Like the start of many high school commencement speeches I would like to start this post with a “well, we made it.” This statement feels like a long time coming, a lot longer than a 27 hour road trip or a week of packing or even a winter of looking forward to the beach can anticipate. The relief of finally being able to say “we made it” has been a joy a year in the making as we finally take STP back to Garden City South Carolina.
For a few staff and students the hotel that we call home for the next two months is familiar and full of memories of past summers filled with socials, early morning Bible studies, friends and spontaneous trips out to get ice cream. However, for a large portion of students and staff the hotel, STP, and South Carolina are completely new to them. With the COVID-19 pandemic canceling our plans for Project at thebeach the summer of 2020, there is a large majority of students who have not been able to experience STP in its fullest form. With many fresh faces and ideas for what this summer could look like this summer's Project with even more excitement than normal. As many Project-goers are exploring what a summer in South Carolina has to offer, students and staff both are also discovering new ways to “gain God” as we dig into the book of Phillipians. Our theme, “Gain” comes from Philippians 3: 7-8 which says:
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
As we welcome this summer and whatever new experiences it has in store, we look forward and pray that the idea of seeing our losses as gains in light of the gospel is an ever apparent theme in our day to day lives.
Below is a photo of our home away from home where we will be growing all summer long!
