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What do Gideon, Elijah, and a refugee all have in common? Thrive South Nashville went on an amazing retreat to Fall Creek Falls last weekend to find out how Jesus works miracles in our weaknesses. As most of you know, the majority of the families we work with at Thrive are from Burma. But what you might not know is that walking, fishing, hunting, farming, and climbing mountains are what make up village life for the Karen people in Southeast Burma. Once they arrive in America as refugees, however, so much of those skills and culture is set aside for the strenuous, rigid American schedule and way of life. | |
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Many of our teens have little to no outlet for going out into nature and getting away from their screens and to sit quietly away from the noise and distraction of city life. So our Thrive Beyond Youth Mentorship program decided to plan a fall retreat to spend a whole weekend together resting, playing games, and enjoying spending time together.
Because of your support we were able to take 19 youth on a 3 night retreat where we got to hike, play games, eat lots of food, play volleyball and football, and learn more about how Jesus can turn our weakness to strength.
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So what do Gideon, Elijah, and a refugee have in common?
When was the las time you got quiet? I mean really quiet and just listened? It's really hard when you have phones and tablets and kids screaming and your boss calling. When was the last time you felt God tell you to do something that sounded absolutely impossible? How many excuses did you come up with? What about those times when you felt out of place in your job or like you just don't belong anywhere?
The story of the Bible in its simplest form is the story of God working out his miraculous plan around the most impossible circumstances and through the most unlikely people. Overlooked, defeated, depressed, small, and weak. Those are the characteristics of Elijah and Gideon. Those are the words they told themselves when their lives were being threatened everyday. Outcast, forgotten, helpless, these two men knew what it was like to suffer and have no good home to call their own. Elijah prayed for death, and Gideon hid wheat in a wine press to escape Midian, but both encountered God in the quietness. Both saw God fight their battles and prove that through our weaknesses, God's strength is made perfect.
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Small, weak, overlooked, sound familiar?
The hike down to the falls was tough, but it was the hike back up that really wore us out. If you've ever been hiking you know that going down is always easier than climbing back up. But what do you do when you reach the top? Are you quiet? Are you in awe of the view? Are you somehow....thankful? Elijah's journey was too much for him so God provided rest and nourishment. Once he reach the mountain though, God made himself seen. Not in the earthquake, not in the windstorm, and not even in the fire. All of these are ways God had been visible in the Bible before, but not this time. This time Elijah had to get quiet. Silence is scary to us these days. We are always looking for the next thing to entertain and distract us from our problems. How many times have you missed out on God speaking to you because you never paused long enough to just sit in it. Elijah sat in it. He sat under that tree in his defeat and complained. But in that same silence on the mountain he heard the sound of a gentle whisper.
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How hard do you think it is to get 19 teenagers to sit completely still and make no noise on the side of a mountain? Yep, about as hard as you think. You'd be surprised how many things suddenly come to life that you never knew where there all along. Beautiful bird song, crickets, trees creaking, bees buzzing, and the wind rustling the leaves. All of it there, constantly speaking but only audible if you're willing to sit in your silence and LISTEN! | |
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"Go in the strength you have and save Israel"
Small, weak, overlooked-remember those words? Gideon knew them well. Do you? Do you know who else was a refugee? Jesus. Fleeing from Herod at his birth and always moving from town to town, Jesus never had a place of his own to lay his head.
After a weekend of resting, hiking, getting quiet, and playing games and roasting marshmallows we now know that God doesn't overlook the weak and outcast. In fact, He loves to use just those type of people to accomplish His plan! At Thrive we're so grateful for the support of those of you reading this because it allows us to go out in the strength we do have and accomplish great things!
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Thrive South Nashville needs you to help empower more youth by volunteering and/or donating. To volunteer with Thrive Beyond (Thrive’s Youth Program), email volunteer@thrivesouthnashville.org
To donate visit the link below
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