On July 19th-23rd our youth group for the first time attended CIY MOVE TN 5 at Lee University. All that I have to say is that week was a big impact on my life.  The worship, lessons, fun, everything is there and it is still with me. Since then I have been focusing on the main scripture used there which was 1 Timothy 4: 11-16. On the 3rd night we watched "Zambia's Song". The video opened our eyes to the water crisis in the world. That had an impact on our youth group, we wanted to make a difference in someones life. Originally we were going to go do some type of service project on our free time. But we got to thinking and my youth leader had the idea to make witness bracelets and sell for $1 and give all the money to active:water. We really didn't know what to expect when we started selling them. We started going around and people came really attracted to them and we sold them RAPIDLY! All in all we made around $325. That money was able to build 4 bio-sand filters to help purify water for people in Zambia.

So the end of the week came along and I was just a new person, ready to work for God and his kingdom. I realized that this wasn't just a 5 day conference that would die that Saturday morning, it was a MOVEMENT that will carry us. We have organized a presentation to show to local churches telling them about the water crisis so they can get involved and help active:water.

So what can you do? What can you do to work for the kingdom? Romans 12 says to "offer you bodies as living sacrifices" So sacrifice something, weather it be money to help some homeless person get food, or time to help cut someones yard, or to give the empty seat at your lunch table that your bookbag is occupying so you can make a lonely kid feel welcome. Trust me, The smallest things make the BIGGEST differences

-Connor Ryan

I got the card H2Only. I'm only allowed to drink water (not bottled water) for the next 30 days. (: I already messed up and drank an icee. I forgot all about it. So, I have to start over! But, I'm working hard on this! I want to do this soooo bad!

Veronica, IL

In July of 2009 I attended CIY Move at Lee University in Tennessee and on the last night I received a card and my immediate reaction was that I wanted to open it; however, despite a lack of parental support I just put it in my Bible and tried to forget about it.  My youth pastor wasn't going to let me forget about it though.  After our youth group time, he came up to me and said that I could make my own decision, but if I did decide to open the card he and his wife would support me 100%.  I took this into consideration and once I returned my dorm my three closest friends were hanging out in there and told me that they too would be behind me in whatever I did.  So right then I decided to open it.  The card changed my life.  It challenged me to fast every Wednesday for an entire year.  I immediately thought it would be no biggie, but I was wrong.  In the last year I feel like I have grown closer to God in ways I could never have imagined and I am going to challenge myself again this year to continue this fasting even when it may seem impossible because I wouldn't trade anything in the world for the experience I have had with God in the last twelve months.   

Rebecca

Last summer I went to CIY as a newly-graduated senior fresh from some pretty awesome experiences with God working in my life. I knew where I was going to college, knew that I was on the right track, and knew that MOVE was exactly where I was supposed to be.  Yet I hadn't the slightest clue what God was about to do in my life.  All week I was questioning my committment to God, and whether I truly loved him as much as I wanted to.  That's something I am still struggling with, and probably will all of my life.  But I wanted him to use me, and so I kept asking him, throughout the week, to give me the strength to go where he wanted me to go, to do what he wanted me to do - to the ends of the earth, if he called.  Then, at the end of the week, I was given my challenge card. After praying for strength, I opened it  - and was completely shocked. The card said to learn a foreign language and spend two months of the following summer in a country that speaks that language. I was floored. This was bigger than anything I'd imagined...yet it seemed as if God was handing me the opportunity to keep my word.

I already had planned to spend a month in a foreign country the following summer, studying art in Italy through a program at my selected college - but I never would have thought to do a second. For me, even the first seemed a stretch - I was a commuter, had never been away from home for more than a week, am extremely shy and awkward in social situations, and have difficulty speaking. To top that, I have had an extreme fear of change since I was two. One month away had seemed frightening but doable - two months was double that time, two-thirds of my summer, a sixth of a year! I was terrified and excited all at once. And I had no idea if it would even work out...but God did, and I returned last Sunday from two of the most incredible months of my life. 

Because of that extra month, I was able to take a painting course in Italy along with my photography and art history - working with my professor for one month and on my own, as an independent study, for the second. I was the only student able to do this - and as an artist, one of my dreams had been to paint in Italy, a place so rich in the history of the arts. I I was also able to experience another culture and to get to know people from around the world. I heard God's praises sung in a different tongue, but with the same spirit.  I am humbled to think that this God, so powerful and holy that I cannot even begin to comprehend, cares about me enough to want me to have such an opportunity! He worked in ways I could not have imagined to fulfill this challenge. There is no way I could have even begun it without his hand at work in this situation. 

