The following are journal entries from Middle and Senior High School students in response to their reading of Psalm 107. They wrote these on our bus ride for our ski trip in January 2011.
"God in this passage shows his strength and forgiveness to everyone. He is almighty and we need to alwasy trust in him. Through everything, His love is always there and we need to come back into it."
"Lord you are holy, you are kind, gracious, mercyful, faithful, glorious, righteous. You are the vine that fills the cup of Glory. Lord you are good."
"God can do anything and this Psalm shows that. We should also rejoice in everything He has given us and give Him a lot of praise. (Student drew picture of three crosses on a hill under the sun.)"
"Thank you Lord for you unfailing love and wonderful deeds for mankind. Bring all your troubles to the Lord and trust in Him. He will deliver! Love endures forever. (Student drew picture of a neverending chain of hearts.) Thank you Lord for you love. Give us wisdom and understanding to follow your word. Trust in Him! (Student drew picture of a cross.)"
- a 13 year old girl's testimony after spending a week at a Christian camp (2008)
[Camp] was the best thing that has happend this summer!!! I don't even know where to start. I have a video I can bring in if you want to see what our week was like! We had soo much fun! I wish I could go again! I learned that God is the best thing in my life, and that when I'm with God everything is possible. And I also learned that God made me for a reason and how ugly I might think I look that its not true cause God made everything beautiful. also I learned just to be myself, its no fun when you're somebody else, they are already taken! I dont know what I would've done without that week of Camp!!!
- written by a 13 year old student of Wake Chapel's Youth Group after a spending a week at Teen Valley Ranch (June, 2005)
Wow!! I had so much fun at Teen Valley Ranch Christian Camp and Retreat Center! I know I will always have special memories of June 20-25, 2005! I can't believe I didn't want to go because I thought I'd be homesick. Even though I didn't break the zip line record...I still had a great time...But even more important than the awesome time I had there I became closer with my best friend, Jesus!!
While I was at camp I learned that Christianity is not just about going to church and saying you are a Christian...it's about applying what you learn at church. It's about telling Jesus you love Him...about making Him happy. It's about spending time with Him. After all, He gave His life for us so why don't we live our life for Him. This life isn't for the money, for the fame or for the fortune, this life is for Jesus!! I know that I still need to work on these things and will never be perfect...but I am sooooo glad that I went to TVR to RENOVATE my life with Jesus!! If you have never been to Teen Valley Ranch I encourage you to go...I promise that you will have a blast!
- written by a 15 year old student of Wake Chapel's Youth Group (September, 2004)
When I look at myself in the mirror I see someone desperate. Desperate to understand. Someone who takes for granted all that she's been given. Someone who accepts the unacceptable. Someone who doesn't trust easily. Someone who wishes she could understand her faith more. God sees me as his child. He loves me through all that I've done. He forgives me for all that I do. He sees me as who I really am ... even if I don't.
- after reading Psalm 55 this student wrote (September, 2004)
God, sometimes I feel like I'm trying so hard to reach you and I can't find you! I just get distracted or I don't know, but then when I feel so down you show me that you've been there the whole time. Lord, why do I feel so far away from you sometimes? I want to be close to you all the time. Why can't I stay near you? Help me to be the Christian that I need to be and give me an undying love and passion for you!
- a 16 year old student from Wake Chapel shares their testimony (April, 2004)
I have grown up in church all my life. And I always heard about God, but I thought that since my parents were Christians that I was too. Well, finally in 5th grade, my teacher told me about Jesus and it really made since this time. So I "committed" my life to God. Two years later on a youth trip thing I started talking to some guy about God and I told him I didn't think I was saved. So he went through all the verses he was supposed to (Half of them I pointed out to him.) and I "committed" my life again. So like 2 more years went by and I was still confused and I was on the internet just surfin' and chatin' when I noticed my friend's link on her buddy profile, "My Rock." I read it and it was about God's awesome power. And she spoke so passionately about it that I knew something was different, so I read it over and over again, went back to all the verses about God's salvation and accepted Christ. Since then my life has been awesome. Sure, I've had some pretty low lows, but the highs are always higher.
So, what is " Hope's Place " all about?
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