Fall Retreat 2011

This past weekend was one to remember! Our church packed up our youth and youth leaders to go to everyone's favorite youth event....FALL RETREAT! This retreat is different than our other events because it allows us to spend one and one time together, play games, focus on God, and grow as a youth group. It kicked off Saturday morning with bus games as we were on our was to Elmdale, Kansas. This is in the Flint Hills, which is pretty at times. Maybe it's just me but I am not one to brag about Kansas plains and hills, but I am sure it can be pretty at certain times. I am more of a mountains and ocean type girl. I cannot get enough pictures of them! However if you give me plains covered in snow I would be in heaven!:) Anyways he bus games were fun and a great way to kick off our weekend and get in the mood of spending all our time together. Once we got to the YMCA camp we unloaded luggage, found our rooms, ate lunch, and started playing community group games. This was the first time that we were grouped by who our community was. This was great for me because I love the girls I work with. Dont get me wrong, they can be a handful at times, but not only am I there to help them but they really open my eyes to things as well. It is very much a two-way relationship, and I was so happy to get to spend all that time growing with them. I am sorry I do not have picture of the games or camp, but I am without a camera right now and have no idea when I will get another one. The main part of this blog is not just about the great games we played anyways. Yes they were great, but this trip was even better because of the message that was shared. I could tell that we were doing well because the enemy seemed to be attacking us. On Saturday night our youth pastor felt that God was telling him to challenge us to put God first back into our lives. This really hit home for me because I have been struggling with doing that a bit lately. I know that I am able to put God first in my life and not worry about other things because I have done that before. And while that is good, it being just me and God, I know I should have friendships. Also, on the other end I am sure we all know how easy it is to put other things, and people in front of God and forget about him. Those things are both on each end of the spectrum. For a long time I felt like I have been taking the easy way out. I pick one end or the other. I have felt that it is just easier that way. One way is better since I am spending more time with God, but he did not say to not have anything else in my life. I felt like God was telling me that choosing the easy way out, even if it is Him at times, is not what He wants me to do. I heard Him tell me that I need to learn how to balance my life putting Him first, and then everything else second, but still having them. This has been really hard for me. Some days I feel that when I need to have a relationship with God first that this means reading your Bible for chapters at a time, then journaling, listening to music while worshiping Him, and talking about Him every change you get. For me I feel like this is a checklist and unless I do all of it everyday, than I am not putting Him first, so how could I have time for anyone else? This weekend helped me really put into perspective that that is not what He wants me to do. He does want my attention, but that is not the way He wants it. He wants to spend time talking to me throughout the day, reading my Bible here and there, worshiping when I can and journaling when I can as well. It doesn't mean doing everyhing at once, but maybe one a day and a couple of other things throughout the week. And when I am with my friends? Take Him with me. Not every conversation, but some here and there. Not to mention a godly attitude. I know this is long and I am hoping it makes sense, but it took me all weekend focusing on this and really getting at what God wanted me to do. While it will be hard, I need to really learn what is His voice and what isn't. Sometimes the easy way isn't the best way. More importantly I felt like I needed to learn this now because what would happen once I get married? I can't just choose God always and ignore my husband, or choose my husband and forget about God. I will have to know how to balance them both because that is a relationship God puts together. With that I am starting to feel more at ease, but I know it will take some work on my part. I pray that God shows me when to be with Him, and when I can be with my friends and that I can learn a good balance. That was not the only time we all got together to pray for each other but I was so thankful for that night. After our session was over we played night games and ended with a bonfire. This was great, but also where things just kept happening. We found out earlier that day that the breaks went out on the bus we drove to get there and that parts might not be able to come for it until Monday. While our youth pastor and pastor were on top of that figuring out a solution to bring all of us home another youth leader went to the hospital. We are not really sure exactly what happened yet, but she spent the night at the hospital putting her out of the rest of the trip. Including growing with her community group. One of our other leaders woke up with a migrane, and with another getting back late from taking care of the other at the hospital it was just a crazy Sunday. I couldn't believe that all happened. We were able to have generous people from church drive their vehicles to come pick us up, and we were so thankful for that. In the midst of all that went on attitudes and growing closer together still occured. It could have been a stressful time, but it wasn't too bad. God had a plan and He knew what was going to happen. He did not give us more than we could handle and he protected us the whole time. There were some bumps, but God was with us. He kept us safe and sound. For me it is just another God filled adventure that I will remember with Fusion Youth!