After a hard day of skiing and a great dinner, club kicked off with loud music and lots of energy. Kids rushed through the doors, eager to get the best seat in the place. After a few songs, the Panama City Boys came out to lead the minute-to-win it game, Gingerbread Man. The goal of the game is to eat as many gingerbread men as possible, but the participants can’t use their hands. They must place the gingerbread man on their forehead and work the cookie down to their mouth. It is rather funny to watch the expression of kids as they compete at the game. After lots of laughter the winner was declared!

A couple slow songs set the stage for Todd’s talk. He shared a classic story from his teenage years of him and his friend Matt’s Perfect Water Ballooning Plan. The plan was flawless; they would drive down the three-lane road, pulling up beside their target. On the count of three, Matt, the driver would send a fireball out his window and Todd would lob one over the car. Perfection… at least they thought. It went as planned until the water balloons left their hands. It was as if time stood still as they watched Matt’s balloon fly through where the target’s window was supposed to be, smashing him in his face. Yikes! Time to execute the getaway plan. Unfortunately, Matt panicked and braked too soon before the exit, allowing the target enough time follow.  After it was apparent the target was not going to catch the guys, he eventually gave up. What Todd and Matt thought was the perfect plan was actually far from it.

Todd drew the connection to how we have we think we have the perfect plan for life. Much like the woman that Jesus met at the well who continued to search for life in men, we continue to go back to the same place looking for life. And it continues to leave us empty and desiring more.

If you haven’t said YES to Christ’s gift, where do you look for life?

If you are looking for life anywhere outside of Christ, you are settling for a cheap imitation.

If you have said YES to Christ’s gift, do you find yourself going back to the old places, searching, hoping to find life?

Life is found in Christ alone.  That’s the perfect plan!

A few pictures from Day 2 on the Slopes!

The Stache crew is gearing up to shred the slopes!

The Boarder girls!

As Young Life tradition would have it, club follows an incredibly tasty meal. (And meals are especially good after you’ve been on the slopes all day!)

As club begins singing is loud, despite the tired skiers! Laughter rolls across the room as the skit characters enter.  Two characters from Plano West kick off things with a game. PHS’ very own Amy White was called on stage to participate.

While YL skit characters are typically funny, Jace Thompson has a gift for making people laugh, especially with the character Mohamad Gomama. “I’ve come to tell you about life. Not life like you know it, but life I know it.”

After a few songs that slowed the tempo, Todd took the stage to share the gospel. While many of these kids have heard the gospel, some haven’t. And like one of the Ft. Worth leaders shared in leader meeting, “We never out grow the gospel.”

He started with a story about a trip with his dad, uncle and brother to the Boundary Waters. After days of camping and canoeing, the trip was coming to an end. As the first canoe went down the river to scope out the waters ahead, the canoe flipped and Todd’s dad was caught underneath. Todd heard his brother yelling for help and ran to lift the canoe off of his trapped dad. After much work, he and his brother finally freed his dad. Todd used the story to illustrate that no matter how hard we try, we can’t save ourselves. Sin, our choice of self over God, has created a gap between God that we can’t repair. It took someone else to do what we weren’t able to do for ourselves. Todd shared about the sacrifice of the cross and what the sinless son of God endured on our behalf. He beautifully emphasized grace, a word that in such a performance based society is hard to fully grasp.

As the talk came to an end, he shared one last illustration, that of a seed. You see a seed is dead. It lacks life. And no matter how hard a seed tries, it can’t grow on it’s own. We are just like a seed, without Christ, we have no life. Todd prayed, closing the talk, and invited kids to come to the stage to pick up a seed as a reminder of their state without Christ.

Afterwards the kids went to cabin time with their leaders to talk about what they heard.
-Erin

Everyone rose early, eager to eat breakfast and hit the slopes! It was a great day of skiing at Winter Park. Here are a couple of pictures!

Crooked Creek Ranch is this year’s host to the DFW YL Ski Trip. The camp is just as beautiful in the winter as the summer, however it has a very quaint feel with the soft white blanket of snow covering the grounds.

After the kids got fitted for their skis and boards, the buses pulled into camp Saturday afternoon. A flurry of kids filled camp. We enjoyed an incredible meal and laughed at the ridiculously funny skit characters. Then Todd spoke at club.  He shared the story of when he fell 17 feet out of a tree, with a running chainsaw in hand. After standing up from the fall, he checked every part of his body to make sure it was all okay. He used this story to show the importance of “checking in” to make sure things are okay. Since the Ski Trip falls in the middle of the year, it is a perfect time for the kids to “check in” with their hearts and make sure things are “okay.” Todd shared from scripture the passage where Christ checks in with His disciples. He asked the 12 who the crowds say He is and who they say He is. Todd concluded his talk by asking the students to discuss the following questions in their cabin time.

What are you most excited to leave back in Dallas? What did you hear tonight at club?

Who do your friends say Christ is? Who do you say Christ is? Who does your life say Christ is?

Please continue to pray for Todd as he shares truth and for the hearts of kids as they receive truth!

-Erin

It is always special to have our entire Richardson Area Young Life family (committee, leaders and staff) together to celebrate Christ’s birth. From incredible food to fun games and great conversation, the night is one to remember. We couldn’t begin to thank everyone that played a critical role in making the night all that it was. So we will say “Thank You” to committee and the friends of Young Life that spent countless hours making sure the details of the night were just right! It was a night like none other!

Here are a few pictures from the night:

Need a cute gift for Valentine’s Day? Look no further! From Funky Hats to Cute Scarves and more… all items are $16. Proceeds from your purchase help send Young Life kids to camp this summer! Email kidstocamp@gmail.com to place your order! (Click on picture to enlarge the image) We accept cash, checks (made to YL) and paypal. You can pick your order up at the YL office or shipping is available: $4.95 per item or $10.95 for three items.

Funky Animal Hats: Black Bear, Snow Tiger, Sock Monkey , Owl, Wolf, Mountain Moose, Brown Monkey and the Rowdy Raccoon, The Lion
One size fits all.

Head Wraps: Winter White, Brown, Black and Berry Red
One size fits all.

Scarves: 

Flowered and Stripped Scarves: Multi-Color Brown, Multi-Color Teal

Fun Furry Scarves: Gray, Cream and Brown.

Fluffy Scarves: Brown/Olive and Turquoise/Gray

Just In! Scarves: Brown/Tan, Pink/Gray, Black and White

Flex Necklaces:

Skinny Flex Necklace: Silver, Multi, Bronze, and Gun Metal

Regular Flex Necklace: Multi

Questions? Email us at Kidstocamp@gmail.com. We’re happy to help!

Pearce’s Mr. Christmas Tree

In case you missed the night, I’ve included the talent from each grade (thanks to Rob’s videoing!).

Sr. Talent:

Jr. Talent:

Soph. Talent:

Fresh. Talent: