We left the church on Tuesday around 7 p.m.
Everyone packed onto the bus, got comfortable with their pillows and blankets. We had the snacks and drinks ready...we were all settled in for a nice, comfortable ride to Louisville. We stopped around midnight for dinner - don't remember the town. Next stop was at a McDonald's near Nashville, TN for breakfast at around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. We were about an hour out of Louisville, when our bus started beeping. The driver pulled over to assess the problem...the radiator was leaking. Bro. Russell Hayes and Dathaniel jumped out of the bus and put the cones out. It wasn't enough however, because we were sitting on downside of a big hill. Just when we didn't think it could get any worse, it started pouring down rain! Russell and Dathaniel began using t-shirts to flag traffic. Inside the bus, the women and students were beginning to panic. We could see vehicles barely missing hitting the bus. In that moment of desperation, our youth and chaperones began praying and asking for God's protection. Revival began before we even made it to NAYC.
They were able to put water in the radiator and we limped to the first exit and made a stop in the sweet little town of Bonnieville, Kentucky. These precious people were a Godsend. The tiny little mini mart let people charge their phones in the kitchen, let students sit on the floor and fill the aisles without complaint. They went out of their way to make us comfortable. Another bus arrived to pick us up and we finally made it to Louisville around 3 p.m.
Finally, we made it to NAYC 13!!!
Our first service was pretty uneventful - it was a miracle we all stayed awake. However, the next day Bro. McGovern preached an awesome message about hearing the call when you are young, before the business and craziness of life affects your hearing and you are unable to hear the calling of God so clearly. His title was Above All, The Call. That night, Bro. Tim Gaddy preached an amazing sermon on The Three Altars. The first altar is marriage - it matters who you marry! The second alter is heritage - learn to love the stories of your elders and listen to their advice. They know what they are talking about. The third altar is the supernatural. Everything important in your life happens at an altar. You are dedicated at an altar. You get married at an altar. You receive the Holy Ghost at an altar. It was amazing and it was so precious seeking our youth weeping and thanking God for their heritage. We were the last group out of the building that night. Security kicked us out. It was after this service that several of our youth began to talk about a call to missions. They were so excited and making plans to go on an AYC trip next summer.
The final day, Bro. James Maroney preached an excellent sermon about "these signs shall follow them that believe." He said should not be wondering around aimlessly looking for signs, but we should be sign makers! We aren't following the signs, the signs are following us! The power of God again fell on our youth.
The final message was from Bro. Cortt Chavis. It was phenomenal. Mind-blowing. Amazing. Confirmation. I could go on and on. His title was The Divine Balance Between the Fork and the Field. The field is ready for harvest, but we have gotten too content sitting at the table. He brought out how those who sit at the table longest began to lose their appetite. The longer we sit and feast at the table the fuller we become and began to nit pick and lose awe at the dishes we once found delightful. However, those who have been busy working in the field are thankful for whatever dinner is served to them. They are starving when they get to the table, so anything God offers is a feast. He used the passage in Isaiah 6:
Isaiah’s Commission
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne;
and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings:
With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two
they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple
was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with
tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips;
your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
So often, our focus is on the fact that Isaiah saw the Lord. We focus on the "table experience" and never make it to the commission. Yes, Isaiah saw the Lord's glory in a way he never had before, but he also answered when the Lord said "Who will go?" There was no hesitation when Isaiah said "Send me!" The impact this message had on the students of Abundant Life Church was insane. They were all crying and weeping and then we saw them begin to minister to each other. They first saw the harvest needed among themselves. Sarah and Kaitlyn were laying hands on their fellow youth. When Sarah prayed for Catelyn she shouted all over the place and broke the heel of her shoe! Even leaving the KFC Center that night - the service was all they talked about all the way to the bus. The ones who were feeling called to missions received their confirmation from God. Many others also received vision and heard the calling of God. The experiences of those couple days have changed their lives (and ours) forever!
Even Lilly and Elizabeth attended every service and worshipped and prayed :)
On Friday our original bus finally arrived in Kentucky, seemingly repaired. So Saturday morning at 8 a.m. we began our journey home. It was smooth sailing for awhile, but as we drove into Arkansas our bus again began to experience problems with the radiator. We stopped at a gas station and our driver put water in it with hopes of making it to Little Rock Arkansas. We were about 20 miles outside of Little Rock, when the bus began overheating again. We stopped at another gas station and waited for a new bus. The Lord provided us with the best! We were all jumping and screaming with excitement when we saw each seat had outlets and we could charge our phones. We had leather seats. Hardwood floors. It was amazing. From there, our journey home was uneventful. However, it ended up taking us a full 24 hours on the road to make it back to Willis, Texas.
None of our youth missed church yesterday. Instead, even in their sleep deprived state, they led in worship and prayed for the ones who were unable to make it to NAYC. They are the absolute best group of students in the entire world!! When you work in youth ministry and carry a burden for them like Dathaniel and I do, seeing them leading in worship, feeling the call of God, and ministering to others, makes every trouble seem so small. We love each of them so much and can't wait to see all that God has in store.
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