Camp Wilds Final Update

Sorry guys, could not send this until I got home. Below is something Charlie wanted posted since he is unable to be at the Sunday evening service. He will be preaching at another church that evening.

Hello Marler Roaders,
Welcome to my first data message ever and possibly my last considering how long it takes to complete this one.  Greetings from Camp Wilds in Brevard, NC. What a great week at camp and much spiritual growth in the Lord.   So what is it that we do as sponsors at this wonderful place. Well what great preaching from God's Word by brother Steve Pettit. Telling us how good God is and how bad we are.  Breakfast starts early and then it is off to prayer for the sponsors.  About the food, it is great if you are a foreigner.  I'm not.  Chapel time then begins where we studied the book of Daniel and what an awesome message God had for us to purpose in our hearts. The Christian life Seminars were much help to the campers. Found many things I never knew existed at the camp. The swimming hole was cool where Dale and I jumped off an incredibly tall tower. God help us both. We blobbed, tubed the slide, climbed the wall, well I did, swung through the air on a rope like Tarzan, all after passing a horrible swim test.  Kristin, , Dale, and I all tubed the creek many times with various campers.  What a blast but this is only the beginning.  We hiked for miles to see the most beautiful waterfall.  Much much more can be said this has taken me much time so this is final email or whatever you call this. Thanks for letting me and Kristen go with the teens.  God bless
Charlie Kennedy

Day 4 pics

Camp Wilds Day 4

I hope you guys haven't minded these updates being like Charlie' s preaching... long winded. Last year I did the updates on a little phone, this year I have a new toy that makes it a lot easier to go on and on and on.
This will be the last update for the trip. Please let me know if these blog updates are beneficial to you or not.  Also, I would like to know who followed the totalMRBC Twitter this week. If it was not used, then there's no use to do it next time. Please let me know what works best. I would like to know what you think.

Today was the first day with absolutely no rain. It was beautiful all day. Today was the girls' hike to the falls and the guys lake day. Charlie and I joined the guys at the lake for a while. We "blobbed",  jumped off the high tower, zip lined... whatever it took so that we didn't look like chumps. Chad & Jane Phillips along with Lauren Stone visited today. They were able to join us for Family Reunion today. That was a very special time for me. I hope it meant something to the teens as well.  All the girls were ecstatic to see their buddy here with them.  Lauren joined them on the hike to the falls. Jane rode the Giant Swing with Chris!!! This afternoon the teens had a lot of free time to enjoy all the things The Wilds has to offer. All of our visitors were able to stay for the evening service.

This morning's chapel service, led by Preacher Pettit, continued in Daniel chapters 4&5. "Pride is Our Downfall". He showed the teens two examples of Pride and its result through Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.

Sponsors had our own service led by Preacher Pettit. We were unable to attend today's Christian Life Seminar with the teens because of this conflict.  He spoke on "Where Is The Future" . He mentioned the importance of ministering to the 18 - 25 age group because adulthood is being postponed due to: Higher Education and Technology.  Very interesting. I had never thought about this but that age group is really in a limbo zone.

This afternoon's service was taken from James 1:1-8.
Getting The Most Out Of Your Trouble
Trouble comes to help us.  Trouble comes to be a blessing.
James gives 4 direct commands:
1 -vs2- Count it all joy,  God makes no mistakes
2 -vs4- Let endurance have is full effect,  stay "under" the trial. 
     God will teach you something under the trial.
3 -vs5- Ask God for wisdom.
     Wisdom is having the "right" responses.
     God gives wisdom generously.
4 Ask In Faith.
     Do not doubt when you pray.
     God gives wisdom only to those who are committed to do His will.

The evening finished with a very cool night game on the field,  Spin to Win. It was awesome. Teens had a great time.

We'll see you all Saturday.

Day 3 Pics

Chaos?  No just you every week pizza party with 800+ people

Fun Time Skits

Camp Wilds Day 3

Tubing with the teens!...Giant water slide!...Giant swing? I guess if they say they want a bank robbed then I'm going to have to find a gun. Seriously though, it tickles me to death that they want an old man to hang out with them and tube with them and ride the slide. There is a lot of water in the creek due to all of the rain the past few weeks.  That makes for great tubing.  The water is ice cold!  It literally took my breath way.  The slide is as fast as ever. We are having a great time with your teens.

