Hey guys. so i just got back from a winter retreat with my church. it was a ton of fun. however, after going to the campus way winter retreat, it seemed that alot of the camps i have gone to are for your head. the campus way winter retreat was for our hearts. i sit here and say this because i really believe that the winter retreat changed my life. and the one with church was more of a funn thing to do to get away for the weekend and hang outside and all. what do you guys think?

Hey guys! Winter retreat was awsome! it was deffinently he highlight of my year. it is sooooo fun when everyone gets togeether and actully does something overnight. I..I just cant put it into words! Actully, yeah i could try, here it goes....superawsomespectaculargargantuine(pant pant)supierilelusnessgreatercheese!   There... thanks a bunch

I think that the winter Blast was awsome i loved the all the fun stuff we did and i lved the worshiping it was just so awsome i just need to INHALE and EXHALE! cant wait for the summer thing and my Campus Way party maybe!

hey guys, it's Katie again.  I just remembered that I didn't thank someone, actually two people. Emily and Steve.  I don't think that the weekend would have had as much impact without them, as well as others (see my other entry).  I know that a lot of people were moved by the way that they brought the music and message. 

....why Hello again! told ya it wouldn't be long!!! I've got one more quick story...well....i will try....

So....here it goes: At the end of the retreat MJ and I still had to our Youth Group afterwards...he had to be there at 6pm for the Junior highers. Everyone was scheduled to leave around 2:30pm i think, and still, that was cutting it close. or so we thought. It ended up that we didn't even leave until after 3pm. On top of that, due to a lack of skill at 'lead driving' a crew of automobiles, we ended up being split apart from the rest of you guys. Well, we finally made it, just cuz MJ's THAT good :) yah...you know it! So.....he was already a bit stressed, in a hurry and didn't want the hassle of waiting for me to give 35 hugs....so we had to book it! On the way to our church going up the mini hill near Hillside this mini little car sped up right next to us and settled right in front of us. For the record, the man was not an idiot, his action at that point and time was sinply idiotic. Anywho, to make things even more peachy, each time we went up a hill, small or large, the car in front of us would tone down to roughly 20 mph. By now Mj was furious (not so much), just frazzled. A moment later he finally realized what was going on. Nothing more than some routinely spirtitual battles. This time we had conquered them! Satan was trying to rattle us all up and cause our fire to be dimmed just minutes after a weekend which was all about strengthening our faith and being prepared and fully armored so that we could stand firm against his evil schemes. Well, after proclaiming Jesus' name a few times and rejoiceing in His presence, the car had turned on its turning blinker. We thought that was it. Boy, were we wrong. As the car in front of us made its turn, the driver didn't hesitate for a moment in delighting us with BOTH of his 'fingers'...also know as the birds if i recall correctly. Ooooh boy...well, that surely startled me. What had just happened? Mj and I didn't do anything wrong. He was the one driving so crazy. Well, that was just it. Larry had talked about how Satan can take form in us here on earth adn do all sorts of things. Well, he just did. We were flipped off by Satan. We were alert, and caught ourselves before giving into his darkness and he had about enough out of us. So.....that is the wonderful and entertaining story of how MJ and I both recieved the finger from the devil. How about that??? I probably didn't tell it as well as MJ could've, but i gave it a try....

2 lessons learned here : never take both your hands off the wheel while driving; and don't underestimate Satan. He is there, always prowling around us like a roaring lion, looking for our weaknesses, and ultimately...for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8-11... Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.)

Haha...i agree with Leah!

EXHALE!!!!!!

So....what to say??? The Campus Way Retreat was unbelieveable. I had to keep reminding myself God's purpse for me being there. There are so many people in my life that i really wanted to be able to be there too, and i was kinda disappointed that they weren't, but once again i needed to refocus and to remember that God's purpose for us surpasses our understanding...as well as a boat load of several other things too :) I have to say that sunday night at my youth group after the retreat i was just dawdling around and doing nothing in particular. I can't explain it. it was different. if you don't know, then i am telling you that at my YG we're all family. we're all real close and know eachother as brother and sister. A handful of them asked me throughout the night if something was wrong. I kept telling them no. I felt calm, content....and nothing was wrong. After a while i finally put my finger on it. I was walking in the peace of God....which transends all earthly understanding. that was it. finally! It was surreal and nothing i can really explain. now because of that experience i have a new perspective and can see new things. i am beyond thankful. I want to share this with you, because in the midst of that experience i realized that it was nothing that I did on my own...I can't buy it....or catch it in a trap. It was the moving and peace of God's Holy Spirit within me. Not just inside of me either, but pouring out...thinking back i remember my eyes being heavy laden, my mind being somewhat blank, just thankful. Nothing was wrong, in fact it was the opposite. Everything was right......the way it always should be. 100% sold out for Him. El Shaddai...God Almighty, OUR Friend, Father, Savior, Master, Provider...........! 

Guys..........let's not forget the power in His name.......JESUS CHRIST....the son of God. We must follow Him....be obedient and live our lives the way we do out of love for Him. Everything we do to better His kingdom must be in His will, unselfishly, becasue we love Him. The grace received from His holiness is totally undeserved....and yet i don't see Him taking any of it back. Open your eyes to the little things. Let's be thankful. For Him. Salvation. Truth. Grace. Love. Our Brothers and Sisters in Him. Our Blood Family. Our Peers and opportunites. Indoor Plumbing. Communication and technology. Education. The Campus Way. Heat during the cold. Fruit on our plates everyday. We are blessed. Believe it or not. It's the TRUTH!!!!!!

