Advanced Bootcamp Highlights Summer 2018

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Boy were we on a masculine journey last Carolina boys Academy. We had no idea what a journey that would be ushered in. I I have to say that if I never would've expected what happened and how God showed up in such miraculous ways in the way that that I think you're gonna be so glad you turned into data here. Some of what our favorite moments were some of the favorite clips we used in, and those kind of thing Sam it was it was an experience I don't think any of us will ever forget about the right location was in a great beautiful plate really got work.

What we are trying to do you think we learn by now not to try to second-guess God, you have exactly where we need to be when we need to be there listening time, turned out to be really the key of the whole camp can see he had certain things going on and tonight was to delete we got. I should say today with my same 12, and can and Andy Thomas and Sam is at the beach. Somebody has to do it. Sam and I make changes name the same somebody has to do it. Main started off the camp is often we we if you bend one of our camps and we hope you have. If not in a winning start start off November 1 through the fourth right in Marksville at Carolyn about camp. That's when they're going to start rubbing out good they can go register now@mastenjourney.org since Revit shameless plug yeah we love to start off with the passenger in a radio.org sorry messenger and a radio.org anyway. We like to start off the camps with a series of movie clips as Jesus used parables to come engage the hard and these movie clips. We feel like you to reach in the man's heart sing and get them set in sort of a sanctuary of God can show up. And so Sam, we kinda picked the butterfly circus as is one of those clips that we feel like really speaks to and what what happens in the boot camp and so many different ways and it's fascinating because John Eldridge doesn't use that clip it came from Mark Farner that it was a master and original. It was Mark brought that to set a big camp about four or five years ago, maybe even six years ago now and that being said, the clip was about this guy that just has a volunteer circus in essence and goes around to communities and just gives away tickets to the circus in order to bless people he's not trying to make it rich, but he finds broken people who have not yet figured out what their particular glory in life is in the circus. In essence, is is the circus conductor helping people discover their real glory in your higher common identity after identity in order to set the clip up well there's a character by the name a will in the butterfly circus. His name is actually Nick, I can't say is lasting for adventure relationship anywhere he doesn't have any arms and legs.

He was actually born that way, and he had been real life as well as in the circus right and in the movie he was in a freak show where the guy stood over at the freak show and said here's a man cursed by birth a man that God turned his back on it, birth and this guy had kinda picked up this label and so they're standing there in this particular clip and there will looking at the other performers and what I need to share with you because you can't see it is that when you hear the sort of fight scene, here's the strong man in the circus actually in a bar Barbara out, but now he's in his glory is the strong man in the circus and then there's a young lady who is in a gymnast and she's dancing in is just absolutely beautiful.

But what you can't see is you know she's a prostitute and she's gotten pregnant and she's being kicked out of the brothel. So when you hear that in the clip, you'll know kinda what's going on as the ringmaster is trying to make a point to Nick, who is got a problem with the late what he's curse from man, you can call him that God himself talk is backup.

It why would you say that you only see beauty that can come from Greenville from me, you do have an greatest will try so we had seen this clip the very beginning of the boot camp and so if I was to describe my favorite moment of this advanced boot camp as Sam had described. We want to do a listing prayer exercise that we really were, struggling with with this be too far advanced for the all these boys that were at the North Carolina boys Academy and explain what that is in Auvergne, Hickory is is sort of a it's part of teen challenge and they have a place where boys whose parents, lost hope they put them into this program for 18 months and we may start off with an ankle bracelet on so that they can't run and that's almost like you're incarcerated in and they're wearing jumpsuits in different colors as they come through different parts of the program and most of them unfortunately were involved in addiction and those kind of things. But many of them were tricked.

Quite frankly into going into the program right. They were mostly kidnapped dry rot in and against their will, and I say and that's a horrible thing. It's it's it's just that their reality right and so they been the sum of our boot camps before and many of them have been to two boot camps are qualified for the advancement camp, but why would they be able to you know here in a listing prayer exercise was definitely a challenge but the reason why that clip touched my heart was that the more glorious as I as we touch these guys hearts. I was personally overwhelmed by the struggle I was so overwhelmed of the struggle that I found myself asking God why why why why could this possibly you know, how could you if there's so many stories out like this, it just wanted to make me cry will going to those in a minute but his answer to me was Robby remember the clip right now the bigger the struggle for more glorious the triumph and I started to see what that was but the set that up.

Sam and Dan, I'd love to hear you know you guys were tasked with the earth. Sam you know when you guys start off on that challenge of doing that. Can you share the one on what we need to do something that they do it. Part band camp and thinking that we were going to have a turnout of mainly adult that it been there and that it would not that we had about an even number of adult and of you and one other question that Darren and I start talking about the this may be a little bit over their head will too risky and should we really doing that started to the pros and cons. Just a little bit.

