Faith trip like no other!!

Faith trip like no other!!

Monday, July 2, 2018

Everything’s bigger in Texas

As the senior’s on bus one gathered around a single phone to write this blog post, none of us knew just exactly what to even write about. How has FLY impacted us? How Tonya has become a huge mentor both faith wise and life wise to each and every single one of us? Where to go from here? There was so much to say and not enough sleep to come up with the words on how to express our gratitude for this group to the complete extent. We decided to just shortly explain some of our favorite parts about this amazing family because to fully express how meaningful this trip has been would just be too much. There was so much that happened on this trip starting from our long bus ride to the amazing gathering then again on our final bus ride as a part of the FLY family. The gathering still feels like a dream, we couldn’t fathom what 30,000 people in one space, all there to worship, could be like until we walked into the nrg stadium. All 62 of us charging through crowds and crowds of people was something we will never forget. At the Gathering, they had so many impactful speakers. The messages were so powerful they even brought some of us to tears. Hearing their stories and times that they questioned God was so impactful and even relatable for a lot of us. When you’re singing and swaying to the music with that many people, you can’t help but feel God in the room. The energy of it all was so overwhelming with the feeling of love. Many times the speakers would say that you are in a room with 30,000 of your closest friends and that’s truly how it feels. The people around you will talk to you like they’ve known you for years. It’s amazing to be apart of that, and to know that you’re there for a reason. Reasons we may not know now but later on shall be revealed. All in all, although this trip was just a small part of our journey with FLY, it was such an amazing feeling to be part of something bigger, and to know that we’re paving the pathway for an amazing future. Being part of the FLY family has been such a blessing in all of our lives, and we can’t wait to see how this amazing faith foundation will continue as we move forward in our lives. We can’t thank Tonya enough for absolutely everything she has done for us, and we feel so incredibly blessed to have had all these years with the FLY family participating in so many various activities throughout the church. No matter where we go or what we do, we’ll carry with us the amazing things we have learned from being a part of this inspiring group of people, and hope to one day come back and be a part of this group in a whole new way. Our love for this group and our faith may have inflated to fit the size of Texas- but we know that it will come back just as big and we will continue to pray for FLY.

-the best group FLYing out with a BIG bang. :)

2021! SKOL! Let’s Go Crazy!

We’re the host state in 2021!

July 1: Closing Worship “Jesus Changes Everything”

I can’t believe it was the last day of the gathering. Yes, we are tired both physically and emotionally.... but we are filled. We are filled with love and learning; new friendships both out of and in FLY. We will walk away knowing that “This Changed Everything”. Bishop Eaton preached on the stories of Jairus’ daughter and the hemorraging woman. They are people desperately in need of the healing that Jesus can bring. Bishop Eaton talked of the times back then and when people could be in the temple or reasons why they couldn’t. So people were clean or unclean. Even today, we spend so much time separating our world into clean and unclean. But we all have things in our life that we probably don’t want to share with others... We are all unclean. And we try to get healed on our own but it’s not possible to be completely made whole without Jesus Christ. And no one is beyond hope. Jesus does more than heal... he changes everything. When Jesus told the woman that her faith had made her well, actually Jesus meant your TRUST has made you well. Faith is not that you won’t stumble and fall, it’s that with all of that you still trust. What Jesus is trying to convey is that your trust in Him is enough. So.... then we were asked by our other speaker “What is giving you joy and life this week?” What gives you joy in your life in general? Listen to the calling and bring it home. If our joy is only for this place this week than it’s not God’s Joy. God’s joy is for everyone. Bring it home because it changed you. Seeking joy, seeking life, can be hard in a world that is so messed up. Seeking joy does not mean we ignore the world’s deepest pain. There is hard work to do.... so ask the hard questions. And with it, trust that the God that changed everything through love, grace, hope, and Jesus CHANGED YOU and is with you. Are you ready!? Closing worship with over 30,000...how do you even begin to wrap your head around it? ...awesome, moving, grace filled, humbling....using our last bit of energy we have in us. And then to share communion with that many people?! You feel that in the deepest part of your heart, trust me! They said, “It is ready. Come to the table where Jesus Changes Everything.” 9 days together. It changed everything! As always, love ya FLY! Tonya