Ethan realized he couldn’t be perfect on his own. He needed Jesus. While he was still in middle school, he started talking about the duality in his life with his Surge leaders, which alleviated much of the stress and shame. His Connect group embraced his vulnerability, which fostered an environment of trust and openness. Being able to confess and discuss his thoughts and feelings lifted a burden off of Ethan, and it freed him up to start praying and really listening to God.
Read MoreAlongside seven bright girls and two incredibly wise leaders, I learned (or at least took a stab at) what it takes to thrive in a family, and how to follow God’s commandments regarding honoring mine.
Read MoreThe Edge Retreat was all about identity and why it’s important to tell your story truthfully. So after the retreat, we asked the students how they would introduce themselves to the author of their biography and what it means to them to know that God is the author of their story.
And this is who they are.
Read MoreWhen people ask me about my trip to the Dominican Republic, it’s hard to come up with a response that best fits the description I’d like to give. Most of the time I end up answering with “it was cool” or “it was super fun,” but these statements hardly cover all that I want to say.
Read MoreI find green beans to be gross. You know—those mushy, over-salted blobs of green floating in some sort of mystery juice. Growing up the only way I would eat them was in green bean casserole, and even that was really only for the gravy and the fun little make-believe onions.
Read MoreThe Vault. January 20th, 2017. A night where around 150 middle schoolers invited their friends to climb onto buses and go around Orlando for a night of shenanigans and craziness.
Read MoreAdults of Summit, lend me your ears. Something pretty wild is happening, and, if we’re not careful, there’s a group of teenagers that may just take the reins from us when we’re not looking and start running our church.
Read More“Sometimes God asks us to break things, to put things down…in order to create space for him to create something new, something more beautiful…” As I sat and listened to my husband and Herndon Campus Pastor Garry Abbott speak these words to the students during the first large group session of Edge Goes to the Beach this weekend, I couldn’t help but smile.
Read MoreWhen Kathryn and her husband decided to make Summit their church home, they knew it would be all or nothing. This was going to be their community, their family, or they weren’t going to be here at all. The path to finding that was clear to Kathryn from the beginning; she wanted to serve, and she wanted to serve with students.
Read MoreWaiting on the bus for my first trip to Surge at Southwind, I had no idea what to expect. My excitement and anticipation for the weekend was shared by many of the 6th grade students I lead, some who had never spent more than one night away from home. One of those first-timers took a seat next to me, neither of us knowing how great of an impact the weekend would have on each of our lives.
Read MoreIt’s not at all a secret that growing up is rough. If you’ve already managed to survive your teenage years, you know that it’s a chunk of your life that was challenging, awkward, and at times just flat out brutal. And unfortunately you probably have the pictures of you and your frosted tips to prove it.
Read MoreBEING BAPTIZED FELT SO FREEING. It’s definitely not as intimidating or trapping as I once thought. I mean trapping as in having to be perfect and hold your Bible everywhere you go and wear a nightgown that covers your ankles to your chin. No. You are the same person you were two minutes earlier, but now you have this SUPER cool unfathomable sense of safety.
Read MoreIt’s 1 a.m. A mob of teenagers forms in front of a stage in a dimly lit room. The bass drum thumps as an electric guitar sings. Energy surrounds the crowd; it moves through the crowd. A scream begins with one and then another, then another. This is it. The song they have been waiting for.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, I walked into service at Summit Lake Mary, not quite sure what to expect. Bulletins were handed out at the door, the lights dimmed, and Worship Coordinator, Josh Pearson, began to play just like any other Sunday. Campus Minister, O.J. Aldrich, sat near the front, preparing to give the sermon, and the sound booth was staffed with the lighting and sound volunteers. However...
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