Unite 2K11 Recap

Unite is always incredible. This is the third year we have taken a group of students down to the beach for a week, for what we call, "Unite." However, something was different about this year, and I still am struggling to put my finger on what was so different. I am not sure if it was the weight of the Holy Spirit that was there from the very beginning, the desire of our students to truly know Christ more, or what, but never the less, something was different about this year. From the very beginning, God began to do work, and change lives...it was truly incredible. I have never been a part of something that was so life changing.

On Sunday night, Eric Samuel Timm (www.nooneunderground.com) kicked off our week and challenged our students to restore relationships among themselves, and allow Jesus to be repainted to them throughout the week. That is exactly what happened. Our students restored relationships with one another, as did our adults, and the floodgates were open for Jesus to begin to do some incredible things, and He didn't leave us hanging. It was the perfect way to begin our week, Thank you Eric for allowing the spirit to use you!

Monday morning we began our day with a Sand Castle Competition, and I must say, I was impressed with some of the castles, and rather impressed with some of the groups creativity in creating, well the Empty Tomb, and a plane crash! :) Whatever our students created, they all did a great job of working together to accomplish a goal!

Monday night was an incredible time of worship with the Starlit Drive, as they did an amazing job of leading us to the throne, and Shawn Spickler brought the Word about remembering our God is mighty to save, and He is bigger than all your doubts, fears, and struggles! Late night Monday night was amazing! We brought in PK from Atlanta, and they put on a show! It was incredible! They are so talented, and their lyrics are amazing! Thank you Marlon, and LaSonna for sharing your gift with us! (www.pkallday.com)

Tuesday morning we had our first morning session to recap what we did the night before, and Sarah D'Attoma, and Michael Allen did an awesome job leading us into throne! We dove a little deeper into Zephaniah 3:17 and really saw just how mighty our God actually is!

Tuesday afternoon at Unite means one thing: PAINT. This year, we decided to do paint dodgeball, and what a time it was. Despite the balls being incredibly difficult to throw, our students had a great attitude about it, and were rather surprised when I threw out noodles for them to use, and the free for all paint war of Unite 2K11 began! It was a spectacle to see!

Tuesday night, we worshipped, dug into the word, talked about renewing our minds, and controlling our thoughts. Shonn Keels from Team Impact joined us to bring the Word, and did an amazing job. It was so cool to see students hearts being changed by worship, and by the Word! We settled in late night Tuesday night for an outdoor movie night, as some healing, and growing took place in some lives, while others enjoyed "Despicable Me."

Wednesday was the pinnacle of Unite 2K11. It started off with a morning session that the presence of God, and Spirit were so evident, it was so thick in the room that I knew God was going to do incredible things on this day, and He did. We talked about dominated our thought life, and keeping as far away from sin as possible. Wednesday afternoon, we took our group picture, and then served the retreat center! I have never been more proud of our students, and the efforts they gave in that heat.

Now, if you told me before hand that Wednesday night session would be the pinnacle of this week, I would have called you crazy, and I would have been dead wrong, because it definitely was. There are no words to describe what Wednesday night was like. It was filled with the Spirit of God more than ever before. Students were surrendering everything they had to Jesus Christ. It was so evident that God was working in everyone's lives in that room that night. Students had the opportunity to nail to the cross a "Hello, my name is _____ label" and claim off of the cross a "Cursed but redeemed" label, which they are to keep with them at all times to help them realize that is where we are to live. In the state that we are cursed, so cursed, but we are redeemed not by what we did, but by what Jesus did! And if evening session wasn't amazing enough, Late night got even better. We had planned to do the late night slip n slide, but with the spirit being so evident, and GOd doing so much work, the Spirit led me to make a decision and change it to late night worship, and I am so grateful God led me to do that, because the late night worship session, was beyond words. Students were throwing everything they had in worship to Jesus Christ. It was incredible to see!

By Thursday morning, students had started to think about going home, and sadness began to sit in, however, we had one day left, and God was going to make it clear that He was not done yet, and that is exactly what He did! Anita did an incredible job bringing the Word during morning session on Thursday, Paige and James led our students in worship as some of us others made our way down to the beach for our senior session! We Challenged our graduates, worshipped with them, and prayed with them. It was a special time!

Thursday afternoon came around, and it was time for our beach baptisms...and it was a powerful testimony as we baptized 21 students in the ocean, with hundreds of people standing around watching the Holy Spirit literally change lives before their eyes! We had one student, Hunter, who was not even on our trip or with one of groups, but was just watching our students be baptized, and He felt the Spirit leading him to make that decision as well, since He just accepted Christ a few weeks earlier. It was so neat to be a part of. I was so proud of our students.

Thursday night was where everything came to a head. It was again, passionate, exciting, incredible time in Worship and the Word, and we finished out the week on the beach, praying together, worshipping together, and thinking about who we really need to REpaint Jesus too when we arrived home. It was an incredible way to end, and incredible week.

I need to take some time and thank some people:

First, my Jesus, I love you so much. Just over 10 years ago, when you came into my life, I never thought you could be so incredible, and you continue to amaze me more and more. Thank you for your grace, and your neverending love that never fails. I do this for you, and only so that YOU receive the glory.

My wife, Sarah. You are an incredible wife. You are the most amazing women of God in the world, and you bring me so much joy, and our home so much life! You are a women of prayer, and support. I am so thankful, and blessed to call you my wife, and to serve with you. I love you so much.

My youth pastor, Kennon Vaughan. KV, you inspired me to allow God to use me to change lives, and you made such an impact in my life, I am doing everything in His power to allow Him to change me and use me daily!

My best friend, and Discipler, Danny. DH, you taught me everything I know about the Word, and the importance of discipleship. You taught me most of what I know about Student Ministry. You are my best friend man, and I am so thankful for you in my life!

My Assistant, Anita. NEEDS!!! STUART!!! :) You are amazing! I am so blessed to serve with you, and so thankful you put up with me! Thank you for all you do, and the support you give me behind the scenes of our ministry.

My Student Ministry Leadership Team! Y'all are incredible. Enough said. You make this ministry go. You pour into students, and love on students like I've never seen before. You sacrifice your time and energy to see students lives changed. You partner with me in living out the vision that God has given us for this ministry. You keep me accountable, and support me. You teach me so much as I continue to learn and grow. You trust me as I am trusting Christ, and that means the world to me. You always have my back, and I know that, and please know, I always have yours. I love y'all so so much, and am so honored to serve with you.

Our Student's Parents: Simply put, Thank you. Thank you for allowing us to assist you as you lead your students towards the cross! Thank you for trusting us as we attempt to love on your students, and help them grow and mature in their walk with Christ. Thank you for providing snacks on Sunday mornings, and reading my sometimes pointless monday morning emails! Thank you for raising some amazing teenagers who we love so much!

And Finally, our STUDENTS. I love y'all so much! I am so proud of each of you! I am so proud to be your youth pastor, and watch Christ transform you daily! Thank you for your openness this past week at Unite, and I know you were blessed because of it! I am so excited to see God transform our church, this city, this state, and this world through y'all! It is an honor to serve you on a daily basis! You truly are the best students in the world, and I sincerely love each of you, and am so proud of you.

Well, Unite 2K11 is in the books. That's a wrap. It was incredible, and it will never be forgotten. But with the end of Unite 2K11 means one thing: Time to start planning for Unite 2012! See you there!

Be Blessed,
Toes.





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