10:23am, just finished Wednesday's chapel service. Continuing the study in Daniel.  "God is in Control". Preacher Pettit used the example of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego to show us that as Christians we will stand out,  we will be different and that we should stand for the Lord.
When we face trials we see:
1. Conscience presence of the Lord
2. God will take care of your enemies
3.God will deliver us
4.Jesus is with us all the time
Conclusion: God honors those who honor Him.

Teens had God and I time, then right back for Christian Life Seminar. This week's theme for this seminar is "Walk Worthy". Paul tells us to put off the old man and put on the new man
1. Stop lying, Tell the truth
2. Stop your sinful anger, Reconcile.
3. Stop stealing,  Work
4. Stop your corrupt speech,  Edify.
Today's focus was #2:  Stop your sinful anger, reconcile. Matt Herbster helped the teens understand what they need to learn and what God tells us we need to remove.  He used Eph.4 for this study.

Tonight's service was one of those messages that you didn't need to take notes on. It was the kind you listened and soaked in. Preacher Pettit used one verse Col. 3:20. He spoke on children obeying your parents. Needless to say he did an outstanding job.

Today was the girls' lake day and the boys hiked to the falls.  Kristen is doing very well to be as far along as she is. Hiking the stairs like a champ. Seemed to be slowing a little tonight... understandable!  Decision for our homesick lady was for her to stay. I'm glad this is what her parents decided. After I broke the news to her and she resolved that she had no other options she was fine. In fact, she had a really good day. She was crying a little when it was time to go to her cabin after the pizza party. She gave me several big hugs before leaving, but she is OK. Continue to pray for her. God is answering them, proved by the day she had today.

Tonight was an early service because Fun Time followed shortly afterwards.  The show featured Willie the Kid. AWESOME show!  We all had a blast!  I enjoyed it much more than the show last year. After Fun Time, the kids went straight to the pizza party.  No way in this world I could eat pizza this late then try to sleep. Ahh to be young again. 11:25pm. Good night!

Day 2 pics

Camp Wilds Day 2

I'll start this as "happy Tuesday" even though I assume most will be reading this on Wednesday. We had a very busy day today both for the campers and  sponsors.  We enjoyed chapel this morning with Steve Pettit.

This week we are in Daniel. Living With Lion Like Character :  The True Purpose Driven Life
1st Truth, God is in Control
2nd Truth, God honors the Faithful

He explained how Daniel got into Babylon and then how God kept Babylon out of Daniel.  Some of my favorite services up here are the Christian Life Seminars. We missed today's because of sponsor obligations that we attended. I can't wait to be able to go to that service on Wednesday.

We had a beautiful sun shiny day today right up until supper time. We were inside getting ready to eat when the heavens opened. By the time we had finished eating, it had stopped and the sun was out again. We have a little free time now and I think I am being forced to do the giant swing... We'll see...taking a little time now to get a head start on my update for today.

I was able to take the hike to the 4th Falls today.  Words cannot describe the beauty of these waterfalls. I was in awe.  The teens have told me about the hike back from these falls but words do not do them justice. Intense beyond intense. I was sucking wind! Great, awesome, wonderful experience! The hike was this morning. It is 6:30 as I write this part of the update and I am taking Tylenol so I can feel my calf muscles again.  Folks it is just Tuesday.

Thank you,  thank you, thank you (I say this without reservation and with all seriousness) for the mail that you have sent to the campers this week. So far,  it has saved one of our campers from wanting her mom to come pick her up. Pray for her that she will be able to get over the homesickness and be able to focus on what God has for her this week. She is still having a rough time missing home and family. I just can't hug as good as her mom can.

It is about 10:40pm and we just got out of the evening service.  Preacher Pettit gave a great message on
What The Law Says, taken from Romans 3:9-20. He walked us through each of the 10 commandments explaining the following:
1. The law says you are a sinner
2. The law says keep your mouth shut (natural response to get out of a problem is to lie)
3. The law says you are guilty
4. The law says you need to get to Jesus as fast as you can.

He emphasized that God takes our sins and nails them to the cross. Col 2:13-14

God lead preacher Pettit to extend a clear cut invitation after a powerful message. We saw several kids move.  Continue to pray for all our kids. Continue to pray for Travis.