Then we both sat there now because you know that a great risk. There's no great reward. And so we did trust in God. When I attended the session. It came out amazing. Yeah, it was truly amazing in and we did put a lot of thought into it and and even prayer into it as to whether or not you know do we do this week. We obviously felt like God wanted us to do it. To start out with, but then we were we were beginning to question ourselves and then you know Sam at one point looked at me and said I know you're not used to hear this Darren, but I think we need to take this risk.

So you and it was cool of the set that up to give our listeners that maybe what is this feel like what is it look like well essentially they broke us into groups of maybe about 8 to 10 and Sam and Darren instructed us that we are not supposed to be talking to Mr. obviously listening in. The first thing you want to listen for his does God want to speak of and and so the group would begin to listen for who do speak over and then after that, the idea was and what does God want to speak to that particular person and so in one of the keys was we didn't know each other right and we didn't know these boys. We didn't know their stories. They didn't know us, they didn't know our stories, even the adults that were in the groups didn't know each other well enough so it wasn't like you know I could say well you know I'm hearing Robby that God wants to talk to you about your old age enough I could not pose my way through it like that and so that being said, it did create a step of faith in our own hearts.

Yes, and I have to tell you when my particular group. We had a lot of young men and they were, you know, in the orange color which meant that they may know, kinda been set back in and immediately when they sat down. You can imagine. 1415 16-year-old boys that were supposed to hear from God. They start giggling and they start giggling out of control life and when one would stop the other one would start and this laughing was going on in all the time. I'm sick nasty Jesus, what, what's going on here and you want me to do anything he would say no were laughing and so we are laughing and when we come back here yet don't doubt you don't miss come back on the other side because the story is Rich will be back payment of a November 4 first through the fourth same mask my son Eli.

We talked about ways you can help support is clearly a smile that he was on his informational website there that Facebook.com where you can click the donate button waking into masculine once again working the mouse and mail it to PO Box 550 927285 I will. God has set within each of us a masculine life give you that part and the Christian life have to do any of conjuring masculine journey radio based on John Eldridge's book is a great question. First, masculine journey radio back to the mast and journey radio show today were doing highlights from our advanced camp and was it like history of the North Carolina boys Academy treetop adventures on like history here last weekend and so when we left her here are Robby and actually I was in a group with Julie and we change the names of the other participants in order to protect protect protect the innocent. I have so there was a staff member that working to call Leo. It was quite a colorful character is kind of an old hippie guys only best is very laid back always got a smile on his face very engaged with everybody. And of course he sit there and he's chilling out in his listen to the boys laugh so if you just tuning in, as we sat down to hear from God.

Like any 1415-year-old boy might think that you want me to hear from God, now and they began to giggle yet but what caused the giggles to really come and go out of control was that our friend Leo says I'm hearing you know at what point I'm going like that were supposed to be listening for a boy's name and the man's name man's name. We also know who God's will is very hot on the prayer over and all of a sudden Leo is saying. I hear her and so I was likable because well it did know this. You gotta take these other boys names that were in the group which work in a call Connor Tucker and Parker and so he's like we know Connor talk Parker. They're all errors and so now the boys are really, I mean they are. If I would've been in that group. I would write so you know, we begin to try to listen in between the laughs and whatever's going on in the next thing you know you know I think I said you know I'm I'm even here I'm either here in Parker. I'm here in Connor.

I think I'm I'm filling in somebody else's know I hear Connor and and so we begin to think that were on the Connor trail and you know we begin the listen but people are still laughing and and you know all the sudden Leo decides to start singing not part of the exercise that I remembered that we did not prohibit singing, but partly I was not the greatest singer in the zone are any employee yet he was all open years of my heart and so now if you were laughing before laughter is now breaking out and so one of the other boys.

Parker says I'm hearing Lee and would like there's nobody in the group.

Mainly you know it is that we've heard of her now around Lee and so my cold is anybody's middle name Lee and sure enough, Connor's middle name was Lee and set our really feeling like man like this is something that might be going on. Laughing does not stop at an inner one of the other adults was sort of a Marine little intense like a Marine might be and he decides that you know the laughter. Maybe it will and and so he wants to determine whether or not the boys or even believe in Christ.

And so, yes, a very penetrating question in a very intense way like in the boys are very honest, likable.

We came to camp.

We never heard or got, you know this is somewhat more like I'm not sure this is real you know like what okay now here we are, so let's listen and see if we can hear anything so I start here and honor.

