Live It Out

this past weekend (friday, feb. 22nd thru sunday, feb. 24th) we had a college/career retreat at alto frio baptist encampment. pretty much all weekend, i carried around a notebook and wrote down whatever seemed relevant to me. some of the words, phrases or thoughts were directly from a lesson or speaker, others were from quite times or converstations with others, while others were just thoughts or themes that i saw during the weekend. below are those words, phrases or thoughts (along with photos taken throughout the weekend) that i and about 20 of my friends experienced also. i'm not sure if this blog entry is more for me, the reader or both. perhaps if nothing else, its a good way to remember such a wonderful weekend spent with God.

- the tribe

- 1 peter 4:12-19 - how do you consider trials pure joy?

its only a trial when your actively seeking Him. when you're just living for yourself and your own selfish pleasures, Satan is already winning, so then there are no trials. God will not tempt you. be joyful when seeking God's will through all the trials. thru trials we gain wisdom.

- perserverance: to stand firm in faith. to come thru the trials placed upon you.

- pride: a sense of satisfaction or dignity. humilty with proper dignity.

- we will always be lacking something. wisdom comes from God. knowledge of God relenquished doubt.

- trials, tests, temptations

- perservere: we are called to constanly seek God in everything

- lewis the "live it out" lime

- identity determines activity - hebrews 9 - we are called to advance the kingdom.

- my wife, the dare-devil.

- mark 4: it wasn't faith, it was fear that the disciples asked for. the word is "we are going to the other side", but when the storm came, they lost track, became fearful. moral: pray in faith, not fear.

- 50 foot tree climb, 400 foot zip-line. that's me, the jumper.

- crotch crushing swing (just ask travis how it felt)

- confidence vs. condemnation

-condemnation: judging to be unfit for use. we are not condemned in Christ.

- ladies

- thanks career point.

- romans 8:1 - there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus - that's where it doesn't come from.

- where does it come from? our enemy, satan. when things don't work out, he holds us down from forgiving. he has NO power over us except what we give him. this world is dark and we are the light.

- satan is trying to find our flaws and weaknesses so that we seek forgiveness; the funny thing is that as a believer, we already have it.

- jose, ryan, taylor, me, vanessa, lindsay & travis jumping in the the very cold frio river (redundant, i know)

- we are not intended to live by our feelings. we are intended to live by God.

- jason craft is amazing. he is just like so many of us. none beyond salvation.

- very nice, i like!

- God is a lover looking for lovers. believing isn't an exercise, it's a life.

- 2 corinthians 10 - confidence, not arrogance. you reap what you sow. your past is in the past through God.

- duplex cookies commercial - tiff is amazing!

- 2 chronicles 29:11 - stand before Him, serve Him, minister before Him, pray to Him.

- we are destined to be a praying people.

- bears love cottage cheese! just ask jay!

- 5 children were adopted thru world vision thanks to ryan and tiff and their beautiful, sincere words. if us poor college students can sacrifice so little ($30 / month) to help better the life of those less fortunate, then image what else is possible!

- live it out...