Happy Friday + #MFUGE2014 Recap

Ahhh it's Friday and I'm back home from a long, wonderful few days of worship and mission work that was done with our youth.

 

We traveled to Asheville, NC specifically to Ridgecrest, NC. Uhm, so stinking pretty people?! With the mountains gracing the background scenery, the cool temps in the mornings and at nights, and the constant curiosity if bears really do live just yonder over the hill, made this trip to this beautiful state very enjoyable.

 

Oh yea, the kids were pretty awesome too.

 

But in all seriousness, it was so rewarding to spend time with these kids (plus many others) and watching them grow in their faith with the Lord. It was even more of a blessing to witness them enjoy and partake in all forms of mission work... without a single complaint! They were so excited to fill us in on their days and the special moments they had once we regrouped at night.

 

God is so so good. This trip truly convicted me of some things. The main theme was to not only love those around you and closest to you, but to love the unloved. The broken. The forgotten. Even love the ones who divide your church (talk about a slap in the face for me) because they are in need just as much as anybody else.

 

The theme also drove home the idea that we cannot just sit around and talk about all the changes we want to bring to the community, church, world, whatever. We have to actually GO and DO as Christ has called us to do. Man oh man, have we got some big plans for Gadsden County!

 

I wanted to share the weekend in pictures... Thus it will be slightly picture heavy. But it's worth it, I promise.

 

 

Gotta love the bus not cranking up in the wee hours of our morning

Some of my riding buddies in the "blueberry" mobile

Some of my other riding buddies in said bus-that-doesn't-crank

Some just can't hang

Pretty mountains ahead... with a bald head. NBD

Our view in front of the welcome center (and the girls' dorms)

Again, the view!

On our way to mission work... Love my kids.

One of our youths celebrating her birthday!

Setting the mood for worship

You don't see this everyday in good 'ole Florida

The hike to the mega relay rec fields...

Some of my kids watching the competition before competing

That sassy lady was my roomie, BFF, and a godly-inspiring woman in my life

Celebration time, come on!

The morning of our last bible study

Finally headed home

 

We stopped at an organic burger joint in Asheville.... YUM!!!!

 

We did manage to make it home in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, we had minor delays (thank you Lord for allowing us to see the issue before it became deadly) with a tire that decided to lose almost all of its bolts holding it onto the trailer carrying tons of luggage and attached to the church van carrying my youth babies. I cannot stress it enough, thank you LORD for intervening before the worse came!

 

All in all, I cannot WAIT until next year. #mfuge2015