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Beats by Mark: April

CHAOS RETREAT - MARCH 13-15

We serve an amazing God and we have some amazing volunteers and students involved in this ministry.  Everyone came together to pull off one of our best retreats to date. It was an incredible mixture of fun, laughter, relaxing, community, and very deep discussions about how to enjoy God.

Benson Avis, Matt Virgin, Austin Smith, Tori Densley, and Morgan Scott all worked extremely hard on a video that allowed students to share deep parts of their story and how God changed them. It was a beautiful video that will be available on youtube soon. God really used this video and the stories told to open up other students about things going on in their life. It is so incredible to see how God uses so many different pieces and people to chase down one person and show him or her that He loves them deeply.

Benson Avis delivered his first sermon on this retreat and knocked it out of the park. Many many students talked about how much his sermon impacted them as he talked about three different types of people: people who are dead, people who need a reason to celebrate, and people who are celebrating. There were students that connected deeply with the fact that they were dead and God used this sermon to raise them to life.  Benson’s sermon really was the highlight of the retreat for many. I’m unbelievably thankful for Benson and his heart for ministry and these students.

Matt Virgin led out on the large group game that we played at retreat. Matt has been an indispensable part of this ministry for several years, but these past couple years he has really led out in so many areas. The games he comes up with, the videos he creates, and the way he connects with the students are all just incredible. God uses Matt constantly to teach truth and encourage our students weekly, but then he steps into these large projects and just does an outstanding job with everything. 

Morgan Scott did everything...as usual. She helps with every project we ever do. From videos to games to helping with administrative things behind the scenes. She is an incredible servant. But what makes her irreplaceable is the depth of relationship she has formed with all the students. She cares for and prays for these students constantly and God is constantly using her to encourage and build up our students. I can’t explain how thankful I am for her.

Kristin Anderson has loved and poured her life into these students for years now. On top of school and work, she diligently pours into and loves these students. God used her extremely powerfully during this event to walk with students through some very difficult conversations, and she is able to have these deep conversations because of her deep love and wisdom. I’m so thankful for her ministry here.

A huge thank you to April Sharp and Paul Hollis for stepping in to help chaperone and have just a great time with students. I know everyone knows how incredible these two are, but I love how they grab every opportunity to talk about the Lord and encourage students to trust Him more...even if that opportunity is just sitting around the cabin at night. Thank you so much for being apart of this. 

Tori Densley has been helping out for just a short period of time, but she has jumped in with both feet. She has an incredible eye for videos and helped a tremendous amount with the video. But what was awesome to me was how she is already having great conversations with the students about the Lord and what honoring Him looks like. I can’t wait to see how God uses her into the future.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated funds to help students attend this event. We literally could not have done this without you. Your generosity is what allowed so many students to come hear the Word of God and enjoy Him. 

I’m overwhelmed with thankfulness and love for this church, these volunteers, and our absolutely amazing students. We definitely have the best youth group around :)

With deep love,

Mark

March 2015 Student Ministry

CHAOS - March 13 - 15

Retreat is almost here!! Get signed up today by clicking here.  At the time of writing this, there are less than 10 spots left.

We’ll be looking at how we are to celebrate and enjoy God (specifically His Character and Who He is) and what He has done. We’ll also be looking at how we ought to enjoy and celebrate what God is doing in others through community. And our last large group session will cover what celebration looks like in the midst of suffering.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE DONATIONS TO THE YOUTH FOR SCHOLARSHIPS! YOU ARE SUCH A HUGE BLESSING TO ME AND THESE STUDENTS!

E-Cigarette Use by Teens on the Rise

I came across this article by HomeWord.com and felt like this is something parents should be aware of for a couple of reasons: one, it is a possibly dangerous habit that may lead to experimenting in other areas, which is what the article below addresses; however, I think a second and more important reason to be aware of this is that God has designed us to find our comfort and peace in Him. As we look to other sources for peace and comfort, it often causes our hearts to stray and we begin looking for fulfillment in created things rather the creator. So I hope this leads to Gospel-centered conversations with your student regarding how they deal with stress, frustration, and hurt.

While teen cigarette use has declined by half since 2000, parents should be aware that three studies released in the fall of 2014 point to a significant rise in e-cigarette use by teenagers. An e-cigarette is a device that turns nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals into an inhalable vapor. Many e-cigarettes are designed to resemble tobacco cigarettes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 12% of high school students and 3% of middle school students have tried e-cigarettes at least once, and 4.5% of high school students use them regularly. The 2014 Monitoring the Future survey raises more red flags, finding that 8.7% of eighth grade students had used an e-cigarette in the previous month. The numbers for previous month use by 10th graders was 16.2%, and for 12th graders, it was 17.1%. Finally, a study of 1,900 ninth and tenth grade teens in Hawaii found that 29% of these had used e-cigarettes.

Why it matters:

• Adolescence is a season of experimentation for teenagers. With the rise of popularity in e-cigarette use by teens, it’s likely that teens will face increasing temptation to experiment with them. A teen’s closest friends are extremely influential during these years of experimentation. Parents should be proactive to know their child’s friends, as these provide a window of understanding into your teen’s values, behaviors, and temptations.

• Nicotine is an extremely addictive drug, and one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the United States. It activates brain circuitry that regulates feelings of pleasure and provides the body with a “reward” sensation. Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes are nicotine delivery devices.

• Currently e-cigarette manufacturers are unregulated in the U.S., and many e-cigarette products are made outside of the country. Because of the variety of manufacturers and products, it has been very difficult to determine what chemicals other than nicotine are contained in e-cigarette vapor. These chemicals may or may not be harmful to the human body.

• E-cigarette use may or may not be a better alternative than smoking tobacco. Science is clear on the dangers of cigarette smoking to health but has not yet determined the scope of risks found in e-cigarette use. Research has not yet determined whether e-cigarette use is a gateway to smoking tobacco.

Much Love,

Mark