Ready to Launch New Student Retreat

We're leaving this afternoon for Emerald Isle Beach. One hundred and two new students (mostly freshmen but a good many sophomores and junior transfers), thirty five juniors who are leading small groups and serving with food preparation, twelve beach houses, sixty feet of gutter for a gutter-sundae-on-the-beach eating contest, and high hopes and expectations of what the Lord might do this weekend.

If you're one of those praying-types (and you know who you are) I'd love prayer for the following:

-We have no idea where all 102 of our new students are spiritually. I hope that we have some folks who aren't Christians but are considering spiritual things. Would you pray that God meets them, wherever they are?

-Pray for leaders who are coming to be bold in engaging and welcoming and loving and striking up conversations with new students.

-Pray for safety for us over the weekend.

-Kingdom retention. Looking at past year's New Student Retreat photos is always fun and a little depressing. Just because folks come out to New Student Retreat doesn't mean they stick with us. My prayer this last day or so has been for kingdom retention, not IV retention. In other words, I hope and pray that whoever goes on this retreat with us is serving the Lord and is in Christian community somewhere, anywhere, when they graduate.

-On a personal note, my kids have been snotty dwarf and coughing dwarf all week long and my poor and wonderful wife managed to gather up both illnesses and add a touch of fever to spice it up a bit over the last couple days. Thus far, I have managed to escape the Bubonic plague sweeping through my house, but I did wake up this morning with a bit of a sinus-ache. So prayers for health and energy for me over the weekend and for my family would be much appreciated.

I look forward to telling ya'll all about it next week!