The Amazing Race

Hebrews 12:1-3 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

This past Thursday and Friday we had our upper elementary retreat. We stayed overnight (with 60 students - yikes) and spent two days running around the retreat center with our own mini version of the Amazing Race. We had a guest speaker come and share about how as Christians we have a prize that is truly worth running and persevering for, and His name is Jesus. 

Here are three of my favorite challenges that the students had to do:

Eat cow tongue

Find hidden clues in haystacks

Swim across a pool, free watermelons weighed down by nets and cinder blocks from the bottom of a pool, crack the watermelon open, and eat it in its entirety 

Some of the activities were hard, requiring teamwork and perseverance, just like our real and everyday lives.  Just about every student left exhausted and with a serious sunburn (myself included) but with a better idea of what it really means to fix our eyes on Jesus as we throw off the things that hinder us and run with perseverance. 

Fixing my eyes on Jesus,
Laura