Random Location - Dale Eby (Church in the Farms)

Comayagua, Honduras

At Snowbird – Terrence Gross

Goliath Swing

Oldest SWO gear – Jody Livingston

2000-2001 shirt

Staff (worthy mention) - Tanner Guinther

Chicago

Each of these guys will get a hot-off-the-press 2012 Snowbird shirt of their choice! Keep those cameras busy and send us any worthy shots that you can work up. We love seeing people excited about Snowbird, and promoting the ministry to others. Thanks so much for your support and prayer over the ministry of Snowbird…and keep in touch! We are praying for you guys as well. Check out some of our other favorites below!

SWO12 Teaching Preview Video (Vimeo)

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Colossians 1:15-20

The last blog entry Spencer posted was about making all things in our lives about the Gospel. This is what we strive to do here at OLD School. This summer we have 10 OLD School trips. What if on every single one it rains the whole time? What if all of our canoes sink to the bottom of the lake or if all of our mountain bikes break? If we are able to preach the Gospel to students while building relationships with them for the purpose of discipleship, then OLD School is a success. But if the weather is picture perfect, the lake and river are gorgeous, the mountain bikes perform perfectly, and we neglect teaching and instructing from God’s Word by His Spirit then we fail in the most powerful sense of the word.

Proper planning and great gear are super-important… but think about this – how much greater is the Gospel than a trip down the river? How much more of an impact does time spent in the word have than time spent checking out the views? What benefit does a camping trip have over memorizing scripture? If anyone loves rafting, mountain biking, backpacking, and rock climbing, it’s me, but let’s be clear in what we are about here – I would happily forfeit all of those for the sake of growing more like Jesus.

This summer we will be teaching and challenging students from the book of Colossians; while on their courses students will also be challenged to memorize Col. 1:15-20. It is our hope and prayer that students’ lives will be changed by the power of the Gospel this summer… that through these weeks we will see pastors, missionaries, and a legacy of godly families emerge, and if these same students develop a love for the outdoors, and gain valuable wilderness skill as well, then that goal is accomplished too.

Please pray for our staff as they continue to study through and prepare to teach Colossians. We will be starting some of our staff training next week and things will really get rolling the week after that. The OLD School staff this summer are Zach White, Tyler Kijawski, Maggie Maddox, and Dani Fortune; please be praying for them and the students as the summer draws ever closer that their lives may be changed continually into the image of Christ.

-Love you!

Harry

… I mean, what’s not to like? There is nothing like it! – the rush, the feel, the speed, working together with the current, the sun glinting off the water, the cold waves splashing you as you drop over a huge ledge…

… it’s incredible. It’s fun. We enjoy it.  It’s surprisingly simple! Think about it – filling a glorified tube up with air, sitting atop it, and using sticks to maneuver your way through the river. Part of the beauty of rafting is the simplicity.

…but what is rafting without the Gospel? Empty. Meaningless. A few minutes’ distraction. Often, we hear folks complaining about the emptiness of their lives: work, sleep, eat, make money, pay bills, work, sleep, eat. So to find meaning amid this cycle, what do most Americans do? Take a vacation, take a break, pick up a hobby, go rafting… These distractions do not contain meaning… just distraction!

Whatever you do today, make it about the Gospel.

So you’re not a missionary? Not a pastor? Not a professor, a theologian? You can still live a Gospel-centered life. If your life is centered around the spread of the good news of Christ crucified and risen – even the mundane finds its meaning. Hobbies, travel, and diversions are great if they’re kept in perspective. These things are necessary releases… but they do not contain life. Christ does. Live this life. Pursue Christ. Make disciples. Make whatever you do today about the Gospel.

The first Women’s Retreat will be held April 25th-27th, 2013!

God intricately designed women to be caregivers, supporters, hard workers and sacrificers. But in our fallen world, we more often allow ourselves to be characterized by selfishness, vanity, deceit, hostility and impatience. How do we become the “woman who fears the Lord” in Proverbs 31? How do we seek to be the humble feminine leader described in Titus 2? Dare we allow Christ, as our husband, to draw us back to Himself as He did with His beloved Israel in the book of Hosea? At the Snowbird Women’s Retreat, women of all ages will be challenged with what it looks like to live as Godly women in desperate pursuit of Christ. We will gain a deeper understanding of what it looks to fight for our marriages, our singleness, our children and our futures. As we dig deep into Scripture, may we find growth beyond futility, hope without despair and healing in the arms of Grace.

