It didn't take us too long to find seats. And still, amazingly enough, we had quite a bit of time to hang out and goof around together until it started.
Josh S (He has an eye patch. Can you see it?), Abby, Mollye, and Josh V.
Zach, Emerson, Katie, Sarah, Elizabeth, Sam-WOW, Zane, Bunker, Brittnea, Travis, Shy, Justin 
Pastor TimThen the lights lowered and the screens came alive showing clips from all sorts of movies that you would see in most "Top 10 Movies of Awesomeness" list. Things from Iron Man, Hulk (the new one), Transformers, Cars (Lightening McQueen), Back to the Future, and quite a few more that I can't remember. What I do remember, was sitting there with this huge child-like grin trying not to forget to breathe. It was impressive. The theme for this D2S was "Invincible" and in looking through the pamphlet/booklet that was handed out, we were going to be discussing the "Armor of God".
We started off the night with a great time of singing with a band called "Fee". The last song we sang before we dove into the material was "Here I Am To Worship", and it really set the mood and remind us why we were all there."Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God"
Shortly after this set, Zach Thatcher had some issues with a common exclamation heard all the time. The expression was "H, E, double hockey sticks Yeah!!" He didn't like that. So he has changed it to "Heaven Yeah!!" When you think about it, its much more exciting. I mean, it's heaven after all. What about that isn't exciting? So from now on, the proper expression is "Heaven Yeah!!"
The majority of the evening was designed to get everyone pumped up and excited about sharing Jesus. There were lots of different speakers, little mini skits, and short movie clips.
We had a short intermission and then came back to see the stage set up for some type of drama. It is a bedroom with a bed, mirror, and a huge white door in the back. I took notes during the drama and I'm going to copy them down as I did in my journal. Hopefully it flows the same as if you were experiencing this first hand.
- Parents are talking to daughter about being grounded for something
- They give her medicine for something
- They leave and she starts hearing scary voices
- She gets a call
- Its a friend of hers trying to convince her to come out
- Dad comes in and looks creepy and just says that he's listening
- She continues on the phone, this time shes talking to a boy
- He asks her to come out anyways and experience life
- Boy is calling her Lauren but parents call her Lauroo-Kama
- Shes getting mad at the boy for calling her Lauren
- Boy is actually at youth group
- She hears voices and knocking on the door
- She does NOT like that door
- She freaks out and starts seeing seeing a video that is replaying the boy sharing with her about Jesus
- He shares the whole gospel
- She watches herself walk away
- She begs herself to stay and hear more about Jesus
- More voices and knocking on the door
- She starts screaming
- Parents come in to calm her
- They give her a pill
- Mom pulls out a razor blade
- They know she's a cutter
- Parents say there's nothing wrong with that and that it's common for someone to cut with her "problems"
- Parents tell her that she should just finish the job and kill herself
- She jumps up, "WHO ARE YOU!?"
- Parent's voices change, sound demon-like
- Demon parents start attacking her and yelling lies to her, "You're not loved! You're not loved!!"
- She realizes who they really are
- They tell her she can either live with the demons forever making her life hell, or she can kill herself
- They're yelling in more demonized voices "You're worthless!!"
- Now there's knocking on the door again
- She almost goes through with the suicide
- She yells, "JESUS SAVE ME!!!"
- Door in the back bust wide open
- Jesus runs to her and just holds her
- Demons are gone
- She sees that her scars are gone and Jesus has them
- They walk away together
- Her eyes are completely fixed on Him
It became apparent that everything that was happening in this drama, was taking place in her head and that she was trapped in this room. She was believing that the demons we voices that actually cared about her and wanted the best for her. She was led to believe that the door and voices were evil. She was being led to believe that she was trapped and the only way out was to kill herself. But there is a way out.
Romans 10:13
This led into discussing how some of our friends could be trapped in this room. If our friends die without knowing Jesus, by "opening the door", they will spend eternity without Him.
I think this rang true for a lot of our high schoolers. That their friends need to have the opportunity to respond. They deserve to, at least, know that Jesus is knocking on their door. Of course, it's their choice to answer or not, but we need to at least point them towards the door and let them know it's there. Even for some of our kids who thought they could just keep going, "faking the funk" came to realize that simply saying a prayer and lifting your hand during an alter call doesn't make you right with God. Trust and faith in Jesus does.
The kids were then asked to think of one friend who they should share Jesus with.
At the end of the evening, I had the pleasure of assuming the role of youth leader for our youth group. All youth leaders were asked to stand and pray over our group. It was and honor and privilege to pray over our kids. They are an amazing group of kids and I am proud to be in service with them.
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns in heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God
Both Zachs are standing in the grass...a little hard to see though.
Elaine and Sami (later to be re-named Zane and Sam-WOW)
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