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Summer updates from Parker, CO 7/30/02 - 10:50 PM Well it sure must seem like I've been busy. Either that or it seems like I've been putting this off. Thanks to all of you who are still interested even though I've been away for a few months now. Where to begin... well I guess I'll start with where I
left off last time. After
Camp Como we came back for a few
days and then we took off for CIY in
Gunnison, CO. The trip was a ton of fun. I got to know the
high school students a lot better and as always the summer
conference was great. I've included a few photos from the worship
which is On our trip home one group (including myself) stopped off
at the Royal Gorge, the worlds tallest suspension bridge, for the
afternoon. This is the When I got back, Melissa (my girlfriend) and Bethany were waiting at the church to meet me. They had been working at the other Colorado CIY in Fort Collins. We went to dinner and then I had to come back home and get ready to preach the next morning. I spoke at two services for the first time and I actually kind of enjoyed having two chances to preach my sermon. I felt like that went really well, but when I finished I was dead tired. A week of CIY was hard enough but adding a sermon the day after was tough. But in the end I really enjoyed it all. Melissa and Bethany had to catch a plane after lunch so I told them goodbye and got back into my routine.
For the past few days my dad has been around. My mom and sister went
to Europe so he thought We went the Focus on the Family anniversary concert and played golf a few times. It was a lot of fun. It was just like going on vacation only I didn't have to go anywhere. The only work I did was to preach on Sunday morning. Both Jeff and Jeremy are gone in Mexico so I was kind of in charge. Everything went smoothly and I think it was a pretty good experience for me. Well I only have a couple weeks left until I return to my native Illinois soil. It will be good to see Orange and Blue again (that doesn't represent the Denver Broncos) as well as getting to see all of my friends and family again. I have had an unbelievable time and have gained a lot of valuable experience, but I am really starting to miss everyone. My last Sunday is Aug. 11th and I'm driving home on the 12th and 13th. I can't wait to see everyone. I just to say and extra special thank to you all for supporting me with your love and with your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for me. God Bless.
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Summer Updates
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always great. A lot happened so I guess I'll just stick to my
favorite part. On Wednesday I led our group's "His Time", an nightly
wrap up/debriefing/prayer time in our youth groups.
The day's topic was "Turn to God" and it focused on our need for
repentance. I struggled to find some way to really bring home that
theme. Finally I came up with something that was either going to go
great or it was going to flop. After the main session that night we
all gathered together in our usual spot. I began by talking for just
a few minutes and telling them a personal story of I time when I had to
"turn to God" and repent. That seemed to go over well but that
wasn't the part I was worried about working. After that I asked
everyone to get in a big circle and lie down prostrate on the floor.
We then turned out all of the lights and had a time of repentance before
the entire group. I was so worried that no one would step out and
speak but God really taught me to have faith. Nearly everyone in the
circle asked for repentance at some point and afterward we got into
smaller groups for a time of healing and prayer. I really felt like
God used that night, despite my little faith, to touch students lives. 
view through a crack between the boards. The small yellowish circle
in the center is highlighting a large raft. It doesn't look so large
from that high up. It was a lot of fun and I had the chance to get
to know a few student even better.