Cost is $99/person.

(Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV)

Think about a sword so sharp it pierces through the thick, hard part of your bone, into the tender, living core of the bone called marrow, and then separates them.  Think about being totally exposed, naked, no way to cover yourself or hide.

These are graphic images.  In these verses, we find an intense warning that we cannot hide faithlessness or disobedience from God, because His Word pierces through the things we do and say, and sees what is in our heart.  The Bible is not just a bunch of wise words to live by so we can be better people and things will go well for us.  It is the personal, powerful word of God.  We don’t just sit down, read, and study the Word.  The Word searches us too, and at times it crushes us.  It splits us open and exposes all of secret thoughts and the real reasons why we do what we do.  It cuts away everything we look like we are on the outside and reveals what is underneath it all.  In one sense, this is terrifying. There are things in all of our hearts and minds we would be ashamed for other people to know, even though those people are sinners like us.  Then, to think about Holy God knowing every selfish desire, lustful thought, hateful feeling, moment of unbelief… It’s a scary reality- naked, exposed, no place to hide.  But, in reality this is God’s grace on display.  The Word of God cuts deep, shows us the fullness of our sin, and traces it back to its root- unbelief.  This happened for each of us at the point of salvation, showing us our need for a Savior.  Now, as we stay in the Word of God, this will continue to happen.  We want this to happen. We want these areas exposed and dealt with so we can grow more in Christ’s image.

Hunter Tuttle –

Hunter is currently finishing up his degree in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education through Brevard College, NC. He has more than 2 years of wilderness trip leading under his belt, and has worked as an OLD School instructor in the summer of 2011. Hunter served for 4 years active duty in the Air Force, including serving overseas in Iraq, Pakistan, and Colombia. Hunter will be serving overseas as a missionary this summer in Thailand before coming to join us for the fall OLD School semester. We’re excited to have Hunter on board with us!

Anne Tully –

Anne is a UGA grad with degree in Rec and Leisure Studies. She thru-hiked the AT in 2008 and is now thru-hiking the PCT as we speak. Anne has been an OLD School semester instructor since 2010, leading both Backpacking and Rock Climbing sections.  Anne has worked with us since 2008, though her roots with OLD School and SWO go much deeper. She is currently studying through the book of Romans, and will be studying Ephesians while she is out on the PCT. We love Anne here at OLD School, and we’re super-excited that she is going to be proctoring this fall!

This week, two different churches have used their spring break to come further the Gospel in Andrews, while working alongside our SMO staff! Cornelia and Hillside United Methodist made their annual trek to the mountains this week and have worked very hard physically and spiritually to share Jesus with our community.

Many of you heard about the tornado that hit Cherokee County at the end of February. It devastated a community call Texana, located on the outskirts of Murphy, North Carolina. Please pray for Snowbird Missions and Outreach as we are repairing roofs on many, many homes that were ruined during the storm. Many residents of this area were without insurance, so we are praying for supplies, grants, and donations of any kind to assist in serving the community of Texana. We have hundreds of students coming this summer to help us work. Praise the Lord, we are going to need all the help we can get!

Pray with us that we will be bold to share our faith with anyone that we connect with as we work. We are very aware that a new roof without Jesus is just a temporary comfort for a lost and dying world.

Keep Snowbird continually in your prayers. Our summer Missions (SMO) staff will arrive next weekend for pre-summer training and the full-time staff will be resting a little to prepare mentally for all that the summer will hold. Fun times around here! Love you guys, and thanks for praying for us!

Thanks to all of you, Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters has currently raised $1,010 in donations through GoodSearch. Within our first year of joining GoodSearch, three scholarships were raised for students to attend “SWO12″ 2012 summer camp! We are very grateful and already excited for what the second year’s earnings will be as more people join the cause! If you have yet to show your support by registering at GoodSearch.com, may this serve as an encouragement for you to begin participating today.

