Take some time to read about students' experiences at Big Stuf through these thank you notes.

On July 11th, a group of 35 students and adults returned home from Panama City Beach, FL after spending a week together having a great time and learning about the love of God. There is no doubt that students are drawn to the trip because it is an opportunity to spend a week at the beach, however many students are surprised to find that they are impacted more by closeness they feel to God than by the time spent having fun in the sun. It’s a beautiful thing to see students praising God through singing, wrestling with truths spoken to them in small groups, and spending time quietly before God on the beach. It’s also a beautiful thing to see adults and students enjoying shared inside jokes, laughing together, praying together, and playing in a pool together. We as a youth ministry team value Big Stuf for many reasons; for me the three most valuable are that its a great opportunity for students to spend an entire week focusing on God and drawing closer to his heart, it provides an extensive shared experience that allows our adult mentors and students to bond and form stronger relationships, and it allows our students to grow closer as a group. We are blessed by the opportunity to make this trip and are extremely grateful for the generosity of our church family that makes it possible. God used your giving to bless the hearts and lives of students and adults while we were at Big Stuf in significant ways. Please continue to keep our students and adults in your prayers as we pursue God through the rest of the year and seek to bring glory and honor to his name.
Josh Sabo

Thank you for all of your help and support for the Big Stuf ’08 trip. We had so much fun meeting new people and hanging out at the beach. However, the best part by far was how much I learned about my relationship with God. Big Stuf has amazing opportunities for youth to connect with our Lord. They also have an awesome band that led us in worship. Without you, none of this would have been possible. So thank you again for give me this amazing opportunity and a trip that made my summer!
Rikki Koebler

This year Big Stuf was amazing. I have been going on this trip for 6 years now and every year is a phenomenal experience. The theme was broadcast and Stuart Hall and Jared Herd were the speakers teaching us about how to make our lives broadcast for the Lord’s purposes. Thank you for all your support prayerfully and financially. We love you ad appreciate your prayers! God Bless!
Taylor Martin

Thank you for all the support with the trip to Big Stuf this year, we all had a blast. Learning more and more about God and that we can connect with him on a personal level is amazing. Big Stuf taught us how to Broadcast our lives everyday, going out of our way to teach other about God. Thank you for all the prayers.
Dallas Tankersley

This was my third year at Big Stuf and it was definitely amazing. The speakers and lessons challenged both my faith and the way that I am living it out. The theme was Broadcast and I feel well-prepared to broadcast the love of Christ to those around me. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers! We couldn’t have experienced this week without you! Thanks so much.
Autumn Cook

Thank you for supporting our trip to Panama City Beach! We had so much fun growing as a group and learning about God. We learned how to put our faith into action and that is a very powerful thing. Thanks again for all of your support.
Hillary Haaker

This was my third year on the Big Stuf trip and it was as fun and wonderful as ever. The sessions were outstanding this year and I think all of us have benefitted from them. This trip has definitely changed my life for the better and I will use the things I learned in my life. Thank you so much for all you have done for us!
Amy Thomas

Thank you so much for making this trip possible for us! This was my 6th year at Big Stuf and I had an awesome experience. The theme this year was Broadcast. It was all about what we are putting our there for everyone else to see. Stuart Hall and Jared Herd were amazing. The Big Stuf Band was really good too. Thanks again for such a cool trip.
Paige Martin

Thanks so much for inviting me to come on this trip with you. I really enjoyed it and hope I can attend next year. The theme was Broadcast this year and I really learned a lot about what to and not to Broadcast in my life. Thanks again.
Katie Cagle

Thank you so much for letting me do something so great. It really helped me realize so much about myself, my friends, and God. I had the best time of my life. I do plan on going again next year. Again thank you so much!
Jade Jennings

I have had a wonderful trip to Florida. I really love the beach and the pool and I really like the big room too. I wish we could stay longer.
Isaiah Hudson

I had lots of fun on the trip to Florida. I like the beach and I like the food and the pool. The thing I liked the most was swimming in the ocean.
Jesse Deutchman

Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity. Big Stuf has been truly eye opening. I will never forget the speakers or the worship. I’ve never felt God’s presence so strong before. I feel so blessed to have been a part of this trip.
Liz Baker