I hear pretty clearly a similar honor does honor mean anything you Connor and converses well you don't know I'm a bad kid and know you don't know me you know may look like a good kid like in alignment done on it for anything I sublime feel like it's got some kind honor you know and about that time some of the other boy start saying why I'm hearing brave I'm hearing noble and and and things. Also that would edify, and so but the laughter's continuing and were trying to hear the joy of the Lord write the joy, the Lord's hearing and out all this and you know after we've been at this. Maybe an hour and I'm thinking okay this is been an interesting exercise. It must've been over you when you walked back in the room and Sam and I were sitting there and you walked up and sat down at the table next to us. You look like you know the cat that just ate the canary you that that the the weird look on your face. I didn't know where there was terror pride and joy. The last I didn't know what it was but man I could tell there was something spinning inside your head so is arm walking to think Morgan watched gladiator as a group and all the sudden Connor says Robby, can I speak to you and I'm like sure, but all I've heard out of Connor pretty much as laughing and and then he comes back and he shares actually Robby, do you think I really heard from God. As I was hearing light and it you know what I said what would light mean to you Connor and he said well you might have some to do with my depression. What a silly struggle with depression. He said what my mom killed herself two years and a civil light has a lot to do with depression infect people that are depressed.

Sometimes I have them sit under a tanning light and know that may be hidden know we had a seriously meaningful conversation where I said, you need to get back to that place and asked Jesus to let me know. I once you get that sense while while I'm talking to Connor and this is going on for some period of time up walks Tucker who it called him Lee and he's got the same question in a while.

Connor Stilson. Mary says Robby do you think I really heard from God, assembled in know what you say and I was in. It is middle name. I may not. You know this stuff I don't know why you not in and had the same conversation with him about this goes on for like 15 to 20 minutes and you know where Don and I started to walk back to see the movie and one of the guys who is part either of the one of the lead counselor scans over to me and says no. I got one more wants to talk to you Parker so that I remember Leo. It said that there were, there is right.

So now here comes the affect Connor and Tucker now is Parker and Parker story literally broke my heart. He had been a football player being recruited to be the one player and he described he got involved with marijuana's family got mad at him friction. He runs away in entries been gone about two weeks to get a text from his dad and the dad says you know Parker.

We can't enjoy not having you around. So just don't come back really better off without.

And it was like an arrow through his heart.

In the end. Shortly thereafter, they tricked him into coming home is a city was to get his car back as soon as he got there Christine was like arrested him and took him off and he felt totally betrayed and he said the first two nights I described. I couldn't sleep and pastor there at the camp. It said you need to write this stuff out. You want to read it and and he's he's handed me this intimate letter that he's written about his pain and you know again Robby, do you think I really heard from God because I was hearing those things about Connor that I said yeah why can I hear about me and so you know it was it was more than amazing, but the thing that was just unbelievable was we got these reviews back at the end of the and when you read Connor's review said I've never heard anything before, except that I was a failure and in that group. I heard from all those men that God didn't necessarily feel that way about me and one just mend some of the other boys and I want it says on the earth spoke Indian same. You had an experience a lot like that as well. Then you shared the story will in our group laid the groundwork started to pray work Kyle and I think in all. I'm kind of leader group at the moment I don't throw that out there so I waited and waited and waited forever and finally I said I'm I'm hearing Kyle and one of the other campers. That's all my all my and then we had a few other names, but there were a lot of things that over Kyle that came from God until we went out to meet with the rails. After the session came walking up to me and that I want to thank you for you know that that listening prayer. You're welcome. The lies that he said well before we started when he said we were going to do it. I don't believe in God. Not sure it's really there. I'm not certain how I feel my name called on Israel years and after that right.

I was was incredible warming because he was a means this wasn't a guy question whether you hear from God.

He question whether God existed right and that's how beautiful this wasn't just Howie in and spoke directly to him and he got many words and I think the.

The accumulation of is worth heat. He probably got to the one anybody else's names were called out.

So God really had his hand you know on that individual and their new had a group to yeah and in our group meeting went very much like that as well and and kind of the same experience. You know almost immediately I was hearing a particular name and and I didn't want to jump out and say that name and there was a couple reasons why because I know a couple boys very very intimately by the names of a couple of these boys that were in my group, and so I was, I just kept saying God. Are you giving me this name or my just infatuated with this name because of this relationship I have with this other young man and, sure enough, one of the other campers popped up and said well I'm here and I'm hearing, Jake and I was like yes and and that was God's answer to not just you know me but but also to him and and this was a young man same kind of scenario that good young man had made mistakes.

We all made mistakes in but by the grace of God. Anyone of us could be one of those guys at the North Carolina boys Academy and so here's the thing I want to leave that I could to it. We could tell you hundred more stories just like we told you but here's the one story we we need you to know, and if your listener today.

Please, please just ask God how can I pray for the boys at North Carolina boys Academy asked God that wait for his answer and then begin to pray that prayer as regularly as you can see, and you know that was just a phenomenal honor to see what God did and we saw the reviews it was God.

I heard from God. For the first time I you know and people their faith became real and was something that they'd actually heard an experience.

And so we that's what happens in boot camp Sandy write a covenant assignment is clear from God. And that's coming up November 1 through the fourth master train radio.org register what you think