By Brian Koonce
Staff Writer
HANNIBAL – It doesn’t always take a computer or a smart phone to tweet what God is doing in your life. Outside the auditorium where students gathered each evening during Super Summer, there stood a “tweet board” where students could grab a marker and simply tweet what God was doing in their hearts and lives.
One scrawled message echoed the sometimes hard to believe “Good deeds cannot replace sins.” Another reveals awe and reverence: “God’s amazing power shocks me. He is our mighty and powerful God.” Others shouted out to the world “I rededicated my life on Wednesday!” or “I now know Jesus is in my heart and will never leave me or forsake me.”
Of course getting back on actual Twitter and sharing status on Facebook once the week was over is serving the same purpose, and to a much wider audience.
“I’m hearing and seeing some exciting feedback in e-mails and Facebook about what is continuing to happen now that they’re home,” said said Lyle Witcher, student ministry specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). “It’s not just ’Super Summer rocks!’”
One student from St. Louis wrote that God overcame her expectations: “This was my first year coming and I’m glad I did. I thought I was just going to come for the games and to hang with friends. But when I met my small group leader and my team leader, my week turned around and I learned so much. Wednesday night I recommitted myself to the Lord. Since Super Summer has ended, I have seen a change in my heart and I’m now on fire for the Lord and I’m going on my first mission trip tomorrow with my youth group.”
A young man from Arnold wrote: “God really showed me how big He is this year, and how small I am. He’s still showing me, every day.”
A young woman from Queen City wrote that “What God did in my life that week was awesome. I realized that I was not giving God my all. I was not living like a Christian outside of the church! Since Super Summer I have been spending more time with God daily and talking to my friends about Christ! It has been amazing!”
This was the third year for a freshman from Houston. She wrote, “Super Summer really helped opened my eyes and ears to Him. And by having my eyes and ears opened, He helped me forget about some things that happened before Super Summer that really hurt me and gave me more courage and His joy.”