Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.
—Mark Twain

Only dead fish swim with the stream.
—Malcolm Muggeridge

play the game

Want to win a free week at SpringHill AND a great waterproof digital camera to record all the fun? Go to the SpringHill Game website to play the game and be entered in the drawing! (Plus, we’re giving away an iTunes gift card every month!)

talk about it

Nearly every day we are pressured to conform, to go along with the crowd, to make choices we would not be proud of or that we know would not please God. The people we hang out with can be powerful influences in our lives. So can TV, movies, music, books, family and so on. Think about the inlfuences in your life. What or who has the strongest influence on the choices you make? Do your main influences come from a godly place? Why is it so hard not to conform and give into peer pressure? Take a deeper look at what or who is influencing you these days. Are you proud of the choices you're making?

Talk about it with other SpringHill campers and counselors on the SpringHill MySpace page. Or, if you have another question you'd like to discuss, email us.

what you said

· One third of you surveyed said that you gossip weekly; another third said you hardly ever do it.

· Why is it so difficult to stay away from gossip? Nearly 70% said that it's just easy to be negative about certain people; the rest of you don't know why.

· The worst consequence of gossiping for half of you is knowing that you're sinning or disappointing God.

· More than 80% said that you only occasionally have a difficult time sticking to your values.

· Wanting to be liked is the most common reason you follow your friends even when you know they're doing something wrong.

who's behind your decisions?

82_Fuchsia_SH_icon Every day we are influenced in hundreds of different ways — by friends, family, media and so much more. Do you know who and what has the strongest influence over you? Why do you allow youself to be negatively influenced even when you know the choice is wrong? Last month's survey showed that more than a third of you give into peer pressure because you want to be liked. In this issue of The Well, you'll discover why pressure from friends is so powerful, think about who and what is influencing your decisions and learn how to become a better influence on others. You'll also find all the latest SpringHill news, great reviews and a provocative conversation on the SpringHill MySpace page. Don't miss it!

news @ springhill indiana

There's still time to register for Summer 2007! Check out the SpringHill summer schedule and all the details about TST. Then, start planning the best weeks of your summer! Go to the SpringHill website NOW to register!

Want to help SpringHill get ready for an awesome summer? Bring your family or your youth group to SpringHill to volunteer for a day on Saturday, May 12, or for Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 25 - Monday, May 28. It’s a great opportunity to serve at SpringHill and have a blast doing it! For more information, visit our website. Then, have your parents or your youth group leader call Pam Wilkerson at 812-479-0008, ext. 102, to register. Don’t wait — space is limited.

influencer or influencee?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. —1 Corinthians 16:13

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You are the sum of the choices you make?" How about, "You are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time?" No matter who we are or how strong our faith is, what and whom we allow ourselves to be influenced by plays a huge role in what we choose to do, who we become and whether or not we are able to follow these words of the apostle Paul.

Take a look at the main influences in your life. In order to stand firm, be courageous and be strong, you have to take ownership of what's influencing you. You have to lead yourself with integrity. A lot of times we think about standing firm and not falling prey to peer pressure in terms of physical purity. But what about emotional and intellectual purity? What we feed our hearts and our minds can influence us in powerful ways. The more positive and holy our influences are, the more opportunity we have to be a wise and godly influence on others.

Think about this: What's been going into your brain lately? Who or what have you been allowing to influence you? In your circle of friends are you most often the influencer or the influencee? Why? What could you do to be a better influence on others and draw them toward Christ?

a springhill summer staffer talks to the well

82_Orange_SH_icon Target Sports Instructor Khristen Shaffer had such an awesome summer at SpringHill getting to do activities she's passionate about and telling campers about Jesus everyday that she's coming back for Summer 2007! A junior at Indiana Wesleyan majoring in biology and minoring in youth ministry, Khristen talks to The Well about the influences in her life and why it's so hard to resist peer pressure.

The Well: When you were younger, what was the most common reason you did things you knew you shouldn't?
Khristen: When I was in junior high, I was in a lot of pain and I did bad things to numb myself. I was influenced a lot by my friends. Then, in high school I became a Christian and my whole life changed.

The Well: Why does peer pressure have such a strong pull on us?
Khristen: We're all looking for love and acceptance and when we're hurting or lonely it doesn't matter who gives it. If we don't go to God, we're going to go somewhere else.

The Well: Who is your greatest influence today?
Khristen: My friends who truly embody God's love.

The Well: What else influences the choices that you make?
Khristen: Thinking about the consequences and how my choices will affect my schoolwork or my relationships. Also, I ask myself, "Would this make my parents proud?" But the biggest thing I consider is whether my choice will disappoint or please God.

The Well: How do you influence others?
Khristen: Everything that I do has an influence. I think the little stuff is what really matters, like having a positive attitude or going out of my way to help someone or asking how a person's doing. Ministry is about loving people.

The Well: What advice do you have for students about how to keep from being negatively influenced by others?
Khristen: Know that your identity is in God above all. The praises and put downs that come from others don't determine who you are. God loves you and that's what matters.

now playing

victory Walking in Victory: Experiencing the Power of Your Identity in Christ by Dennis McCallum: Highly recommended by SpringHill summer staffer Philip Otis, this easy-to-read, grace-oriented book will help you learn to take Christ at his word and replace the deadly cycle of legalism and sin with victory and grace. "It helped me see who I am in Christ and who others are," says Philip. "Through this book I really began to understand why I was being mastered by certain sins and how to get out from under them." Learn more about the book on the publisher's website.

krutch The Art of Breaking from Thousand Foot Krutch: This Canadian rock trio tops the play list of SpringHill counselor Jason Arnold who appreciates them for their solid, hard-hitting rock music and for "speaking out God with everything they've got." Even though Thousand Foot Krutch (TFK) doesn't actually refer directly to God in any of the lyrics, their passion for Christ can be felt throughout the songs. With the same nu metal rock sound they debuted in their first labeled release (Phenomenon) under Tooth & Nail, The Art of Breaking is fun, aggressive, heartfelt and perfect to blast through your car stereo with the windows down. Learn more about the band and the album on the TFK website.