GoodSearch is conducting a contest during the month of April. The non-profit with the most GoodApp downloads (toolbar available for Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers) during the contest dates of April 1-30th will win $1,000. Imagine. If we win, three more scholarships would instantly be provided for students to hear the Gospel this summer at SWO12! The next three runners-up will each receive $500, and the 50 charities to be the first to reach 50 GoodApp toolbar downloads will be given $50. Free scholarship money is available to be put to good use, but we need your help!

Start by downloading Snowbird’s customized GoodApp here:

Please tell your friends and family about this opportunity to contribute to something larger than yourself. This is just a suggestion, but you could even install the toolbar on their computers for them!

Lastly, use it! Your online searches through the toolbar will earn scholarship money with every search. Any online shopping through participating vendors like Amazon, Priceline, iTunes, etc. will earn free money for students to attend Snowbird. It truly is a simple way to earn money for a cause you already stand behind.

If you have any questions, please contact Anne Tully at anne@swoutfitters.com or call the SWO office at (828)321-2210.

Thanks again, to many of you who have already shown great support of this ministry. We also want to personally thank those of you who will begin showing your support today by downloading the toolbar!

We are very blessed to have such an amazing staff this year, and are encouraged by their applications and excitement to be here this summer. These are the people who will be investing their lives in students this summer. Their days will be spent guiding whitewater, leading mountain biking trips, and belaying on the climbing tower. Their days and nights will be spent intentionally pursuing students in relationship, seeking conversations about Christ’s saving grace in the midst of fallen humanity.

This past week we began studying through the book of Colossians, and it has been amazing to be reminded of Christ’s preeminence in all things. Brody will be focusing on this truth in teaching to students this summer. But, weeks before that, he will be teaching through Paul’s letter verse by verse in two weeks of staff training. We have been praying for the staff and students of SWO12 since the end of last summer and are eager to see how the Lord is going to change and mold us more into the image of Christ.

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”     Colossians 1:27-29

On the weekend of April 13-15 our year-round and summer staff will meet together and take a major step forward in preparation to minister this summer. Our time will be spent worshiping through song, plenty of basketball and volleyball games, and sitting under the preaching of Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. Please join us in prayer for this orientation weekend. Pray that God will fill us with His Spirit, and prepare our hearts with boldness and grace as we share the Gospel with hundreds of students every week. Pray for endurance and energy for our staff and their families. Pray that we will have an undying urgency each day, both in challenging believers and sharing Christ with the lost.

Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry Christ has provided. Your prayers and encouragement are invaluable to each of us, and we look forward to seeing you this summer!

1. No distractions – Our lives are inundated with distraction! We check and recheck and recheck email, facebook, and twitter. We blog, and blog again (I’m doing it right now). All throughout our day, our pocket buzzes with some new news, some urgent message.I would love to be able to throw my smart phone in a lake somewhere and forget about it! The wilderness provides solace… silence… calm, in a way that one can’t find in the “frontcountry”. I’ve found that the most quiet my soul gets is at dawn or dusk in the woods – and in that quiet, the Lord speaks and I hear. Too often I spend days bouncing from one distraction to the next… but in the woods, I can focus on life, focus on the present, focus on Christ.

2. It can be uncomfortable… and that can be good! How many great revelations from the Lord have come during a luxurious stay at a posh hotel? How many times has the Lord spoken to someone on the masseuse’s table? Typically, difficult or uncomfortable situations squeeze imperfections to the surface. It’s clear from Scripture that the Lord uses trials. When the Scripture speaks of trials, however, it is speaking of beatings and martyrdom not bugs and sleeping pads! The unfamiliarity of wilderness living can create a microcosm of difficulty – that is – a small level of difficulty in order to address a (perhaps) large character flaw.

3. The Saints and the Messiah did- How often do we see Jesus retreating to the wilderness in the Gospels? All throughout the Scriptures, prophets and apostles venture into the wild to meet with the Creator. As you follow their example, it’s our prayer that you would truly meet with Christ. That with your soul quieted from distractions, and your body out of its comfortable routine, that you would turn to Jesus, and seek him in his creation.

That’s why OLD School exists, and that’s why we’re encouraging you to venture out into the wild today…

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.  For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

(Hebrews 4:1-2 ESV)

THE PROMISE OF ENTERING HIS REST STILL STANDS

The exodus generation had been enslaved in Egypt, wandering through the wilderness for years, and they longed for rest; the rest of being free men in a land of their own.  No more oppression.  No more nomadic lifestyle.  Just rest.  Caleb and Joshua would be the only two of that entire generation to reach the Promised Land.  But God’s rest is about much more than the Promised Land.  That is why David writes about God’s rest in Psalm 95 years after Joshua led the next generation into Canaan.  The promise of entering God’s rest is still for us today.  This is a rest from all toil, and fear, and suffering; a rest from warring against our flesh and against the enemy.  This rest is spending eternity in the presence of Jesus.  God rested on the seventh day because His work was complete.  The believer can rest because Christ’s work on the cross is complete.

HEARING THE GOOD NEWS

The exodus generation heard the good news of the Promised Land.  They left Egypt in pursuit of it, but ultimately the news itself did not do them any good because they had no faith.  Verse 2 says, “they (the exodus generation) were not united by faith with those who listened (Caleb and Joshua)”.  We have also received good news; the good news that God sent his Son to become man, live the righteous life we could not live, and to lay down his life to pay for our sins.  We have heard the good news that Christ rose again, and offers salvation to all who repent and believe.  But simply hearing the message will not carry us through the struggles of this life on to the shores of eternity.  Hearing the Word of God is essential, but it must not be an end in itself; it must result in faith.  It is faith in Christ that will produce the perseverance that will spur us on until the day we finally and completely enter God’s rest.

CCCA The Power of Camp

Obviously, no camp has any power in and of itself. The first chapter of Hebrews speaks of Christ upholding the universe “by the word of his power.” Even Jesus always pointed to God the Father as the source of His power to anyone who attempted to give Him praise during His earthly ministry. Looking back on the history of Snowbird, we can all see the hand of God’s direction and blessing…and grace in our mistakes. The power of Snowbird, or any other ministry, rests solely in the power of Jesus Christ and the truth of His word going forth to people. If people remember Snowbird for anything, our prayer is that it will be because God has simply used the ministry here as a tool to disciple believers and boldly proclaim the Gospel to the lost.

How has the power of Christ impacted your life through camp?

Since 2006, Bryan has been an instructor with the OLD School Semester’s caving section. This past year, we were privileged to have Bryan serve as our semester proctor! Congrats to Bryan and his new wife Carly! We hope to serve together with you guys for many years to come.

Snowbird Missions & Outreach

We have a huge summer of SMO coming up in 2012! With all of the students coming in to do projects through Snowbird Missions & Outreach, there is a great need for tools, equipment for transport, coolers, materials, and so much more.  Trusting God through prayer and sending out this request, we are asking Him to meet these needs through churches and families. We ask that you sincerely spend time in prayer, asking God how you can help us in this task. If you have any questions, please contact Shawn & Bethany Clark at theclarks@swoutfitters.com

Or, you can give online through our website with a credit card below:

Snowbird is setting a goal for each GoodSearch registered user to raise only $1 by March 15.

• You could search 100 times via GoodSearch for images, websites, travel, clothing, etc.
• You could shop at any of the GoodShop-approved online merchants, like Old Navy, Amazon, Apple, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, etc., to buy your products for Snowbird to receive a percentage back.
• You could register our most-frequented credit/debit card at GoodDining.com and eat out as you normally would at GoodDining-approved restaurants near you for Snowbird to receive a percentage back.

It’s that easy, and we’re asking you to raise only $1 by March 15. Join our cause, won’t you?

*If you are not yet registered as a GoodSearch user yet, follow this link to register GOODSEARCH SNOWBIRD and choose Snowbird Outfitters as your cause!

Here’s your chance to win new Snowbird gear!

Submit your best Snowbird gear photo from 2010 to present. It could be a photo at camp, on a family vacation, on a mission trip or in a tree. The location, people and craziness of the photo is up to you! Just be sure you’re rockin’ your favorite SWO tee, hoodie, hat or stickers. The winner of each category will receive a 2012 (yet to be released) Snowbird shirt.

Contest Dates:     February 22 – May 15, 2012

Choose from three categories:

1. Most random location (with person/SWO apparel visible in picture).
2. Oldest SWO apparel.
3. Best picture taken during camp activity.

To enter:

1. Submit your photo to the Facebook wall of Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters by May 15 at midnight.
2. Tag “Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters” and yourself in the photo.
3. In the comments section, label the category to which the photo is being submitted and the first/last name of the contestant submitting the photo.

