#disciple now

Day 3. Sunday. That means DNOW was almost over, right? No. You see, we made a pact, all of us, that we wouldn't just leave it at the door when we went home. We may go back to our own houses, and we may not see every person we were with everyday to just sit and talk, but we will still be accountable for each other. We'll still pray with and for each other, and we will be there for each other. We won't stand alone, and we won't be shaken. (I love that song, by the way.)

We woke up & took showers, and our Host made us eggs. (Because he's just that awesome.) We packed everything up into our vehicles, did a few thousand checks to make sure we had everything, made sure we left it nicer than when we came into it (which was very difficult). We hugged our host mom goodbye because she had to stay home (her little girl is sick), and then we left for church. 

We started out in the Fellowship Hall where we just listened to each other speak about what had happened, asked for prayers and accountability. Then we went to the Sanctuary and we picked out a nice section so we could all sit together. YP led the worship, and it was amazing to see all these teenagers standing and worshiping the God they loved. After we all worshiped, YP basically told the adults that were there what we had learned. He shared with them what had been shared with us. Then we had invitation. He invited all the leaders down so anyone who needed to pray with one, could. There were so many tears, but so many lives that had been changed and to me that is just amazing. 

He asked the adults there what they thought, and up in the balcony you could hear one of them shout, "Praise the Lord." and Amen to that. 

After the service, I took a picture with YP, and then hugged him. (btw, he gives the best hugs.)

Okay, after our second session, we watched Courageous. (Which made all of us cry.) About halfway through the movie, the lovely YP decided to scare us and he did not fail. Him, KL, and a couple others came in and watched Courageous with us. (YP usually comes with people to visit each home every year.) I know it sounds really weird, but that was honestly one of my favorite parts of DNOW. (My favorite is coming up!) But, we were all just with our best friends, watching a great Christian movie with an amazing message, with our youth pastor & another amazing role model in all our lives, just sitting with us. It probably sounds like a funny favorite moment, but I guess you had to be there. Anyway, they had to leave to go to another house about 45-50 minutes later :(

But, we finished watching the movie, then we all went and changed into nicer clothes because our amazing & loving hosts wanted to take us all out to dinner. During the ride there, one of my hosts just asked us about the future. Basic questions every high schooler is asked, "What do you plan on doing?" "Where do you want to go to school?" etc. He talked about how he saw such different personalities with us, but such a strong... friendship. He shared so many tidbits of advice with us, that really stuck with all of us. For instance, he said that, as a Christian, it's like we're a speck of pepper in a salt shaker. He told us that we needed to put God first, then we can attack the world. I think that's one of my favorite quotes from him this weekend because it's just true. We don't need to be afraid of standing out, who cares? If nineteen people think I'm weird, but I get to one person, that one person is worth it. As long as God is leading, anything is possible.

We came back home and then headed to church early. We got our NOTHING shirts, and found a seat very close to the front. (yay!) We started out with skits and songs (each house had their own). Then, we worshiped. I tweeted this earlier, but one thing I love that happens when we worship is when it's just our voices, no instruments. Of course, I also LOVE when it's a fast paced song, and everyone is jumping and clapping and just praising God. That's always awesome. There was a part in the middle of a song, and our whole group took hands as we sang, then eventually formed a huge group hug together. That was awesome. 

Day 2, aka Saturday! 

Started this day off wonderfully because my awesome hosts made us crepes. (Like homemade, made the batter and everything.)  We got dressed in the shirts and headbands we had made, and headed to church. We started today off with the "game". This year, it was this Trade-Up game. Basically, we go to places and people and try to barter our way to higher valued items for the church to auction off in its missions auction. Usually, we'd get something to barter with, something little to start out with. So, because of this year's theme, guess what we got to barter with? That's right... NOTHING. Very clever, right? So, instead of driving around town frantically searching for something, we started calling people up. YP came over & talked to us. (Since we were the only ones still in the church, he felt the need to inform us that the game had indeed started.) Anyway, we had 10 lbs of beef, then got a couch, and ended up with a diamond ring value somewhere between $900 & $1200. (Yay!) 

When we got home, we ate lunch and started our second session. This session was about... Okay, we started off by talking about situations that made us feel worthless, almost like we questioned God for His actions or that we would question Him completely. We had a couple examples, like when something terrible and horrific occurs, like a school shooting, or when someone dies from cancer where it's like "what did they do to deserve this?". Sort of circling around the idea that we try to let the good outweigh the bad and we think that's going to put us in heaven, when Jesus is the only thing that can get you to heaven. We talked about the 10 Commandments and how we break so many of them without realizing it. For instance, keeping the Sabbath Day holy. Most of think, "Okay, I do that. I go to church every Sunday." If you aren't going with the right heartitude (that's heart attitude), then you are breaking this commandment.  

It was crazy to think that... I think that, with this session, we sort all had a different connection to the word "Nothing". The meaning behind the theme is that Jesus did everything perfectly and He sacrificed himself so that we could have eternal life, and we literally bring NOTHING. As a group, we talked about what Nothing meant to us... And that's what we all sort of said. To us, we are nothing. God is everything. Quoting my host, "Your faith is what makes everything happen. Without faith there is... Nothing."

337. I went to a worship event one night. 338. On that first night, I volunteered to help at a retreat for middle school and high school kids. 339. I went the next week. 340. I helped at the retreat. 341. I still haven't made it back to that worship event...

342. I was with 8th grade girls. 343. We had teh best host home ever!! (The wife wanted to be a part of the girls' weekend and life!!) 344. They unloaded a lot that first night. 345. They were pretty great girls, really, though. 346. None of them were plain--each was memorable. 347. We played the knot game.  A lot. 348. The messages were great!! 349. I made an awesome college-aged friend, as well. 350. I feel as though this was a good clue that I can probably handle counseling in the future.

351. The food. All kinds of snackage--including homemade pigs in a blanket!!! 352. Breakfast consisted of grapes and strawberries--which we don't get at school--and blueberry muffin cake and egg, sausage,and cheese casserole!! Mmm-mmm! 353. I had BBQ for lunch =D 354. Really good pizza for dinner and snack. I love pizza. 355. Blueberry donuts!

This is our recap vidoe from Disciple Now 2013. The senior girls dressed up as old women and it was super funny so you should watch this cause we're the stars! watch to the end because we might make a special appearance ;) PS-I'm the old lady with the blue sweat pants, pink windbreaker, and white v neck. WATCH ITTT.

I'm not the woman that I want to be right now.

I'm not okay with staying the same and remaining lukewarm.

I'm not okay with not being made fun of for my faith.

I'm not okay with the limited amount of Scripture I have memorized and fully internalized.

I'm not okay with my small faith and my stubbornness.

I want to know His Word. 

I want to live His Word. 

I want to know even more about Him. 

I want to be selfless, self-controlled, an encouragement and a light. 

I want to make disciples and love on women.