I just wanted to share a few thoughts as a first timer to YC and a first timer as a chaperone for the awesome kids of Lacombe. Although nervous and a little anxious, Dana and Wayne helped me get over my jitters, and they are both great team players.
That weekend brought flooding back so many memories of when I was a teenager attending my youth group events. AS I sat in my seat and noticed the boys’ reactions to the speakers and the music, I remembered how impactful it can be to hear a speaker I had never heard before, or one that really impacts with his presentation. What I didn’t expect is how I would feel myself hearing the messages that the speakers brought. And, as I watched the kids stand up and cheer, sing and dance, shake their fists in the air, stomp their feet, I saw God watering their tiny seeds….just as he did for me when I was young. Dana, Stephen and I went to lay hands and pray for total strangers who were standing up for their need of our God, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. There have been a few notable times in my life when I have felt the Spirit of God enough to move me to physical actions, and this was one. I have never been a big fan of worship music, and its significance, but I get it now. With the words on the screen and a band from Ireland that I have never before heard playing the melody, my eyes filled with tears and I lifted my hand in reverence to the Lord….and I felt.
I think it is of the utmost importance that the kids be allowed, assisted, prodded, herded, subsidized, goaded, convinced, coerced, dared and/or prompted to attend next year.
Do they listen to a lot of ‘rock and roll’ music?
Yes
Do they jump around and shake their heads to the beat?
Yes
Do the boys look at the girls?
Yes
Do the girls look at the boys?
Yes
Do they behave like teenagers?
Yes
Do they stay up late throwing ice at each other?
Yes
Will the whole weekend be worth it if just one small morsel of God’s plan for their lives gets through to them?
What you are about to read are thoughts and insights to what our youth and their leaders experienced during the May 22-24 weekend. The Good News, the great music, the incredible feeling of excitement that permeated the coliseum. This is YC…. LIVE IT LOUD!!!!!!!!
This is the YC experience. LOUD messages of the Gospel. LOUD music from incredible bands and praise and worship leaders. And not forgetting the LOUD presence of our LORD and SAVIOUR, WOW!!!!!!!! Reggie Dabbs and Judah Smith brought forth the Word plus their many life experiences. Many of these stories can bring tears to your eyes. It is then we realize that life here at home isn’t as bad as we might think. We were taught to say …I CAN…YOU CAN…WE CAN…I GOT YO BACK… EMBRACE GRACE…CHANGE MY NAME…LIVE IT LOUD! All catch phrases that are easy to remember but will pack a punch to the heart with the meanings that they hold. I could write a whole paper on what they mean but I think I’ll leave it up to you to ask any one of the students or leaders what they mean. Let’s just say this is the appetizer for the meal from which you will be fed!
The music was phenomenal! Praise and Worship by Bluetree, David Crowder and Matt Maher were awe inspiring and uplifting beyond anything I have experienced in a long time! I loved it so much I bought the Bluetree CD. (By the way it is a must buy) Mainstage bands fantastic as always! This year I experienced RED for the first time, they were good, but a little too edgy for me. Side stage performances that I saw were very good! Another great band that I saw was Newworldson. Their roots/folk/soul experience is different from all the other bands that were there. If you like that funky type of music this the band for you. I really enjoyed their gift for showmanship! (I believe a CD must buy as well). Putting all sidestage concerts aside and you could choose from an array of workshops. For the three of us we chose a series by Brett Ullman, an expert on media influences. Other topics he included were sexuality, substance abuse and self injury. All workshops by Brett were phenomenal.
Well that’s my take on the speakers and the music but I left the best part for last. The experience of being a Bethel youth leader for the students at YC. Each year a number of students come for the first time, others have been a couple of times before. But every time the experience is fantastic! For this year I had the pleasure attending with Wayne and Brad. Each brought something different to the mix of people. Wayne a seasoned veteran and Brad a relative newbie on the scene. Incredible things were discovered by the team of students and leaders. Friendships were strengthened and supported by debriefing sessions after each days activities. A special time to talk about what each of learned that day. To me that’s what YC is about, friendships! Whether they’re new or old they are cemented together in Christ. But more important to me, YC reinforces the relationship between ME and my SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!! My prayer is that these relationships with our students, their leaders and the Lord are continually nurtured daily in the coming year.
God has truly blessed us by attending YC Alberta, and may we be a blessing to you by telling the story!
I posted this for Brad
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to share a few thoughts as a first timer to YC and a first timer as a chaperone for the awesome kids of Lacombe. Although nervous and a little anxious, Dana and Wayne helped me get over my jitters, and they are both great team players.
