The Honor Academy has a Fasting Weekend every spring where the Interns and Graduate Interns seek God for three days.  The theme for this one was “The Outpouring.”  We created a new element in this Fasting LTE that we called the Narrow Road.  Here is a video that captures a little of the weekend:

Question:  Have you ever fasted for three days?  What was your experience like?

This summer we are having two Extreme Camps on the campus of Teen Mania.  Last year we had around 1500 campers attend and this year we are planning for hundreds of more teens and Youth Pastors to attend.  Click on the link below to get a glimpse of what will happen:

Question:  Have you ever attended Extreme Camps?  What was your favorite part of it?

As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I would write out some of the things I am thankful for working at Teen Mania Ministries:

1.  I am thankful for the mission that Jesus Christ has put into this ministry.  Teen Mania’s mission is to provoke a young generation to passionately pursue Jesus Christ and to take His life-giving message to the ends of the earth.  I see this same mission stated in Matthew 22:37-40.

2.  I am thankful for the Honor Academy Alumni.  I am thankful for everyone that worked so hard when they were here and invested in reaching their generation.  The ministry of Teen Mania has been built by the love those interns have poured out during their years here.

3.  I am thankful for the Teen Mania staff that has worked here over the year.  People like Mercer Cauley, Rod Arnold, Jim Jones, Scott Boss, Alex Anaya, Marina Walker, David Hasz, Kim Dunn, Kevin Benson, Matt Whetzel, Randy Collins, Vance Rogers, Jon Hasz, Brenda Bertrand,Wes Wiley, Randy Olsson, Mindi Collins, Kevin Cool, Mike Guzzardo, Chris Abeyta, Kelly Hasz, Rich Franzen, Michelle Franzen, Alisa Stoner, Sam Kimmell, Scott Barnes, Russ Lugo, Trisha Lugo, Nate Clingman, Chris Bradshaw, Renee Scobel, Beth Powell, Judy Olin, and many others.

4.  I am thankful for all of the Youth Pastors that has partnered with Teen Mania over the year.  As a Youth Pastor of ten years, I know the love you have in your hearts for teenagers and want t say thank you for reaching out to teenagers one at a time.

5.  I am thankful to all of the parents that sent their children to the Honor Academy or on a mission trip with Global Expeditions and share their stories with us.  Thank you for contacting us and helping us improve the experience on the mission field and in the Honor Academy.  The feedback you provided to us as helped up look at our processes and implement change.

6.  I am thankful for Ron and Katie Luce starting this ministry out of obedience.  They heard God speak to them to build an army of goers and continue to do that with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

7.  I am thankful to the work of God in Teen Mania.  Jesus is the author of Teen Mania.  He is the one that started the work here and He is the one that we give praise to what has happened in the different ministries.  I am thankful that He has been patient with so many of us staff here at Teen Mania and we want to embody that same spirit in the people we encounter.  Jesus is who we worship at the ministry and continually ask Him to lead us.

8.  I am thankful for everyone that prays for us at Teen Mania.  It is powerful to know and hear about people that are lifting us up in prayer.  We need it here.  It is our life blood as we need the power of God actively working in our lives.

9.  I am thankful for the the various outlets of ministry at Teen Mania.  I am thankful for ATF-TV, Global Expeditions, Acquire the Fire, Honor Academy, Extreme Camps, Center for Creative Media, The School of Worship, and others.

10.  I am thankful for you.  If you are reading this, we are so thankful for you and I pray that you would have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Question:  What are you thankful for at Teen Mania?

Teen Mania started 26 years ago and there are currently 26 million teenagers.  Ron is running this marathon on behalf of teenagers across the country.  Please go to this link Run for 26 to find out more information.

Question: Will you pray that God would use this event to help people focus more of their attention on the lives of teenagers?

Teen Mania started 26 years ago and there are currently 26 million teenagers.  Ron is running this marathon on behalf of teenagers across the country.  Please go to this link Run for 26 to find out more information.

Question: Will you pray that God would use this event to help people focus more of their attention on the lives of teenagers?

Each night before one of our nightly sessions, we have one of the Januaries or Graduate Interns give a testimony of their year.  The testimony you can read was spoken on Monday night to the Honor Academy Interns:

For those who don’t know me, my name is Jamie Rose Salvador, and I am here to share a little something about myself. See I don’t know if this has ever happen to you, but have you ever felt a tugging on your heart? A stirring of your spirit? A sense of their being more? Before coming to the Honor Academy, I can look back and honestly say I hit rock bottom. I was lost, hurting, I was broken. Not only did I lose sight of myself, but I also neglected my relationship with God. I felt this emptiness, this void inside me that I tried so desperately to fill. I’d look here and there, at these earthly means all in attempt to satisfy this longing. However, everything I had mentioned earlier, I also experienced. The tugging on my heart, the stirring of my spirit, and just this internal sense of there being more to the life I was living.

