The Missingf

Have you noticed I've been missing all weekend? Sorry, bad pun.

So where have I been and how many stories do I have to tell? Ive been on a youth camp with the Short Street crew. The title of the camp was "The Missing". This took place in the distant cold lands 20km out of Mansfield. There were a range of code-breaking activities and whatnot. The usual worship and intense teaching. I'll probably have to have follow up blogs on this because Im so tired and Im going to miss things. So how about I just do this:

Highlights of the camp

1. Deep conversations
2. Finding out what the word menarche means.
3. Taking a walk down to the bridge with a year 8 girl and having a really good talk.
4. Staying up talking with Cara and Steff.
5. Steve and Karens talks
6. Me winning a sherade game
7. Walking around with bare feet
8. Feeling disconnected from the "real world" for a while.
9. The scenery
10. Giving my little testimony to the grads group this morning.
11. Going through Bonnie Doon!
    
12. Playing the most rediculous and hilarious eye-spy game of my life.
13. Stoz and Sammy's duet of 40 kilometers to go to Bendigo (to the tune of 99 bottles of beer)
14. Getting home and wanting to go back because I really enjoyed time there.

Encounter the power

*drumroll for a week late blog!*

It is so incredibly powerful to watch the scene in The chronicles of Narnia where Aslan trades his life for Edmunds. Its very much what Jesus did for us on the cross. Even though we very much deserved what Jesus got, he took it instead. Wow.

Love is a sacrificial action. The depth of Gods love is unfathomable.

Romans 5:8-11

8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Forgiveness - You need to believe it! Not only for yourself but for others! See Romans 3:10-12. God remembers our sins NO MORE. This is something I have been struggling with myself, and then to see that other people are also forgiven, and are no less and no more loved by God as I am. See also Hebrews 10:17.

Accept it! You can never outdo Gods love! Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9...

Forgiveness is a treasure - persue it! Share whats going on with others! Phillipians 3:13-14