Well, if I haven't already proven my uttmost skills at writing novels, I can almost guarantee you there WILL be more......aahahha! :)  LOVE ALL OF YOU! 

God is good and He is faithful! Keep working for Him and not for man!

Hey guys, its Jenn Anderson here. so, wow. the winter retreat was AWESOME! i mean, ive been to a ton of different camps but none were like this! its awesome how we all learned something that really guided us that weekend.

First i want to say thanks to Jay. hes an awesome guy and i know that God has and will continue to do a lot through him. Then i have to say thanks to larry for coming out. you really moved me and hearing you speak was amazing! i realized that i 'have to have both feet in' and not one in and one out! and thanks to steve and emily-the band -for playing it was great to have music and you guys did an awesome job! and thanks to GOD above all, without him we are nothing. he is everything!

the whole weekend was awesome--i met some great friends and awesome leaders. one of the things that really impacted me was amandas testimony. just hearing her talk and relating to waht she was saying--at the end when we 'wrote on our peice of paper' i gave up something that was really taking hold of my life. maybe ill say what it was later--i just cant right now. im done with it, but i still struggle.everyone is so supportive and always there to listen--i love all you guys! and most of all-GOD!

this weekend was a true blessing from God and i just want to thank all of you who came--i had a great time and learned soo much!

EXHALE!!!!

Hi guys I'm here again!! Check out the photos I posted and if you have any post them!!

If you have Q's about posting email me at jcavaiani@gmail.com.

Thanks Jacob

I think the Blast was AWSOME!

First of all, I'd like to thank Larry for his awesome messages. Second of all I'd like to thank the band. And  last but not least the Campus Way Staff for putting it together

Hi everyone,

I'm still feeling so fired up from this past weekend.  I can't help but share with everyone the amazing experiences I witnessed and felt.  It sure was a blessing to meet and get to know most of you.  For the guys, I am having the sleepover this Friday.  My email is dj@campusway.org or d.christofferson@yahoo.com Send me an email and I'll get you the detials.  I'm so excited for us to hang out again.

God Bless,

-DJ

Hey everyone! Katie from KMHS here.  I would just like to say thanks to a few people for helping this retreat happen.  First off, I'd like to thanks to Jacob for doing the words for the music. You rock!  Also, Larry, if you are reading this, thank you SSSSOOOOO much for helping me realize that you can't have one foot in the boat and one foot on the water.  Jay, I think and know I can say this for everyone: thank you so much for having this. It brought a lot of people, including myself, closer to God.  One more REALLY important person. GOD.  Without Him, nothing is possible.  With Him everything is, and that's exactly what happend this weekend (Jan. 11-13, 2007).

Hey guys this is Alex. 

Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up. James 4:10  We were all humbled during that trip.  And the Lord lifted me up by giving me a spirtual high on Monday and he has also showed me multiple new verses from his word!           Matthew 7:7-12     Matthew 13:24-30   1 Corinthians 3:5-9             James 4:7-10   1 Peter 5:6-7    Matthew 5:13-16   and Matthew 5:11-12

Check those verses out... I loved them!   Keep feeding the fire everyone!  Bye!

Hey, I'm writing again, but I got to get this out.... The Lord just told me something.

All this time I've been letting the devil tell me lies. Lies about the World, about what I can do... He's been telling me; "Amanda, you can't save the world. You can't do something amazing."

For the longest time I really thought the world could never be saved from evil. But it can! Through Christ!

Just thinking about what Larry said; "Don't let anyone rebuke you!" I've been letting people tell me who I am in Christ. And they have been tell me in word; "GOD CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD."

THAT IS NOT TRUE!!! GOD CAN AND WILL SAVE THE WORLD! And he will use us!!! His people! And Campus way is leading the way!

I am so happy! The winter retreat was great! Sharing my testimony was easy because God was there with me. Truly God was with us all. I tell people about the trip and they can't believe it. I've been on some winter retreats before and nothing was like this one!

True love and passion toward everyone and fellowship was what I saw through out the whole weekend.

And some people were brave enough to go out in the cold and go jogging with my brother and I. And God was leading our path. It was the "first winter retreat snowy run"

It really funny because Jay totally didn't think we would go out and jog. Way to go team! With God we can do anything!

And the band and Larry were amazing! Thank God for everything he has done!

heyy guyz, I am Hannah and I attend Campus Way at Oconomowoc Middle School and the retreat changed my life. I accepted Christ last Sunday (January 13, 2008) and I can already feel that I am growing in my faith because I am praying and reading my Bible everyday. I would really like to thank my group leaders and my peers for building me up tremendously and everyone reading this should get involved so you can have that personal relationship with the Lord. I can't wait till the summer retreat and hope Larry returns!!!!!! THANK YOU JAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps the words from our band, who said he was left, speechless..... Or the words from our speaker, Larry Pettiford, "this thing has messed me up", best begin to describe what happened this weekend. I have been volunteering at camps and/or in full time ministry for six years and I can tell you I have never had the blessing of being apart of God moving like this. God had victory over depression, unbelief, addiction, anxiety and ultimately over our enemy. Many students came publicly forward to accept Christ, some accepted Christ in their dorm and shared it with us later, and some quietly prayed with their leader. People kneeled, bowed, I think everyone cried, laughed, loved, accepted, praised, were encouraged, and ignited to be CHRIST'S AMBASSADOR'S! Thank you Lord for allowing us to be apart of your Great work. We are thankful and in awe!