Contest rules:

1. Contestant must be a former or upcoming Snowbird camper, youth pastor or chaperone. Current and former staff excluded.
2. Person in photo must be visibly wearing SWO gear.
3. Photos must be clean and modest.
4. Photos may not be edited.
5. Contestant can enter multiple photos in multiple categories.
6. Photos will be judged based solely on photography, not caption and/or comments.
7. Winners will be announced via Facebook May 16.

OLD School is coming soon to a town near you! We’re loading up the van with candy and sweet free T-shirts and hitting the road. We’ll be setting up a booth at a lot of different venues, visiting old friends and making new ones. It’s our goal to not only share what God is doing at OLD School… but also to minister to the body as we travel! It was awesome to get to meet and talk with all the good folks at the Conclave conference last week in Chattanooga, TN!

Next up, OLD School will be at the Baptist College of Florida on March 15-16 for their preview day! If you are in or near the panhandle of Florida, you should come to Graceville and visit us!

Soon after this, we’ll be showing up at Liberty University in Lynchburg VA! We’ll be there March 21-22 (and would love to meet up with you at Tokyo Express).

We will be in Nashville later on at the Collegiate Summit put on by Lifeway. This conference is for college leaders… and should be awesome. It’s going on May 2-4.

We’ll also be showing up at Covenant College near Chattanooga and Auburn University’s BCM this Spring… dates TBA. Keep checking back to see where you can meet up with us!

Harry here,

wanting to tell you the latest and greatest about OLD School. This summer we are offering 2 separate tracks for OLD School!

1. The first trip is our traditional, or as Spencer calls it, “the greatest hits”, trip. Students will get to backpack, canoe,cliff jump, whitewater raft, and mountain bike all while spending quality time being taught from the Word and building relationships with our awesome staff members.

2. The new trip is a 1 week backpacking-only trip where students will spend their entire time backpacking through stunning wilderness areas and ascending some of the highest peaks that the South has to offer. This trip offers students the unique chance to really “get away” from normal life, in order to stretch themselves both physically and spiritually.

We are busy getting everything in order for the summer program. From buying gear, to calling people, to praying about summer discipleship texts,  we are moving full-speed ahead. We are very excited about the summer and realize that it is going to get here even sooner than we expect. Please join us in prayer specifically over the Scriptural passages we will be teaching out of and choosing the staff that the Lord would have lead these trips and these students.

Southeast Conclave

January 26-28, 2012

Location: Chattanooga Convention Center (Chattanooga, TN)

http://www.southeastconclave.org

Acts29 Members Conference

January 31-February 2, 2012

Location: Crosspoint Church (Orlando, FL)

http://www.acts29network.org

Youth Commission International, youth leaders luncheon

February 9, 2012 (11am – 1pm)

Location: Great Wolf Lodge (Concord, NC)

FREE for youth pastors!

Contact for registration: John Johnson (Parkwood Baptist)

http://www.youthcommission.us

Resource Conference, at Columbia International University

February 23-24, 2012

Location: Columbia International University (Columbia, SC)

http://rccola.eventbrite.com

The writer of Hebrews uses the example of the Exodus generation (the people God freed from slavery in Egypt and led into the wilderness) as a warning to us against having an “evil heart of unbelief.”  This generation had seen the power of God on display.  God rescued them from slavery and was leading them to a new land.  And yet, these people repeatedly grumbled against the Lord.  This all came to a sad conclusion for this generation.  They refused to go into the Promised Land out of fear of the people living there.  This act of rebellion and unbelief provoked God’s wrath, and He swore that this generation would not enter the Promised Land.

This generation seemed to have some type of faith.  After all, they believed enough to put blood on their doorways and save their first-born sons.  They trusted God enough to walk across the bed of the Red Sea between two towering walls of water.  But, the overwhelming pattern of their complaint, mistrust and rebellion exposed a heart of unbelief.

Not because they doubted at times.  Not because they sometimes slipped into sin.

No, it started from the time they left Egypt, and it happened again, and again, and again… for years.  God said, “For they always go astray in their heart.” They took the provision of the Lord for granted, longing for the food they ate as slaves over the manna they ate in freedom.  They resented the leadership God placed them under.  They grumbled; they complained; they rebelled.  And every time their hearts grew harder, and harder until their hearts were so calloused that they stood overlooking the Promised Land- the land they had wearied their feet and bodies to reach- and willingly, decisively said, “NO.  I will NOT go in.”