It was at an Acquire the Fire event that I first heard about the Honor Academy. As the HA promo video was playing, it was the first time I heard that small still voice. It spoke to me and said “This is for you.” In an instance, I felt this hope. Every time I think back to that moment I am reminded of one thing, FAITH. The bible states that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen” (Hebrews 11:1). You know the saying, it takes faith the size of a mustard seed, well it’s true. I could attest to that. Despite my current condition, there was something stronger than compelled me and that was my faith. I applied and got accepted with about a month to prepare. I did not fund raise in fact, I did not even tell my family. Knowing them, I knew they would not approve but I was not about to let any objection get in the way.

So on January 6^th, 2012 I left my beautiful home in Canada. I left my family, friends, job, education, healthcare, car, and even my dog. I left behind everything I knew, to seek the one who makes everything known. In my brokenness I wanted to be made whole. And so I look a leap of faith. Now I really did not know what I was getting myself into. The HA was not what I expected, but it was more than I imagined. That little mustard seed grew. Being here, being a January, it was not easy. On several occasions I was so tempted, so close to leaving. But with time, I grew to love this place… a place in the middle of nowhere. But my year did not get easier.

In fact, in June of this past summer I had an accident. I was rushed to a hospital in Tyler unconscious. When I regained my consciousness, the doctors informed me that I had experienced a concussion. My family was informed and was already on their way to see me. I knew what this meant. They were taking me home. I left the hospital, got back to campus, had my belongings packed and headed towards the airport. It was during my time at home that I got to see the Honor Academy for what it really is. I saw it in a different light. While I was home, I had to get checked up and my doctors explained that my brain was shook and that I had bruising along the back of my head. This was enough; my family was convinced that I was staying home. I was convinced otherwise. See what I knew and believed to be true is that God did not take me so far from home to not finish what I had started. God is faithful to bring to completion the good work he began in me. My concussion served as a minor setback for a major comeback. After a month of being home, I returned to the Honor Academy. I had a complete heart transformation. I realized you only get out of this year as much as you put in. The girl standing before you now is not the same girl that entered through those gates 10 months ago. And all it took was for me to jump, to take a leap of faith.

Question:  What part of this story resonated with you as you read it?

We received the following email from an Honor Academy alumnus this past week about prayer she needs as she is over in Russia.  God gave her a vision during her fasting weekend as an intern to be a witness in Russia and she is following that call.  Let’s pray for her!

I’m a 1993 January intern. As I was reading the latest e-mail, it occurred to me that you would stand in prayer with me for the challenge I face next week, October 2-5. I have been invited to attend and participate in some important meetings between the heads of Assemblies of God World Missions and the heads of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith. It will include the national office heads, as well as all the head bishops across Russia. The topic is the formation of a national global sending missions department. Since participation in such an awesome task was the vision that God gave me at an Intern fasting retreat back in Fall 1993, it is exciting and awe inspiring to find myself on the cusp of what God is doing here through this denomination. But it is also extremely challenging and more than a little intimidating as I realize that I will be the only woman among men in positions of authority, in a national church that strongly emphasizes women being submissive to men. (Not all of them feel that way, but there are areas where it is strong. I happen to live in one of them.) I’ve been asked by my area director to be the person who helps steer the conversation when needed, and address the cultural differences between our countries so that the right questions are asked and answered. Basically, the cultural moderator. I need God’s wisdom, His words, His courage, anointing and strength to truly effectively play this role. I need God to help open their ears to hear what they need to hear, and make the decisions that He desires they make. And the anointing to ask the right questions and interject at the right times. Lastly courage, courage, courage. Thanks for your prayers.

Question:  Will you pray for her?

The Honor Academy was planning on taking the interns to northern Georgia to hike the Appalachian Trail in Mid-September for one of their fall Life Transforming Events.  After reviewing the logistical plan and coordinating with the forestry service, it was deemed that having such a large group on the Appalachian Trail would not be feasible for this fall.

We are proud to announce that we are returning to Estes Park to hike in the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.  The Honor Academy Interns will spend four days in Estes Park acclimating to the altitude, growing in their family core relationships, and then pushing themselves by hiking some of the great trails.  The Honor Academy has traveled to Estes Park for the last several years and is looking again to have an incredible adventure with all of the interns.

Question:  What is your favorite memory if you attended the Honor Academy and traveled to Estes Park in the past?