I thought it was just going to be a regular weekend, probably consisting of homework, staying up late, hanging out, watching movies, and church. That is until last Sunday….Josh and Claire Harvey, the youth pastor at Grace and his wife, ask me to chaperone this thing called 'D-now.’ I have no idea what it is, all I knew is that it is a 'retreat' for the youth group happening right on the church's campus. The weekend sounds fantastic, but I just was not sure if it is feasible for me to help, so I came home and check my schedule for the weekend. It is surprisingly clear and I email Josh to tell him I am a ‘go.’ After seeing a schedule and all the things on the schedule, I am extremely excited, but also a little nervous. Little did I know the amazing things God has in store for this weekend.
Here I am, it is Saturday and time to head to church for D-NOW! I could not be more excited, but also nervous. I work with little children more at church, not teenagers, so I do not know very many of the teens here for this retreat, but the Lord starts blessing right there. The teen girls are very receptive, open, and kind to me as a leader. What a relief!
It is now 6pm, all students are checked in and eating dinner. Everyone is through eating and ready for the first session. Josh gets up for Session 1 and starts talking about the weekend’s plans. Session 1’s title and the theme for the weekend is ‘Making It Real’ from John 6: 68-69. I know this weekend is going to be great and challenging because this lesson challenged me. Two of the things from this lesson that challenges me the most are also questions for the night’s devotion…’How real is your walk with the Lord?’ and ‘Are you here because your parents made you come or because you want to be there?’ (My parents are not with me at school, so they did not make me, but I thought about church, my devotions, and things like that.) This is the start of a great weekend. After session 1, the group went bowling and had group devotions.
After a wonderful Saturday night of group devotions and getting to know the girls, here I stand at Sunday, a day for church. Church Sunday morning is normal. Session 2 occurs Sunday afternoon. For this session, Claire Harvey and April Niemen gave their testimonies about when their relationships with Christ really ‘clicked’ (or became more than just ‘I HAVE to go to church because I HAVE too, but a deep relationship.) Sunday afternoon the group plays putt-putt and goes to Funigans. Between the two fun things, Josh brings Session 3, ‘What Does It Look Like?’ mainly from Acts 2:42. A lesson that challenged me is my motivation to do what I do SELF or CHRIST? ‘It’s a dogmatic statement that God never intended for us to be cookie cutter Christians.’
Monday, the last day, proves to be a crazy day, but the most challenging and rewarding. I have class on Monday morning and I go, but I decide it is important for me to be at D-NOW for the last session. The last session’s title is ‘Why does it really matter?’ from Luke 9: 23-26 and is by far the most convicting. To be true followers of Christ I MUST deny myself, take up cross DAILY and follow Christ. True Christianity and following Christ cannot stop at salvation. Am I willing to give up EVERYTHING to follow Christ? Those are some things that really speak to me in this lesson, but the one that hits closest to home is ‘I am a people pleaser! So why do I work so hard to please people, but never work hard to please Christ?’
This weekend was amazing! God really did a work in my life. To Him be all the praise and glory!
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