Well our first ever Fall Retreat has come and gone. We took a total of 21 students up to the mountains for a getaway, hopefully to gain some insight into what God was trying to do in there lives. A few things that I have learned about doing a Fall Retreat:
1. It's hard work...It took a lot of energy, time and effort just in the planning to pull this off. It of coarse made it harder when my speaker could not make it and left me with the studying for it. But it's all good
2. Guys will be guys...dumb. Leon decided to kick at a water bottle on a post and missed the post and struck the post with his big toe. Which has made his toe black and pick and possibly broke.
3. You give a student a piece of wood for an illustration...there going to draw on it.
I gave the students the piece of wood for them to write down their fear, doubts or sins that keep them from doing what God has called them to do and I had them carry the wood around with them all weekend and most of the pieces of wood got drawn on. 4. Girls can clog toilets and continue to use them...which makes for a d (wait for it) lightful smell.
One of the toilets in our cabin was clogged....you would think that people would not use that toilet. Not these girls...they are troopers and contunie to just pile it all weekend. Nicely done ladies.
5. It doesn't matter how much food or drinks you bring....it will all be gone the first night. It doesn't matter with this group guys or girls VERB SM can eat anyone out of house and home.
6. When a student is giving a challenge...don't underestimate what God can do through that student.
I challenged Leon to give a devotion on what it means to grow up in your faith this weekend. He gave his devotion on Saturday morning (before he broke his toe) and he did an great job and I believe the Lord used him to connect to a few students.7. Before the weekend came i kept thinking that I was not going to be ready to give the messages and still be able to build relationships with students throughout the weekend. Even though I thought it doesn't mean it happens...God always shows up and provides a ways and I had a great weekend teaching and building relationships with student I new and some I didn't and it was also great to hear students really grasping ahold of what God was trying to teach them through the weekend and them making the commitment to attempt to move in the direction HE is calling them.
What a great weekend...Can't wait until Fall Retreat 09
3 comments:
YEAH! What a BLASTY BLAST!! I have a super cool picture for your wall too!
Oh, it was such a GREAT time! I didn't know about the toilet smelling bad? Nor that some of them were still trying to use them, LOL.
I wasn't there for when Leon almost broke his toe, either.
So, I think I did get something out of it. You know what I had on my piece of wood, and you're right- more things got added. Not that weekend however. Over the past few days, I've come to realize that there are things that are just hidden from me, and can't be revealed until I ask to see them (that or God will show them to me in His own time which can be a scary thing, I think.)
I may have burned that piece of wood, but I have plenty more to burn too...
I can only imagine what awesome experiences everyone had by going this year. I can't wait until 2009 so that I can go too!
Post a Comment