So i posted this on Todd Agnew's blog and i wanted to share with you all some of what i learned at camp!
Dear Todd-
I just wanted to let you know that the way you led worship was amazing! I have never seen someone completely push the focus away from themselves and towards God as you have! Also the songs were meant just for us! The first night we were there we found out that our pastor was resigning! It was a HUGE shock for all of us! We were so upset that we wouldn’t be there for one last sermon under our beloved teacher! I kept on asking “Why?! Why did God send us all the way out here far from home during this time!” But during the week I saw God miraculously work through the hearts of our youth group! We heard Ben Stuart talk about how everything happens for a purpose and it made me realize that God had planned this whole situation out before time began and that he had us there for a reason! The words from the song “reign in us” confirmed that and fit our situation perfectly! “You thought of us before the world began to breathe and you knew our names before we came to be. You saw the very day we'd fall away from you and how desperately we need to be redeemed! Lord Jesus come lead us, we're desperate for your touch! Oh Great and Mighty One, with one desire we come, that you would reign, that you would reign in us! We're offering up our lives, a living sacrifice; that you would reign, that you would reign in us! Spirit of the Living God fall fresh again; come search our hearts and purify our lives! We need your perfect love we need your discipline; we're lost unless you guide us with your light” During this week I saw God work through our youth group and draw us together! Just as he saw to it that a king would rise up from Jesse he will provide a leader for his church! God uses the weak and broken to manifest his glory and he will use our church to do just that! Even if our beloved teacher is stepping down, God will never leave us! We need to recognize that it is God we worship not Pastor Matthew! Matthew would have never wanted us to look at him that way! We need to praise him in every circumstance! Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” If our church sticks together during this time we will not be broken by Satan’s attacks!! “You hold every moment, you calm my raging seas! You walk with me through fire, and heal all my disease! I trust in You! I trust in You! I believe You're my healer! I believe You are all I need! I believe You're my portion! I believe You're more than enough for me; Jesus, You're all I need!” We as a church need to rest in that and look to God for guidance! Anyway sorry I wrote all of that I just wanted to let you know that God used you, your band, and Ben Stuart to help lead us through this trial! James 1: 2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Trials are used to strengthen us in our faith! To God be the Glory!
Hannah Middleton
Sylvania Church
“God will by your side whenever you fall, in the dead of night whenever you call, so please don’t fight these hands that are holding you! His hands are holding you!” –“by your side” by Tenth Avenue North
