next few days.

[Franklinnoble]

You want a good witnessing tool? Just tell them what I tell everybody... "If Jesus Christ can be MY savior, he can sure as hell save your ... eh.... you know..."

(just try to imagine what I was like *before* knowing Jesus)

[Telle]

Would you be accepting of prayers/well-wishings/energy for some of those general items that you listed (health, safety, etc) from those who are not followers of Christ?

[Ben E Lou]

I'll be getting info to those who responded in the next day or so. Thanks!

--Ben

[nfg22]

Put me down. Ill pray till the day is done.

[revrew]

Put me down, 'Dog.

[Eaglesfan27]

You and all involved will be in my thoughts and prayers over the next few weeks. I think it is great the work you and others do with our youth.

[SFL Cat]

I'll certainly add it to my list. Here's hoping you get an ol' time revival going.

[randal7]

I'm in.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Prayers for all involved in this undertaking.

Jon

[Ben E Lou]

Bump. This is probably my last post until tomorrow morning. Pray! Full list of kids is at: http://www.younglifenorthlake.com/ccr.htm

[Ben E Lou]

Dola:

I mean until Saturday morning.

[G-Man]

You and the group are in my prayers

[Dutch]

Well, I'm certainly no strict Christian, but I wish you all the safest of journeys, be smart, stay aware and have fun!

[Ben E Lou]

Checking in...

I have been diagnosed with strep throat. I don't feel too badly anymore, as they've started the antibiotics. However, today is the big hike up the mountain, and the doctor advised me not to go. Unfortunately, my wife was sitting there when he advised me as such. Otherwise, I probably would have ignored him and gone anyway, considering I feel about 95% today. At any rate, things are going pretty well here, although a number of us have gotten sick. The worst is that one of our kids had to fly back home as a result of high altitude pulmonary ademia.

Spiritually, things are tracking along *very* well with a number of the kids. Ash is doing a PHENOMENAL job of communicating the Gospel, and kids are seeming to understand.

Talk to y'all on Sunday.

--Ben

[MrBug708]

Woot, I just got over a bad sore throat. Glad everything is going well though!

[Ksyrup]

My wife got strep throat abut 10 days ago, and I caught it as well (though not as bad) about a week later. We're both on antibiodics now, but we have to hope the 5 year old and 3 week old don't get it...

[JeeberD]

Hmmm...just noticed this afternoon that I was feeling achy and a little weak. Hope I'm not coming down with the strep that's floating around FOFC...

[GrantDawg]

Strep can turn bad (I watched a lady die from it). Take it as easy as possible.

[Ben E Lou]

Back in the hizouse.

Random thoughts....

• SO wonderful to be a part of the process as many kids crossed over from death into life.
• I'm feeling pretty much 100% now (other than very tired from sleeping the last two nights on a bus....).
• Thanks to G-Dawg and Ryan S for taking care of bidness while I was away. I glanced and some locked threads and the ones I saw needed to be locked.
• Thanks to *everyone* who prayed! You also were part of the process as kids crossed over from death to life. Press on.
• First round of pics should be posted late today/early tomorrow.
• Won't be around here much more today, as I'm teaching the first follow-up Bible Study *tonight*, and need to go prepare.

--Ben

[Raven]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

one of our kids had to fly back home as a result of high altitude pulmonary ademia.

so the kid is having problems because of the high altitude, and their cure is to put him on a plane at an altitude of 30,000 feet?

what genius came up with that idea?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Raven

so the kid is having problems because of the high altitude, and their cure is to put him on a plane at an altitude of 30,000 feet?

what genius came up with that idea?

Planes are pressurized, and they had him on oxygen during the flight.

[albionmoonlight]

Welcome back, Chief.