It’s funny, because every time the Fall Retreat comes around a part of me wonders if it will really be as good as the last one…and every year it blows me away. This year was no exception. It was fun to do the beach theme and play some games (I think Adam’s Kajabe moves were on ESPN’s top 10 highlights), but obviously we go on this thing for more than that.
And we got more than that.
God showed up in huge and powerful ways, it was clear that the Spirit was with us. The band did a great job leading…it simply felt like true worship all weekend long. Ed taught about giving up our idols, and the phrase “Worship God” became our motto of the weekend. It can be so easy to read that phrase and think, “well duh, that’s not new,” but I think it took on a deeper meaning for all of us. One of my favorite parts was when Ed was talking about what our idols can be…that it isn’t always those big sin things (or a golden calf), but often times we make an idol out of good things like being a good person or succeeding. Even wanting to be that spiritual person can be an idol. It was so cool to see students come to God and lay their idols down before Him. Around 100 students came (plus twenty something adult leaders that we’re oh-so-thankful for), and I would say that most of us encountered God and were able to make significant steps spiritually in our relationships with Him. Best of all, several students put their faith in Christ! How amazing to know that they’re now a part of God’s Kingdom! I can’t say enough about how exciting that is!
The hardest thing to do after a retreat is to keep the momentum. You always walk away having learned so much and really experiencing God, but “regular life” seems to try and choke that out of you when you get back (Ed pointed out how back in Omaha isn’t real life, what we experienced there is real life). One cool application that Ed gave us was to go through our day, week, etc. and every few minutes to stop and at least think “worship God.” It’s been cool as I’ve already received several “worship God” text reminders.
Thanks for this amazing experience Lord, and for your continued forgiveness and LOVE. Thanks that we are accepted by you, that you gladly call us your own. Thank you that you died for us that we might be seen as righteous and worthy in your eyes. We ask Lord that you would help us in our struggle in this world as we surrender our lives to you, as we continue to lay our idols down. Father, we don’t want to forget our experience this weekend…we want to passionately and boldly live for you at home, at school, at Oasis, wherever we are God. Lord, we want our lives to authentically be worship to You. We love You. Amen.
