coastal carolina youth conference.2.27-28.2009

we just returned from a fun-filled weekend in wilmington, nc at the 2009 coastal carolina youth conference. we took four of our teens with us to enjoy this overnight trip including great messages from many pastors, youth pastors and camp speakers including willie partin from the WILDS Christian Camp. we also enjoyed great music from matt and christy taylor.

we arrived friday night, enjoy our first service with willie, and then we spent a good chunk of the night (9pm-12am) at the wilmington YMCA, "playing" raquetball, basketball and working out...actually, the teens enjoyed all of that, and i attempted to stay awake. :)


"playing" raquetball was definitely the most entertaining part of the evening...


we had many adventures including swerving out of the way on the highway to avoid a live raccoon just meandering across the road. the most dramatic adventure though was when sarah, one of our teens, walked smack into a window...yep, you read that right! :) although you can't see it below, she is actually pointing to her face print on the window where she hit it. you also can't see her nose in this picture...but today it is very bruised, bloody and cut up. it was quite a remarkable feat...and one we can laugh about...now. :)

the girls enjoyed "The Great Amazing Grace Race" where they had to search out their next clue by completing numerous obstacles...it was pouring rain outside (hence the wet looks of the girls), but they had a blast and one of them, megan, even finished third out of 160 kids. yeah...we have the best youth group! :)

even though it was a little rough sleeping on the hard, concrete school room floor, all in all, i think it was a great weekend. the girls had fun. most importantly, they walked away from it all pin-pointing something new they can work on within their spiritual lives to grow closer to God.