This is the evil heart of unbelief: A recurring pattern of rejection, mistrust, rebellion, complaint, resentment that climaxes in looking at Jesus, knowing all that God has to offer and then making a decisive, final rejection – renouncing Him and saying, “NO.  I don’t want this.” and then walking away.

Therefore, the writer of Hebrews warns us, “TODAY if you hear His voice do not harden your heart as in the rebellion.”  Do not start down that path.  Do not callous your heart to the voice of the Lord.  Believe God.  Believe Jesus.  Obey his voice.  Trust His promises.  Reflect on who He is and what He has done (both throughout history and in your life personally).  Remember His salvation with awe and thankfulness.  Walk in humility with Jesus.  Consider His faithfulness and know it is by God’s grace we remain faithful.  Then, the overwhelming pattern of your life will be belief.  The way you respond to difficult times will expose a heart of belief.  The way you fight against temptation will say, “Belief.”  Even how you respond to falling into sin- grieved, repentant and then resolved to walk ahead and keep fighting- will say, “Belief!”

So, consider Jesus.  Remember His faithfulness.  Take care.  Guard against an evil heart of unbelief.  Exhort one another.  Protect one another from being hardened by deceitfulness of sin.  Sin is deceptive.  At times, the vegetables of Egypt will sound more desirable than manna, but do not allow one another to be led astray.  Draw each other back to the reality that what we have is superior to anything the world has to offer, because “we have come to share in Christ.” And Christ is better than all things.  And we know we have come to share in Christ, if we hold fast and stand firm, to the end.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

In the Old Testament, God would send angelic messengers to His appointed prophets.  The prophets would then tell the message to God’s people so they could know Him better.  There was always blessing for obeying God’s word and consequence for ignoring or disobeying God’s word.  “…the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution”

The writer of Hebrews takes up most of chapter 1 to show us how much greater of a messenger Jesus is than the angels or the prophets were in the Old Testament.  He is so much greater because He himself is God.  Jesus speaks with absolute authority, the same authority by which He created the universe by His spoken word.  He created time and space by just speaking.  The writer further points out that, “He upholds the universe by the word of His power.”  This is really cool to think about.  Since the beginning of the creation the world, Jesus has always sustained it, and He continues to sustain it today.  This means not only is He holding it up in existence, but He is also directing everything to its appointed end.  Everything that has ever existed, anything that has ever happened, it has all served His purposes.

Jesus, as the sovereign God, has created and has been directing all of history by the power of His word.  This is huge for the believer. We have been saved by hearing His Word in the gospel.  The new creation has taken place inside of us by obeying His word to repent and believe.  This is not where it stops for the believer.  Just as the universe is sustained and directed by the Word of God, so must the rest of our lives be sustained and directed by the Word of God.  This is why chapter 2 opens with these words of warning, “Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard lest we drift away from it…  How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”

There is a danger in not living under the sustaining Word of our great prophet, Jesus Christ.  The danger is that our thoughts, emotions, and actions will drift away from Him.  We must be dedicated to living in submission to the words of Christ.  To be sustained and directed through this life we must read, meditate on, memorize, and meet together to hear the preaching of the Word of God.  For the believer this is not only necessary, it is a source of joy.  Let us not neglect this great salvation.

I used to think that every adventure had been completed by now. I thought that nearly every mountain has been climbed, nearly every inch of the globe explored…  and certainly that every person had heard about (or at least had the opportunity to hear about) Jesus and the Scriptures.

This is not so.

These stats come from Joshuaproject.net.

What will you do with the light of the Gospel? This great need affects us all… none of us can afford to remain unengaged. The command is to go and make disciples of all nations. How will you be involved in that?  Will you be obedient? We pray that you will be. So many have not heard, and you have the message. You have the light. Go.

Please pray for Bobby and Maridith. You can follow them on facebook, twitter, or via their website.

The main theme of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is greater than everything and because of that we should remain faithful to Him to the end.  In the opening verses, we see that God has been making Himself known to people from the beginning, and that the greatest way God has done this is in His Son, Jesus Christ.

