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What if God asked you to give away every gift you've ever been given? What would this include? iPod? Car? A favorite pair of jeans? What about gifts that aren't things, like your good health, your musical abilities, your close-knit family? What would it look like to give these "things" away? How can you "pay it forward" on a day to day basis and what would your life look like if you did?

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

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say something

1. Have you ever given away a beloved gift that was given to you?
Yes
No
Not sure

2. Have you ever shared a non-material gift with someone?
Yes
No
Not sure

3. What is more difficult to give away, a thing that you really like or a non-material thing (like your time, your talent or your friendship)?
A material thing that I really like
A non-material thing

4. Why would it be hard to part with the best gift you've ever received?
I might not get it back
I'd feel lost without it
It's part of my identity
Friends think I'm cool because I have it
Because it's mine
I don't know

5. What would make it easier to give a beloved gift away?
Knowing that someone else really needed it
Believing that it made God happy
Knowing that I'd get a similar gift again someday
Seeing the joy on the other person's face when I gave the gift
Nothing would make it easy

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now playing

Let's Not Forget the Story from Foolish Things
Want to know who rocked the stage at the SpringHill Music Festival? You’re looking at ‘em. Poised to be Christian music’s next big thing, Foolish Things not only scores with their upbeat melodies reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World, U2 and Switchfoot, the band shines with bold, sincere lyrics that reveal a faith as solid as their British-pop sound. Although this band is enjoying their newfound success — with the single "Who Can Compare" released to radio — they are staying true to their name, embracing their fool status and never forgetting why they’re on stage in the first place. Get more on Foolish Things MySpace page. And don’t miss them live at SpringHill Winter Teen Retreats!

Otherside from Mike's Chair
This indie Christian rock band was another incredible addition to the SpringHill Music Festival. The band, comprised of five friends who met in the same dorm as college freshmen, guitarist Seth Jones, vocalist Mike Grayson, guitarist Sam Tinnesz, violinist Jesse Hale and bassist Jon Haire, has been making a name for themselves across the country, touring and selling thousands of their EP without the aid of a record label. Vowing to never write a song for the sheer intention of crossing over, Mike’s Chair would rather achieve so called “success” because a hungry world grasps onto what they sing about — Jesus Christ. And they sing it so well and so uniquely, we’re convinced they’re going to have a lot of listeners! To learn more about Mike's Chair, visit the band's website.

pay it forward

82_Fuchsia_SH_icon Have you ever been asked to give away the best gift you've ever received? Let's say your last Christmas present is an iPhone and the next day you're expected to pass it on to someone else. How awful does that sound? But consider what your life would be like if you held every gift you received with a totally open hand. What if you said, "Hey, God, everything I have is yours. Show me someone who needs my gifts." Be it friendship or a talent for guitar playing or a brand-new iPhone, God is thrilled when we show our gratitude for every gift by freely sharing them. In this issue of The Well, we'll take look at what it really means to "pay it forward," and we'll hear from a surprising guy who has taken his artistic gifts and done just that. Plus, you'll get the scoop on a couple favorite bands from the SpringHill Music Festival and so much more!

news @ springhill michigan

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Thinking about some TST action next summer? It's time to start planning because registration for g2g Summer 2008 is almost here! Start thinking about summer now and start registering January 21. Don't miss the greatest summer yet. You've got to go!

Who are you? Get IDed at a SpringHill Winter Retreat. Peel away the layers and find out who you really are and why God loves the real you so much! Bring your youth group to SpringHill for a weekend in January or February 2008. Experience live music from well-known bands, powerful words from hard-hitting speakers and the usual parade of extreme SpringHill activities. Check out the Winter Retreats web page for more information!

Love SpringHill? Like to give your opinion about stuff? Join our SWISH team and tell us what you think about everything SpringHill. (Follow the link, click next to "SWISH" on the subscription page and then click the "update" button. We'll start sending you emails to ask your opinion about all kinds of SpringHill stuff.) With your help we can make this place the best camp on earth!

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when giving generously means giving it all

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. —1 Corinthians 9:11

By any standard, our lives are rich, with things, with love, with opportunities. What would your life look like if you gave away every gift that was ever given to you? Whatever we have received is supposed to be given away again, not kept. Or, if it is kept, something of similar value should move on in its stead, the way a billiard ball may stop when it sends another scurrying across the table, its momentum transferred. You may keep your Christmas present, but it ceases to be a gift in the true sense unless you have given something else away. Keeping the gift moving is the ultimate way to say “thank you.”

Think about this: Do you consider yourself “rich”? How do you show your gratitude for what you’ve been given? What gifts would you have a difficult time giving away? Why does God want us to pay it forward?

eric timm unplugged

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Eric Timm doesn’t look like your typical preacher, he doesn’t speak like your typical preacher and he doesn’t paint like your typical preacher. Paint? Yeah, this artist-turn-preacher uses a brush to paint the big picture of what God’s love is all about. Whether you’ve been to church all your life or you hardly know a thing about Jesus, Eric grabs your attention in a unique, visually stimulating way with his ‘unchurchy’ art and his passion for speaking God’s Truth. Here, Eric chats with The Well about his ministry No One Underground and why he does what he does.

The Well: What’s the story behind your ministry No One Underground?
Eric: Creating art has always been a way to communicate with God and to convey truth. But I don’t feel like there are Christian artists from previous generations whose work is inspiring fine artists in this generation. No One Underground provides a forum for challenging and inspiring the next generation in art.

The Well: How did your ministry style evolve?
Eric: Doing art in ministry was kind of an accident. I painted in a service once and it all kind of snowballed from there.

The Well: What has it been like to preach out of the box like that?
Eric: It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done. I had to step out and seriously pray, “Okay, God, whatever you want to happen. I want to do what you want me to do.” But it can be painful. God’s way of getting us ready is not what we’re expecting.

The Well: What do you think about when you speak and do your art?
Eric: I try to present the Gospel and the things of God without using religious imagery. I ask, “Would someone who didn’t have a relationship with Christ be drawn to this?”

The Well: If you could only say one thing to a teen, what would you say?
Eric: There are a lot of people who have painted Jesus incorrectly — literally and figuratively — and may have left a bad image in your mind. But that’s not Jesus. That’s man screwing it up.

Catch Eric Timm at SpringHill’s Winter Teen Retreats this January!