STP

Each year, New Tribes Bible Institute has a program called the Student Training Program (STP) for students who will be student leaders in some capacity throughout the coming year. We were privileged to be invited to the training this year. The training begins about a week and a half before the actual classes begin at NTBI, and it entails about nine days of intense instruction and teaching mixed with some pretty hard-core activities that are meant to help all of the student leaders get to know each other better and work as a team. So far, the teaching has been phenomenal. The instructors have been hitting hard some biblical truths like our extreme need as sinful man, God's provision for us in so many capacities, our position in Christ, and the sanctification process. Much of the teaching includes specific and practical ways those truths affect our lives every day.

For part of the training, we traveled about three hours north of NTBI in Michigan to Camp Good News. It was a four-day trip packed full of teaching and activities, and we had such an awesome time. It was so great to be able to spend some time with a lot of our fellow students and many of the staff members and their families from NTBI. It is very encouraging to be around so many like-minded people, most of whom were tribal missionaries in the past or want to be in the future.

I also got to spend even more time than usual with my third child,

because my parents were gracious enough to come get our other two kiddos and keep them for the four days we were at camp. 

Although I missed Ivy and Israel A LOT, it would have been difficult having all three of them in the one room we were assigned in a cabin. So it really was like a vacation for me just having one child for a few days!

Here's just some of what our trip entailed...

Our cabin was called the Doe Dorm. 

It had four bedrooms in it. All of the single girls shared two of the rooms, and then our family and Nathan and Rachel's family each got one of the other bedrooms. Here's our room:

We spent a lot of time outside in the evenings

by some pretty awesome fires 

with some amazing people!

We had competitions that involved rock climbing and zip lines (if you look really close, you can see my niece Halle on the zip line!) as well as about a dozen other sports/activities.

Two of the days, we drove even further north in Michigan to Higgins Lake Beach. It is unique because it is extremely shallow for hundreds of yards. You can walk WAY out and the water is only up to your knees or so.

And even though this sign was posted,

it didn't stop the guys from playing some tackle football out in the water. (What is swimmers itch anyway??)

The water was FREEZING, so I didn't actually get in. I just hung out with Abel and my nieces and nephews on the beach. :)

Some people played volleyball

while Abel and I cheered them on.

We walked down the beach to a great ice cream shop a couple of times

and really just had such a great time. 

We are so looking forward to the rest of the teaching these next couple of days. I'll be in our apartment with our three kiddos, but I'll be able to listen online while Aaron attends the sessions. 

It has been a great start to our second year of training here at NTBI so far! We can't wait for classes to begin next week.