On this journey through the book of Hebrews, we will see the greatness of Jesus from different angles.  Every day we experience the blessings of light; almost everything we do is dependent on it.  Many times we take it for granted and rarely are we able to appreciate the full beauty of light.  What is cool about a prism is that as light passes through it, the prism separates all the colors that make up light, so you can see each one distinctly and appreciate the beauty of each one.  Like a prism, the book of Hebrews helps us separate out different aspects of who Jesus is so we can see the greatness of each one.  We will see Him as the glorious Son revealing the Father, the warrior king rescuing His people, and the great high priest purifying His brothers.

When we better see Jesus for who He is, we will find that He is greater than everything, and that He is faithful and true.  When we know Jesus in this way, we will want to be faithful and true to Him.

As a semester we have experienced so much, from backpacking all the way to Honduras. We have seen the majesty and glory of God on display in his creation and his love being cultivated in each of our lives. Love for his word, all people, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, for the Gospel and for God. We have been taught faithfully from his word, we have seen it applied in our lives and we have searched it in our quiet time, sought it out and sought to teach it to each other through our student led classes. We have been poured into by the staff and leadership, always seeking our sanctification and growth / maturity in Christ. It is the relationships that God has developed and the bonds in Christ that I will be using as a model for the rest of my life as to how the church and other Christians should relate. When I seek to spread the gospel and make disciples it is these bonds that I will seek to replicate with my neighbor, always seeking his well-being and growth in Christ.

Words cannot describe this semester. It is amazing how attached you can get to a bare cabin with plywood walls and floors with bunk beds and cubby holes. With all of the places that we have visited and spent our time, the mountains, caves, river, the everglades, they all hold a fond memory. But one of the things that I have been led to understand and know in my heart is that it is not the place that we have come to hold dear but the work of God that was done in those places; it is the God that I hold dear, the God who has blessed me so to bring me into the body of Christ and with this group of believers. I don’t know what life will be like when I return home, for the only life that I have known I cannot bear to live anymore, sinning against the God I love and denying Christ with my actions and living for myself. It’s a new trail that I have to blaze and I know that as long as God is in front of me I have nothing to fear.

GoodSearch Contest Dates
Nov. 25,2011–Jan. 31, 2012

Concept
The person to earn the most money between Nov. 25 and Jan. 31 using GoodSearch, GoodShop and/or GoodDining on behalf of “Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters–SWO” will win the Grand Prize — a free trip to Snowbird Outfitters. Second and Third Place winners will also be awarded. Winners will be announced Feb. 3, 2012.

Prizes
Grand Prize: One scholarship trip to Snowbird Outfitters and a $50 Snack Shack voucher. The scholarship trip may be redeemed for one ski retreat during the 2011-2012 winter season or for one week of summer camp during the 2012 summer season (scholarship may be designated to person of the winner’s choosing).

Second Place: Choice of one Snowbird hoodie OR one Snowbird T-shirt and CD.

Third Place: Choice of one Snowbird coffee mug OR one Snowbird CD.

**Quarterly prizes will also be awarded to the individuals who are leading in funds raised, respectively, by Dec. 14,   Dec. 30 and Jan. 18. Prize may include, but are not limited to, Snowbird stickers, Snowbird magnets and $5 gift cards to various stores. Winners will be contacted via email.

Instructions
To enter the contest, visit www.GoodSearch.com, register with a valid email address and list “Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters–SWO” as your cause. You will be able to access GoodSearch, GoodShop and GoodDining through this same website for the duration of the contest.  Make sure you are logged into GoodSearch with your username each time you search and make purchases in order for them to be credited to your account.

To earn donations through GoodShop, search for a store at www.GoodShop.com and click “Shop this store now.” You will be directed to that store’s website and a specified percentage of your purchase will go to Snowbird. You must access the online vendor through GoodShop in order for your purchase to benefit Snowbird.

GoodDining requires additional registering at www.GoodDining.com. Please review complete instructions on the website.

For your convenience, you can also download Snowbird’s customizable toolbar for easier access to GoodSearch. Simply follow the on-screen instructions in your browser. (Available for Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.)

