Friday Favs

We would love to know...what are YOUR favorite things? Fav verse, color, food, flower, Bible character, hobby, music...leave a comment and let us know! You could be the next one featured on Friday Favs!

Hellooo Summer!

We had a blast at the "Hello Summer" Party lastnight in EXIT 15 and Primetime. We kicked off the night in worship, then about 400 of us packed into the Skating Center. Check http://www.bellevuestudents.org/ for more pics!

Nice overalls Maddie and Hannah!

Check out Morgan's socks & sandals, my "Deb" dress & side ponytail, and Elizabeth's crazy tights!

Leave a comment and let us know what you are most looking forward to this summer!

Hello Summer Party!

School is over, the temp is hot, and we are throwing a party this Wednesday to kick off the summer! Dress in your tackiest outfit - there will be an award for the best one, and get ready to have fun! You will also meet the new summer interns tonight!

• Middle School - come to Primetime Cafe at 5:30 and then hear Jeff Howard speak in the Edge at 6:15.


• High School - come hear Jason Pyron speak on "The Messiness of Our Lives" in EXIT 15 at 6:15 in the gym.

We have rented out Cordova Skating Center, so bring $2 and join the party! If you need a ride there, a bus will leave from the Gym entrance at 8:00pm, but make sure your parents pick you up at 10:00pm from Cordova Skating.

"Free to Be Me" Francesca Batisttelli

Francesca's song "Free to Be Me" is a reminder to all of us girls that the Lord has made us each uniquely, and we should embrace the gifts, talents, and even quirks that make us who we are. :) We are of course not perfect, but by God's grace we are saved from our sins through faith, and what an incredible gift of God! You are God's masterpiece - "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before-hand, that we should walk in them." Eph 2:10 ESV

Friday Favs: Leah

Friday Favs wants to feature a few of YOUR favorite things.

Here is a look at one of the Senior Girls' favs:

Leah Hamilton's favorite things...

Bare feet

Sunflowers & Gerber daisies
Reading

Sundresses

The book of James

Pearls

Swings

Chick-fil-a lemonade

Bible Character:

Mary of Bethany (sister of Martha)

Camp 2010!

Tonight @ midnight is the last chance to register for

Summer CAMP at the $250 price.

You will not want to miss this incredible trip! Go to

Bellevue Student Ministry website to sign up!

why miss the chance from Bellevue Student Ministry on Vimeo.

Authentic Christianity

Have you ever wondered what it looks like to really follow after Christ?

Have you ever seen an example of what this looks like in our world today?

One of my friends introduced me to someone who is an authentic Christ-follower...Katie. From Nashville, she surrendered to God's call at 17 years old. Her story began with a short-term mission trip as a high school student. And the rest of her story (which continues today) is incredible... you must read it (beginning with the 2007 entries on her blog). God's plan for her included surrendering everything, and moving to Uganda to become "mommy" to 14 orphaned girls. Wow.

Consider this passage from Matthew 16, as paraphrased in The Message: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself?"

Katie took God at His Word and followed the One True God... to Uganda.

Jesus wants all of you too. Let go of the possessions, popularity, and pursuits that you hold on to so tightly... and experience the freedom that God gives from a life surrendered to Him.

I urge you to read Katie's story here and see a 21-year old that is in love with Jesus.

I'm excited to introduce you to someone that can say "Follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Cor 11:1).

Remember as you read, God's plan for you may not look exactly like Katie's. But He does have a plan, exciting and full of adventure (not without trial and difficulty), and He wants to share it with you and walk alongside you... will you follow Him?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you" (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

Seek Him...surrender all...

Jennie

Senior Girls Tea

May is here, and it's that time of year...for graduations! Congratulations Senior girls! We are so proud of you and may the Lord bless you as you embark on this new stage of life.

May 2 was the Senior Girls' Tea, a special tradition hosted at the Gaines' home. The girls enjoyed brunch, a message from Mrs. Donna, and were given gift bags that included a DVD of College Girls' advice from the College Ministry.

Friday Favs

Jenny’s favorite things…

Colossians 1:15- “He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God…”

Image: Representation of a person;
If we were created in the Image of God, are we giving the right depiction of who He really is? Are we representing Him the way Christ did?

Music Review: Jonny Diaz

A little about Jonny from his blog:

"When Jonny Diaz headed off to Florida State University on a baseball scholarship in the fall of 2002, he was prepared to focus his time and efforts on his athletic skills. However, God had other plans and He began a work in Jonny’s life that led him to put down his bat and glove and instead, pick up his guitar. When you discover that Jonny was the fourth of four brothers to attend college on a baseball scholarship, and that two of his brothers have played ball at a professional level (Matt Diaz is currently the left fielder for the Atlanta Braves.), you can begin to understand the enormity of this decision. But, with God opening the doors, Jonny embarked on an exciting new adventure. "

Jonny's song "More Beautiful You" explains to us girls that our worth is found in Christ and not in the opinions or expectations of others.

"SO TURN AROUND YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR
TO BACK AWAY BE WHO YOU ARE
TO CHANGE YOUR PATH GO ANOTHER WAY
IT’S NOT TOO LATE YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED WITH PAST REGRETS
THE SHAMEFUL NIGHTS HOPE TO FORGETS
CAN DISAPPEAR THEY CAN ALL BE WASHED AWAY
BY THE ONE WHO’S STRONG CAN RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
CAN RID YOUR FEARS DRY ALL YOUR TEARS
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS BIG WORLD
HE WILL TAKE YOUR DARK DISTORTED VIEW
AND WITH HIS LIGHT HE WILL SHOW YOU TRUTH"

If you haven't heard it yet, you must click below!

"Live Life" by Christy

When I think about what our Father is teaching me, it's kind of hard to narrow it down! It seems that I obviously NEED to be learning something constantly...because He is constantly throwing lessons my way. But recently, God has been impressing upon me my ability to choose. Now, as we all know, we don't always get to choose our situations or our circumstances. Often, we don't get to choose where we will end up or even the direction.

But, I've found that we DO get to choose who we will be. We get to choose how we act and how we react. Essentially, we get to choose whether we will live or not live. Now I know what you are thinking: Christy, that sounds kind of dramatic! What do you mean, "choose to live or not to live." I'm saying: It's easy to embrace life and truly live when we find ourselves in circumstances that we chose and that make us happy. We love life and live it when we are around our friends and people we truly like. But what happens when we find ourselves in places we didn't choose...around people we would never choose to be around?

Sometimes, in these cases, I find myself tempted to just, in a sense, stop living. Instead of engaging in the world around me, I mentally and emotionally stand still. I may mope, or sulk, or stop doing what I normally enjoy doing. Or, I might go through the motions, all the while being paralyzed on the inside...all because I have found myself in a place where I didn't choose to be.
But THAT is not what our Father intended for me! Jesus very clearly said, "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) When I think about it, I really DO want to live life - and live it "to the full." Even when things don't make sense, I still get to choose to live life. Even when I find myself somewhere doing something I never thought I would be doing, I still get to choose to live life. Even when God takes my life in a direction that I would have never suspected, I still get to choose to live life.
And it's funny, I have found that when I make the conscious decision to "live life," God chooses to live in amazing ways through me!

Christy Pritchard
{Christy has been married to Michael for two years in August, is Admissions Counselor for Mississippi College, Conference Coordinator for Get Real Ministries, and teaches 11th grade girls in Bellevue Student Ministry. }