Weekend Away

Just got back from a really fun weekend away with Ste's childhood youth group from St. Barnabas church in Linthorpe. We got invited to come and speak at their trip and I loved getting to meet some awesome new kids (aged 11-13). We left Friday evening and arrived at Wydale Hall. We actually stayed in another wing called the Emmaus Centre which has dorm like rooms. I bunked with four girls: Kirsty, Marybeth, Helen and another leader named Abbie. Kirsty told me I was the coolest American she had ever met...she assured me she has met quite a few. The weekend's theme was Journey to the Center of the Earth and was filled with songs, food, games, challenges and just overall fun. We were split into two teams Yellow and Red. I was in Yellow and we ended up winning, scoring just one point ahead of the Red team in all the challenges!

Ste and I had four talks to do between us so we decided to speak on the 4 points (www.the4points.com) which are God loves me, I have sinned, Jesus died for me and I have to decide to live for Him. I did the first and last talk and Ste covered the two in the middle. I was a little nervous about it, but it all flowed so well. I pray that God really spoke through us and the kids got reaffirmed in their faith or that things really hit home for the first time. Below is a piece of scripture I used from each of my talks. 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."- Romans 8:38-39

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." -Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Below are some pictures from the weekend (see Facebook for more):

A ladybird (English name for ladybug).

Mom you would have loved this greenhouse on the grounds!

Me in the prayer garden.

Wydale Hall.

The view from the backside of the Hall. Beautiful. The dots in the background are grazing sheep. 

The front of the Hall.

Another view from the back.

And for a laugh...the teams were challenged to make love letters to me the first night (God is love) out of newspapers and magazines. Then they had to read them to me. 

Yellow

"I am falling in love with the perfect woman. You look hot. It is too late for love? You're a slice of heaven. You have the wow factor. Marry me Lauren!"

Red

"Wow, my hero! Take me to heaven. You look great. You're really hot. So good to know you. I'm in love. Waiting for you to call. I love you. Marry me Lauren? X"

The x "kiss" (with sound effect) won me over so Red team got a point!