Disclaimers
** All participants, whether newly registered or veteran GoodSearch users, will be assumed to start the contest at $0.00 on Nov. 25 at 12:01 a.m. If you have funds raised and are not in the top 50 people listed, please email anne@swoutfitters.com with your amount raised. Full-time staff members who purchase goods through their GoodSearch accounts will not be counted in the contest numbers but are encouraged to continue using this venue to raise funds for Snowbird.
** GoodShop donations from purchases may take up to eight weeks to clear and be credited to your GoodSearch account.
** Amazon.com purchases via GoodShop benefit Snowbird but are not reflected on individual accounts. Money earned through Amazon.com will go into Snowbird’s general fund raising account.

For questions or to request additional information, please contact Anne Tully, funding development coordinator, by email at anne@swoutfitters.com or by phone at 828-321-2210.

We will have some great Sea Kayaking pics very soon for you… but in the meantime, here are a couple of river pictures that you may not have seen.

Well in 2 Peter chapter 3 the Holy Spirit tells us that Jesus is coming back soon and when He comes, He will finally punish sin and sinners and reward His people. Then in verse 13 He tells us that after destroying this world, He will create a new one and it will be perfect, it will be a place that will be characterized by the righteousness of our Lord and Savior. How amazing will that be?! I’m talking about a place where sin no longer exists, where heartache never happens and only what is good and right can ever happen. How awesome is that going to be?

But what about us for now? How do we live today because of this? Peter tells us this too. We need to make sure that we are found “in Him” and commit ourselves to living in His righteousness now. We need to work hard to become the types of people we will be in eternity. And of course we must realize that God is waiting to come back so that we have more time to share the Gospel with those around us.

Be challenged and comforted because Jesus is coming soon for His children.

Here are some pics from the Caving section. Enjoy!

Harry McSween here:

There has already been an update from our rock climbing trip this semester, but I figured another couldn’t hurt. I was out with the students on this trip, and let me tell you we had a blast! We had 2 picture perfect days of short top rope climbing and 2 monster rappels both close to 150 feet! After that a couple days of rain kept it gloomy for a little while, but the sun came out and a typical Table Rock wind of 30 mph dried the rock off very quickly for us on our multi-pitch day. On our multi-pitch day each student was able to climb at least 300 vertical feet and summit Table Rock which offered some spectacular views that day. The next 2 days we spent bouldering at Rumbling Bald; sometimes it is nice to climb without your feet being so far off the ground. We had a lot of fun here and I posted some pictures of some crazy things we tried while we were there.

The teaching on the trip was fantastic as well. The rain that dampened our climbing gave us a lot of time to pursue each other in relationships, spend time reading The Word, and listen in on a lot of teaching. Some students taught lessons to the rest of the group on topics like: Why is the virgin birth an important doctrine to uphold? and Why was the death of Jesus necessary to pay for our sins? It was great listening to these guys teach and encourage each other. Also, I had the privilege to teach on Spiritual Disciplines, and these guys and girls were eating it up. It is so encouraging for me to see these young adults practice what they hear so quickly; by the end of the trip many of the students had started memorizing large portions of scripture.

I couldn’t have asked for a better trip than this. To be able to teach the word, build relationships with other believers, encourage the body, and rock climb… You just can’t beat it!

The OLD Schoolers are out caving right now. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue through the book of Ephesians.

and even better teaching on community and relationships within the body of Christ from Ephesians. Today, our students head out for rock climbing! Please pray for continued blessing from the Lord on our teaching, safety, and community.

Everyone is doing great. The students have now completed 9 out of the 14 days of their first semester section. By this time, they have learned the basic skills that they will carry and master through their course. Most nights have had lively discussion from the book of Ephesians, led by our semester instructors.

Please continue to pray for these guys! We’ll keep you posted.

For those of us on staff, it was a cool opportunity to worship alongside of men and be mutually challenged in the area of godly masculinity. Also, it was unbelievably encouraging to see senior adults passionately following the Lord. All too often it is easy for us to get the impression that the only life in our churches is from the youth groups (because that’s predominantly what we see), yet this weekend we got to see men from every spectrum in life in pursuit of the Lord. We are already planning on how we can make it better for next year.

Coming up soon we are really excited for the annual Snowbird Marriage Retreat. This year it will be held here October 21-23 and the spots are filling up. We are already full on-campus and the only spots left are for off-campus housing. So if you know anyone that would like to come, please have them call the office as soon as they can before we are totally out of space.