Fun and Fellowship in Big Sandy, Texas!

We are tearfully headed home from our 2^nd trip and week spent in Big Sandy, TX for the annual ATI Homeschool Conference. We arrived early on Saturday morning and enjoyed 4 days of camping fun with our family, meeting new friends and fellowshipping with the families we met last year. We were encouraged in our journey and were encouraged by what the Lord is doing in other families’ lives. From the moment we pulled up our big kids were off finding all their penpals and friends from last year. Once the 3 day conference began it was go, go, go! We would quickly grab breakfast, get some dinner in the crockpot, run the kids to their activities and programs and be filled with great speakers’ teachings and sermons. The conference itself was so encouraging and gave us a year’s worth of application to pursue in our Christian walk, the number one teaching we will bring home is the Power of Prayer by David Gibbs. We hope to pursue of journey of nonstop and very powerful prayer this year!

Here is our blog post from our 1^st year attending this conference, when our discernment was peaked and ready to decipher theological and doctrinal error: A Week in Big Sandy with the Duggars
 

This blog post is to share some pictures of the fun we had during this year’s conference but before I share, I would like to address the current Gothard issue so this is not read as if I am naïve to happenings. Gothard was not present at this conference as he has resigned and has released a statement online (click here for Gothard’s statement). ATI as a whole is not a person but a ministry, a ministry that truly strives to equip families to love and serve the Lord, their families, and others. The families we have met and continue to meet (including the Duggars and Bates) are real people, saved from real sin and serving a very real Jesus. As humans we can and still do fall into sin and temptation, it is why we need a personal, loving Savior. Whether innocent or guilty we do feel Gothard did the right thing in stepping down and stepping back to evaluate his own walk with the Lord and reconcile with those who feel or were wronged. This is just another homeschool conference with great and encouraging speakers to help strengthen Christians, parents and families in their walk with the Lord. I do believe that the ATI’s ministry began to encourage families and provide teaching and curriculum to help them along their homeschool journey, but along the way instead of worshipping Jesus and using ATI as a tool, ATI and Gothard have been worshipped and followed to the point of idolatry. We must always evaluate our own heart and motives, the Lord tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to “guard our heart.” Our heart focus should be Jesus! Gothard needs prayer, he and many other men of ministry are not perfect, they are men like David, who although may be men after God’s own heart they are human and can fall into lust, temptation and great sin (James 1:14-15). It should hurt our heart when we see a man fall and hurt our heart all the more when they bring a whole ministry with them. We were thankful that the conference continued this year under new management, it was an encouragement to our family.

Here are some pictures from our trip:


                The twins Sunday best!                                       Risa and Sam with Jim Bob Duggar!


  
     Anthony and Sam chillin' with Jason.                                  Daddy walking with the twins!

  
       Six little children standing on a log...                                             Cool Dudes!

                             
             Mirabel and Sam on a family walk                    Maggie hitching a ride from big brother

  
        1st fun-filled day at planned activites                                            Mom & Dad

 

  
       Risa and Titus at Children's Institute                               Samuel and Anthony at ALERT

                             
                   Mirabel at Pre-Embassy                                 Maggie hanging with mom and dad

  
               Best friends when awake...                                                     ...and asleep!

Stop by our 5 Kids 6 Months Facebook page where I will be sharing some other wonderful families’ websites and blogs that we have met while camping here! They are real, imperfect and in love with Jesus just like us!

Click here for our blog post about the 2013 conference
Click here for our blog post about the 2015 conference

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone

A week in Big Sandy, TX with the Duggars...

 

We are on our way back home from the ATI conference in Big Sandy, TX. It really challenged us in our Christian walk, faith and parenting. Just like with anything new our discernment was heightened and ready to decipher error. We didn't find any here. We found families that love the Lord with all their heart and in turn want their children to love the Lord. In the week we spent camping with all the families there was nothing but encouragement, even when one night it poured down rain all night, the temperature surprisingly dropped to the 40s and numerous tent campers got completely soaked, only the words, "the Lord is so good" slipped through smiling lips and sweet demeanors. The true joy of the Lord was abounding at this conference and everyone was a shining light of peace. There was no snapping or loud remarks when dealing with children (and there were A LOT of children!) just gentle words of correction and no griping in the hour long latte line just sweet fellowship with brothers and sisters. I don't think I have ever been so encouraged to meditate on the Word and put prayer first so that I can make that true joy and peace part of my daily Christian walk. I need to know the Savior I serve so I can love to go to work for Him everyday in all I do!

 

Yes, we met the Duggars and the Bates. There were really just families. Families that love to serve the Lord. Families with normal children that misbehave. Families that stop to take the time to lovingly correct their children instead of getting frustrated and resorting to yelling. Families that love each other because they know where true love comes from. Families that are not perfect. Families that express their daily failures that lead them closer to their need for their Savior. I did get one on one fellowship with Michelle Duggar, she and I sat in the dim light of the campsite, past 10pm and just talked. I picked her brain on homeschooling, parenting and time for marriage with so many children. She really is just another mom in the daily grind, looking to Jesus for guidance, messing up, apologizing and teaching her kids God's Word. She has 24 years of parenting experience of 19 different personalities which makes her far more wise with much more time to learn from bumps and mistakes along the way. Since the Duggars were parked directly behind us I had a chance to just observe for 4 days. Too many times to count I saw Michelle tidying up the campsite, chasing lost socks and gently pulling little ones out of the dirt. She truly is serving these kids with her life. I had the chance to speak with Jana, Jinger and Jill, all of which were stunningly beautiful, very wise and full of joy. They took a great interest in our little ones and were so sweet to them, saying "hi" to them by name every time they passed by. Josie was quite the wild child but Michelle was so gentle, yet faithful to stop what she was doing time and time again to remind Josie the proper way to behave. Anthony found many friends in the Duggar boys and when telling us stories about their play together I was pleasantly surprised that their character-focused God-centered curriculum was really showing through in their behavior. We went to the Bates dorm parties two separate nights and they were so giving and definitely have the gift of hospitality. We mainly went there for a sweet couple of 7 kids, the Dempsters, they had staying with them that has adopted and I just loved picking their brain and sharing stories!

 

Here are some pictures from our week in Texas!

 Family Picture!

 

 

   
                              Our campsite                               Folding picnic table I found on craigslist for $15!

   
                     Two little poppers!                                                       Maggie and Josie Duggar

                                  
                         Mirabel tight-roping                                                      Dirty Maggie!

   

                    Mirabel at Pre-Embassy                                               Anthony at ALERT cadet challenge

                              
            Blanket time during conference                          The only way I can keep track of 2 little ones

  
Risa with friends, Josie is hanging upside down :)            Risa and Maggie with Jen and Josie Duggar

  
Late night fellowship with Jill, Ally and Christie!                 Babies napping at conference session

  
The big Friday night Duggar cook-out, our backyard                 I love Mrs. Dempster! (at Bates dorm)


  
We loved little Esther! She is 3 with Spina Bifida           Daddy, kinda, sorta, bought a new toy ($600)

 

        
                   Flying in the golf cart                                      Thank you Gator for reinforcements!!!

We had such a great time! We made lifelong friends! We will be going back next year, God willing! We have such an awesome God-given Nanny and Gator who take care of us and our kids like grandparents! We are going to stop in Mobile, AL to attend Steve Lawson's church in the morning then only a 4 hour trek home! Once home I will have to hustle to unpack and repack the RV in two days, because May 1st Brian and I are headed to Nashville, TN for the Christian Alliance for Orphans - Summit9 conference!!!
       
Click here for our blog post about the 2014 conference
Click here for our blog post about the 2015 conference

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone