Everyone made it safely down to Project, and the first week was a whirlwind of transitioning into our new home for the next two months. We started working at Walmart, had the first Social of the summer, and were able to see what our schedule each week in this crazy place is like. And, after months of planning and keeping it a secret, the theme of the summer was finally revealed! STP 2019’s theme is…
Imperishable
This theme word was chosen out of the book of 1 Peter and comes from 1:3-5:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Staff and Team Leaders dedicated months of their time into brainstorming and preparing the theme, devotionals, and talk topics for the summer. So much prayer has gone into the process as well, and everyone is excited for what God is going to do in us and through us. One thing that I witnessed in others’ lives and can confidently say based on my own experience is that being down here in South Carolina and participating in this intensive two-month program changes people. God really is present here and is actively moving.
The night that all of the disciples arrived, Zach Simmons, who is on staff at the U of M and is one of the Project Directors this year, spoke at the first rally on this theme word of Imperishable. He brought up the point that all of us are fascinated with eternity, and this idea of something imperishable, but currently on this earth we don’t know of anything that actually is imperishable. An imperishable inheritance is, however, the climax of the Christian faith. The eternity that we will experience in heaven is when all of our God-given longings will be satisfied forever.
Zach set a great foundation for the rest of the summer, and I am confident that this one word will soon become something very real in our own lives and play a role in the story God is writing for each and every one of us. We can’t wait to see how this theme develops and progresses throughout our time here at Project!