 I wondered where I would stay and how I would pay for the extra month - God provided an incredible family who gave me not only room and board, but care and friendship, and refused any sort of payment in return - they asked only that I help them with English. I wondered how I would ever cope with all of the changes I would face - God gave me strength I did not know I could have. I faced challenges I never would have dreamed of at home - and with God's love, I overcame. I had to deal with changing plans, changing schedules, and uncertain situations on a daily basis - and I found God's peace. I learned and grew and experienced incredible things each and every day. I learned to speak some Italian, but I also learned that God speaks in every language. I struggled with my faith and found that God's patience is bigger than my doubts. I could write a book, but I hope a few people will actually read this, so I'll spare you. :) Most of all, I learned that God is present no matter where we go or what we do.  The night before I left, I knelt by my bed to pray and read my Bible. Usually I have a section selected, but this particular night I opened the book at random.  Yet, just like that card, I find that what may be random to us is not random to God. I opened to Psalm 139, my eyes falling on verse 9, and read, "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."  And so he did. And because he did, a whole world of possibilities is open to me now. I have a family I love in Italy and new friends at my university. I have another language to communicate in. I have experienced things that have opened my eyes to see more clearly.  And God has shown me that his strength is sufficient to conquer even my greatest fears.  The world is open to me - I'm planning on spending spring break helping at an orphanage in Latin America.  Now, after this experience, I can truly say, "Lord, if you call me, I will go to the ends of the earth for you."  It still blows my mind that this all started with a little piece of paper passed out at random. Yet God knew exactly where it was going. When I think of that, I smile - because he knows where I'm going, too. Even when we doubt and question, he knows the plans he has for each and every one of his children. That is incredible.

The challenge card I got this year was that I had to stop drinking bottled water for a year. I think it's pretty cool! I'm also hoping to do a fundraiser for Active Water to help raise money. "Zambia's Song" and the story really touched my heart and, since I can't run to save my life, I want to help by raising money in any way that I can!

Last friday July 2, 2010 I recieved a card at CIY. I was scared to open my card for the fear of having something that i wouldn't be able to accomplish! When I opened my card the first thing i saw was 26.2 and that's when i knew that this challenge was going to be difficult:( My card says "Commit to being healthier. Train and run a marathon before next summer". I was so overwhelmed with the fact that i now am commited to training for and running a marathon! Earlier this summer our youth group walked/ran a marathon to raise money for Rapha House, and when i read my card all of the pain from walking the marathon came back! I kept thinking that if I was in so much pain just walking a marathon, then how much pain will i be in running one? But then i remebered that this wasn't about me, this is about God and how i can honor his kingdom:)!!! I know for a fact that when it comes time for my marathon i'll be ready, but it's the training leading up to my marathon that will be hard! I have a pretty amazing youth group that will keep me accountable but i need more than that, I need prayers and encouragement! So if you would keep me in your thoughts and prayers i would greatly appreciate it, and if you do pray for me and keep me in your thoughts you helped me in completeing my challenge!!!! I know for a fact that if God is with me then nothing can stop me!!! But once again i can't do this alone so keep me in your prayers, thanks:)

~Helen Leib~

I was really nervus about opening my card at first. After praying about it with my youth group, I finally opened it. I read the card a loud to my youth group and got pumped! It said: NO CATHEDRALS Study up on the persecuted church and share the information you have learned with others. Plan a way you help your brothers and sisters in Christ.

I already did a little research in my Bible in the book of Acts.

In Acts 5:17-42 was when the Apostles first got flogged, and was told not to preach the Word...but they still told the Word of God. The first person who was martyred was the Apostle Stephen (Acts 7:54-8:1), and that was the begining of the Persecuted Church.

I'm still doing research. I'll keep updating on how it's going. BTW, the duck tape i recived at CIY (MI1) is on my Bible, and I wrote "Tell till I DIE!" on it...and that's what I'm going to do.

Amanda

Hey guys! 

I've been a member of "WeAmplify" for two years now.  Last summer, you guys encouraged me through the death of my grandmother and my best friend leaving me.  Last fall, you also read my stories of new college life and were among the first to hear about the future missions trip to China.  Well, I'm ba-ack...

China was phenomenal.  We evaluated schools for admission into a program between the kindergartens in China and my university, Lincoln Christian University.  I spent most of my time having fun and teaching English, but our group also spent one weekend of our three-week long trip working with the underground church.  We toured and had fun times, but the work was well-worth the effort. 

I'm home and praying about and planning for next summer's trip, which may or may not happen.  But who really knows?

Last summer I attended MOVE at lee university. I got a kingdom worker card and i was so nervous to open it. I was literally shaking. Some people decided to wait to open thiers but i didnt. I knew that i was going to do whatever that card said, because God would never give me anything that he knew i couldnt do. I opened the envelope and i got the "52 lunches" card. It said to skip a school lunch once a week for the entire school year and use that time to pray for the students, teachers, and staff at your school. When I opened the card i was happy with what I got. It seemed easy enough. But boy was i wrong! Sitting in the cafeteria watching other people eat when you're hungry isn't easy! But I never gave up. I skipped a meal once a week for the entire school year. I would pick out 3 random people in the school and use that time to pray for them. It was so cool to see how people wouuld react. People would ask what I was doing and I got to tell them about it and how it was a commitment to God. It opened up a lot of opportunities for me to talk about Jesus and the things that he's doing in my life.  I'm actually thinking about doing it next year too! It was hard but it was so worth it!

Herani