DEEP Week is underway!

Yesterday kicked off day one of DEEP Week. I guess you could say that DEEP Week is the equivalent of a vacation bible school for our Student Ministry. Only, its designed and billed to be the deepest Bible study experience of the year...and, trust me, it is. It is a 3-hour-per-day more content than you can handle type of experience.

That being said, 28 students showed up yesterday, which just boggles my mind...28 students have chosen to spend 15 hours hardcore studying the Word of God this week over the myriad of things that they could be doing on their summer break...The following is from an email that I received from a student after DEEP Week yesterday. And while this student will remain anonymous, this testimony is a fresh example of how God is continuing to change lives here in our Student Ministry:

Dear Mark,
Today changed my life. It was one of those experiences that is nearly impossible to describe how amazing it all really was. But I can say that I don't think I have ever been so affected as I was today in such a short period of time. The thing is that the past months I just wasn't in a good place at all. I was so down on myself in so many ways and felt as though I was never good enough. The truth is I have never really seen the potential to do great things for the Lord that you always seemed to see in me. I loved when you told me that the Lord had amazing things to do through me, but yet I never really felt that I was doing anything of significance. Then with this past year I was at the lowest point in my life. I was so distressed with everything going on and I decided that you must have made some sort of mistake. I reminded myself of the many many many times I had failed before and I figured it was just time to give up...until today...As I sat with my eyes closed and listened to that recording I could see everything he was describing so clearly. I saw God the Father in a way that I had never before and was absolutely captivated. I saw Him in a huger and more glorious way. I listened as each person was called and felt as though any second I would be called up to be glorified. I was so excited, but also so upset that I had just let something as huge as God go so easily. When the recording ended and I opened my eyes I almost had to do a double take. It took me a few seconds to adjust to the fact that I still really was on Earth and not at Bema. Yet when I opened my eyes I was even more excited. I had a chance to fix what I would regret if I continued to live for anything but God. Then I worshipped as I never had before. And as I layed on the couch your words of prayer came into my head when you asked that I could embrace Jesus cheek to cheek. And while I really had my cheek smooshed up into the couch cushion I felt as though I were to cheek to cheek with Jesus. It was so beautiful.

Would you join me in prayer over DEEP Week and the students who are taking part? I know that God has so much in store for us this week, and I am so excited to see how it all plays out. Thanks!

Grace and Peace