I would like to express my gratitude for helping me be able to attend Big Stuf. This was my first time going to this event and I enjoyed it very much. My knowledge of God’s amazing presence among us grew immensely. I’m so glad I had an opportunity to go because I grew as a person and I made new friends. Once again thank you so much for everything.
Paola Trujillo

Thank you for giving me the opportunity of being at Big Stuf. This was my first time going to Big Stuf and I enjoyed it a lot. I feel blessed that I had the chance to go to Panama City. It was hot and fun at the same time. I hope I get to go next year.
Osvaldo Rosas

Thank you for helping us go to Big Stuf. It was another amazing year! I am sponsoring another child, Kerani, along with Muhammed through Compassion International. Big Stuf changes the lives and hearts of many of the students who go and it is amazing. I wish everyone could experience this. Thank you so much.
Nikki Reynolds

Even though it is my first year here I think Big Stuf is the best camp in the universe. I made many friends and got to spend the week with people who love our Lord. The best week of my life is thanks to you.
Thereza Lituma

Thank you for helping me go to Florida! It was awesome!! My favorite part was probably the sessions and free time. I can’t wait to go next year. I got closer to God and made new friends. I also got out of my house for a whole week! Love you!
Chelsey Fisher

Thank you so much for making this trip possible. I am so glad that I was able to go to Big Stuf. This was my fourth year and every year has been tons of fun. I learned so much more and met lots of new people. The beach is always nice too! Thank you again.
Jenna Reynolds

I would like to thank you for letting me go on this trip. It has been fun meeting new people. The Big Stuf camp really opened my eyes to God and how I will broadcast myself.
Adrian Manriquez

Thank you for praying for us. The trip was amazing and a great experience. The best part of the trip was the sessions. The speakers were great and I learned a lot. This is my second year and I am still learning and experiencing new things. I appreciate everything you did for us and I am very grateful.
Alexus Berry

Thanks for being there for us. This was my first year here at Big Stuf and it was a great experience. I’m planning on coming next year. I learned more about God so thank you and I am praying for you.
Valerie Umar

Thank you so much for paying for part of our trip to Big Stuf. This was my third year going to Big Stuf. I had a lot of fun this year and I learned more about God. Thanks again.
Sami McElwee

Thank you so much for organizing this trip to Big Stuf. Without your support and help we wouldn’t have been able to go to such a great camp. The entire trip was a blast and right on the beach! I also was able to get closer to God after listening to great speakers. So thanks again!
Mandy Wappel

Thank you for letting me go on the trip to Panama City! It was beautiful! I also learned a lot about what my life should broadcast to the world and what it shouldn’t. I had a lot of fun. The sessions were like a concert, the beach was out of this world beautiful, and everyone was so nice! Thanks again!
Samantha Clenin

Big Stuf was so amazing and it would not have been possible without your prayer and support. The trip was life-changing and I plan on going back next year. Again, thank you for everything.
Matt Brewer

Thank you for your generous support for our youth, especially the Big Stuf trip. You have always been there for our group with love, financial support, and prayers. We had a great trip and learned about how to use our lives and actions to broadcast God’s love and truth. I saw many students worshipping in sessions and through small groups I saw growth in their knowledge and understanding. One of the main ideas was putting our faith and our lives in action as we go out and broadcast God. I heard many of the students getting excited and inquiring about how they could get involved and serve.
What better place to learn about God’s love for us and the sacrifice Jesus made for us than at the beach looking out over His beautiful creation of the ocean.
You would be proud of our students and how they represented Central in the name of the Lord. My heart swells as I watch our youth living out their faith. Blessings and many thanks to all of you!
Betsy Martin

I would like to thank you for all of your prayers and support during our Big Stuf trip this year. Once again you all should be very proud of our students who were able to attend this year. I believe all of them have been touched by the word of God this week through our sessions and looking at his beautiful creation on the beach. I had two students in my group that I didn’t know before the trip but through our small group times and just hanging out with them I have met two great new friends, Adrian and Oz. Again I would like to thank all of you for making this trip available to so many youth and for giving them a chance to experience God in an awesome way.
Craig Martin

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a mentor to our youth for the Big Stuf trip to Florida. Once again, the message they presented to our youth was uplifting, educating, and fun! The main theme “broadcasting” showed them that in every manner, how they present themselves and how they walk through their daily life, is showing the world who they are. The worshipping time, as before, was very uplifting and brought us close to our Lord. Our kids were great and a lot of fun to be with. I’m proud to be able to serve them.
Maria Wells

As you probably have read by now, the theme this year at Big Stuf was Broadcast. We talked at the beginning of the week about what our lives are currently broadcasting, and as the week progressed we talked about ways we can change our broadcast for the better. The messages were challenging for both students AND adults. My favorite part of the week was being able to talk to my group of girls about what they were learning and any struggles they are having. Thank you for allowing us this week that will forever impact those on the trip! God definitely used it to touch our lives, and the seeds that were planted will hopefully grow into things even more beautiful.
Erin Wade

How awesome it would have been if the entire church could have joined the youth at Bigstuf in Panama City Beach, Florida! I am sure you all would have had a blast, but since you all couldn't go, I just have to say that it was an awesome trip. I was blessed to be able to mentor two guys and hang out with them during the week. I really think they learned a lot during their week in Florida, but I would almost bet that I learned more from them than anything. It really is a blessing that the youth are able to go to Bigstuf. It's an experience that isn't like anything else. I truly appreciate all of your support for the youth on this trip, whether it was financially, through prayer, or by any other means, it is fantastic what you all do. I hope that you enjoy seeing the pictures from the trip and reading other peoples' stories...and I hope that you won't hesitate to find someone who went on the trip and ask them about their experience at Bigstuf! God bless you all.
Grant Wade

Below are a few updates from our trip while we were at Big Stuf.

July 8, 2008
It's hard to believe that our trip is halfway over. We are really enjoying our time here in Panama City. The theme this year is Broadcast and our students are hearing messages around the idea of matching our lives with the words we say we believe about God. We've been thinking a lot about the messages our lives are broadcasting to the world. We've had a lot of great discussions in our small groups and we are really excited to see what God has in store for us the rest of the week. Please continue to keep our students in your prayers.

July 9, 2008

Greetings everyone. Today is our last full day here in Panama City. The students have had a tremendous time and we have been blessed by our time together. Thank you so much for your support and please continue to keep us in your prayers. Check out pictures from the trip (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbcspringfield/sets/72157606046851561/) and here are a few notes from our students about their weeks.

This year has been my sixth year at Big Stuf and it has been just as great as every other year. The theme is Broadcast and I have learned so much. I am so thankful that I got to come to Big Stuf.
Paige Martin

This is my fourth year at Big Stuf. I am having so much fun playing on the beach and strengthening my relationship with God in the sessions. I have met many new people and learned many things. I am so glad that I was able to come!
Jenna Reynolds

This is my 3rd year at Big Stuf. I have learned a lot in the sessions. I have had fun on the beach. I am glad I got to come this year. I have met a lot of new people.
Sami McE

Hey guys!
We are having a blast! The theme this year is Broadcast and we are learning all about how to make our Broadcast to the world as Christians reflect our beliefs. Stuart Hall and Jared Herd are bringing God’s Word to us and making these lessons come alive. The beach is beautiful and quiet time is a sight to behold with 1500 students spread out digging into the Word. Thank you for all your prayers!
With Love,
Taylor Martin

Hi everyone!
This is my first year at Big Stuf and I’m having so much fun. We’ve all enjoyed learning how to Broadcast what’s in our hearts and how to make our Broadcasts more Christian. Hanging out at the beach with everyone is amazing! I can’t believe tomorrow is our last full day. Thanks for your prayers!
<3 Rikki Koebler

Hi everyone!
We are definitely enjoying Panama City Beach! Our theme for the week is “Broadcast.” We are all working to improve the image we give to people and I fully feel God working in our hearts this week! Thank you all so much for your support! With love,
Autumn Cook

Once again! Another amazing year at Big Stuf! The theme this year is Broadcast! It has made me realize a lot. This is the most amazing camp ever and I am so grateful I got to come. I hope to become an interm here when I get older. God is the answer to everything. Good news! I started sponsoring my second child, Karani (who is 9), on 7/8/08. My other child, Muhammed, I have been sponsoring for 3 years. It has really changed my life. I wish everyone else could experience this amazing part of life that God has created. Thank you so much!
Nikki Reynolds

Howdy!!!
This is my sixth time at Big Stuf and every year has been amazing. We learn about the teachings of god, and the sessions are great and fun. The sand is HOTT, and the ocean is great too but just the way that Christians all come together and learn about god is great thanks for all the support.
Dallas Tankersley