This past Friday, Mom, Elizabeth, and I had the pleasure to go to YA (Youth Advance) at Bethany College in Hepburn, Saskatchewan. It is a Christian college that a couple of my friends are going to. Every year it has a Friday to Sunday gig for youth to come, have fun, and check out the college.
I had gone to YA the year before with a couple of friends, but this was Mom and Elizabeth's first time there. We caught a ride with Mrs. Chase and four other teenagers. You can imagine that it was quite a noisy and cramped trip most of the time!
After we were settled into our rooms and had met our new room mates (we shared bedrooms with the students), we had a bit of free time before supper. They had decorated the school up real nice and had a coffee bar and cotton candy machine so it was easy to stay entertained!
Supper was in their gym and was a delicious affair. After we were finished eating, they treated us to the drama "The Cottonpatch Gospel." It was a modern, slightly western version of the life of Christ. It was a very entertaining play with many interesting points to make you stop and ponder. They always have such acting and music there!
That evening, most only got to bed around 1:30 a.m.! We had our first session with the speaker who had an amazing life story! He was a very easy speaker to listen to and had many points that sometimes quite literally took your breath away. When he talked about the Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, some of his points really hit home for me.
John 8:1-11
[1] Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
[2] And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
[3] And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
[4] They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
[5] Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
[6] This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
[7] So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
[8] And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
[9] And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
[10] When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
[11] She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
One of the things that the speaker said was that it was significant that Jesus stooped down. When they brought the woman caught in adultery they 'set her in the midst.' A circle would have formed around Jesus and the woman. People probably wouldn't have wanted to get too close so that they wouldn't get hit with stones. When Jesus stooped down, He was putting himself right there with the women- telling her with His body language that He was with her. If they had started throwing stones, they probably would have hit Him too! That is what Jesus does every day for us. He doesn't stand to the side and look down at us, He kneels down in the dirt with us and suffers as much or more than we do.
The speaker (sorry, but I can't seem to remember his name right now!) had many more good points like that. We all enjoyed him and came away with something to think about.
After the first session with the speaker and singing along with their great band, it was snacks and game time in the dorms! Although we went to bed a little earlier than some, we could still hear them hooting, hollering, and singing songs (it had to do with one of the games!).
The next day we had different session we could go to in the afternoon. They had a bunch of different session topics you could choose from. They had everything from REALationships to Girls Only to how to be an effective worship leader! After the sessions were done, some went out and played dodgeball and a few other games but Mom, Elizabeth, and I decided to stay back and rest a bit.
The rest of the weekend was filled with short skits, great music, delicious food, and great company! I didn't hear of a single person who didn't like it!
I have decided to include the link for the college's website: bethany.sk.ca
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