What is your "I statement" this summer?

The following is something I wrote for our church newsletter upon returning from our summer Youth Conference. Perhaps it will get you thinking about what God is trying to teach you currently. What is your "I statement"? How is God moving in your life?

CHIC 2009 (A triennial Youth Conference for the Evangelical Covenant Church)

The final night of CHIC we sat together under the dark Tennessee sky, all forty-two of us minus one leader who was still praying with students. We had just come from the last evening worship session and as we sat in a circle Lars challenged every student to come up with an "I statement". A statement that begins with 'I'. One by one students came to the center of the circle and shared and as they did I had an overwhelming desire for the whole church to be sitting there with us. They were Holy moments we shared sitting in that circle and as I listened I quickly searched for a piece of paper and began to madly write and record the good work that God had done. And now I share it with you the church so that you can be encouraged and edified by hearing of God's grace and work in the lives of our youth.

"I learned to love myself."

"I learned to stop pretending."

"I came to CHIC unsure of what I was supposed to do with my life, and I leave ready to do anything God calls me to."

"I am excited to go home and share about Christ."

"I was able to accept myself the way I am."

"I am leaving CHIC not afraid to tell others about Jesus."

"I gave my life to Christ."

"I learned I want faith in my life forever."

"I learned that we're all one Church."

"I learned that I'm God's beloved and I need to take off the 'make-up' and my insecurities."

"I came to CHIC because God wanted to show me what I was missing."

"I came here looking for a charge and instead I became undone."

"I came here a perfectionist and I'm leaving feeling okay about being imperfect."

"I came here angry and confused and I leave feeling hopeful."

"I never knew I could be this close to God."

"I don't want this to stop now, I want to find this at college."

"I learned to be more real with my friends and with God."

"I learned that God's love is enough for me."

I write this to you the members of our church in large part to encourage you and also to tell you your work is not done. Please commit to pray for these students. Some have hard work ahead of them. Some felt called to give things up, relationships, habits and addictions. Some are working hard to stop believing the lies that Satan feeds them about their worth, value and beauty and instead choose to believe the truth that they were made image-bearers of God. Some return home to parents who know how to build-up and encourage their faith, others do not. Please pray for these precious students, many for whom the coming weeks and months are a vulnerable time. Pray that hope wins and truth would reign in their hearts. Pray for change and growth. And as we were challenged by the theme of CHIC this year, pray that these students might continue to become undone, so that they can go on to do the undone work of God's kingdom in the world.

What a joy it is to walk alongside these students. God is good.

Katie Stromberg