That weekend brought flooding back so many memories of when I was a teenager attending my youth group events. AS I sat in my seat and noticed the boys’ reactions to the speakers and the music, I remembered how impactful it can be to hear a speaker I had never heard before, or one that really impacts with his presentation. What I didn’t expect is how I would feel myself hearing the messages that the speakers brought. And, as I watched the kids stand up and cheer, sing and dance, shake their fists in the air, stomp their feet, I saw God watering their tiny seeds….just as he did for me when I was young. Dana, Stephen and I went to lay hands and pray for total strangers who were standing up for their need of our God, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. There have been a few notable times in my life when I have felt the Spirit of God enough to move me to physical actions, and this was one. I have never been a big fan of worship music, and its significance, but I get it now. With the words on the screen and a band from Ireland that I have never before heard playing the melody, my eyes filled with tears and I lifted my hand in reverence to the Lord….and I felt.
I think it is of the utmost importance that the kids be allowed, assisted, prodded, herded, subsidized, goaded, convinced, coerced, dared and/or prompted to attend next year.
Do they listen to a lot of ‘rock and roll’ music?
Yes
Do they jump around and shake their heads to the beat?
Yes
Do the boys look at the girls?
Yes
Do the girls look at the boys?
Yes
Do they behave like teenagers?
Yes
Do they stay up late throwing ice at each other?
Yes
Will the whole weekend be worth it if just one small morsel of God’s plan for their lives gets through to them?
Absolutely….
Tickets to YC
$125
Hotel where you get no sleep
$50
Watching kids sing praise and worship to God…
Priceless
Count me in for next year!!!!!
Posted for Dana
ReplyDeleteYC Alberta 2009
What you are about to read are thoughts and insights to what our youth and their leaders experienced during the May 22-24 weekend. The Good News, the great music, the incredible feeling of excitement that permeated the coliseum. This is YC…. LIVE IT LOUD!!!!!!!!
This is the YC experience. LOUD messages of the Gospel. LOUD music from incredible bands and praise and worship leaders. And not forgetting the LOUD presence of our LORD and SAVIOUR, WOW!!!!!!!! Reggie Dabbs and Judah Smith brought forth the Word plus their many life experiences. Many of these stories can bring tears to your eyes. It is then we realize that life here at home isn’t as bad as we might think. We were taught to say …I CAN…YOU CAN…WE CAN…I GOT YO BACK… EMBRACE GRACE…CHANGE MY NAME…LIVE IT LOUD! All catch phrases that are easy to remember but will pack a punch to the heart with the meanings that they hold. I could write a whole paper on what they mean but I think I’ll leave it up to you to ask any one of the students or leaders what they mean. Let’s just say this is the appetizer for the meal from which you will be fed!
The music was phenomenal! Praise and Worship by Bluetree, David Crowder and Matt Maher were awe inspiring and uplifting beyond anything I have experienced in a long time! I loved it so much I bought the Bluetree CD. (By the way it is a must buy) Mainstage bands fantastic as always! This year I experienced RED for the first time, they were good, but a little too edgy for me. Side stage performances that I saw were very good! Another great band that I saw was Newworldson. Their roots/folk/soul experience is different from all the other bands that were there. If you like that funky type of music this the band for you. I really enjoyed their gift for showmanship! (I believe a CD must buy as well). Putting all sidestage concerts aside and you could choose from an array of workshops. For the three of us we chose a series by Brett Ullman, an expert on media influences. Other topics he included were sexuality, substance abuse and self injury. All workshops by Brett were phenomenal.
Well that’s my take on the speakers and the music but I left the best part for last. The experience of being a Bethel youth leader for the students at YC. Each year a number of students come for the first time, others have been a couple of times before. But every time the experience is fantastic! For this year I had the pleasure attending with Wayne and Brad. Each brought something different to the mix of people. Wayne a seasoned veteran and Brad a relative newbie on the scene. Incredible things were discovered by the team of students and leaders. Friendships were strengthened and supported by debriefing sessions after each days activities. A special time to talk about what each of learned that day. To me that’s what YC is about, friendships! Whether they’re new or old they are cemented together in Christ. But more important to me, YC reinforces the relationship between ME and my SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!! My prayer is that these relationships with our students, their leaders and the Lord are continually nurtured daily in the coming year.
God has truly blessed us by attending YC Alberta, and may we be a blessing to you by telling the story!