Chapter One

For me, retreat was definitely more than I expected it to be. I’ve done the retreat thing quite a few times now, and I expected this one to follow the same routine. You know: go to retreat, have a little fun, have some good worship and learning time, come back excited, then shortly lose that flame. I hate that it always seems to happen this way, but fortunately this weekend was different for me. I have actually benefited far beyond what I had planned. I found myself branching out to make more relationships, further develop those I have made with the new class, and deepen the ones that I already have. I was excited about hearing what Todd had to say to us (because he’s been through the ACSC and knows what it’s like for us), and he didn’t disappoint at all, not to mention the amazing tone set for us by our guys who led worship (thanks David, Daniel, Derek, and anyone else I forgot). Todd gave us the story of Achan from Joshua 7, and he explained three things very clearly to us. The first was that God will not allow breakthroughs to come at the expense of breakdowns in purity. Achan had taken some valuable items, but in the end he was punished (severely, too…you should read it to find out). The second is that when we see no breakthrough, we should first examine our character before we examine God’s character. Basically, it’s not God’s fault if something isn’t working right; often there is something in our lives hindering us. (Todd said, “The things you do not purge from your journey, you will become one with.”) And the last is that win and lose communally more than we do individually. We are brothers and sisters of Christ, and we are one body who will live and die, cry and laugh, grieve and rejoice together…Todd left us with three questions to reflect on in solitude that night: 1. To what degree are my relationships held back from breakthrough because of a breakdown in my life? 2. To what degree is my church family held back from breakthrough because of a breakdown in my life. 3. Am I willing to let the Great Physician operate on me?

This got the change started for me as I left to go have solitude-time (like everyone else). I will let everyone else tell you about the rest of retreat, but here is what has changed in me: I feel a much deeper desire to develop my own relationship with God. Because of this, I yearn to spend QUIET, PERSONAL time with Him and His word every day. I feel more united with all of you, even if we aren’t best friends, because I more clearly understand our fellowship. The one thing I want to see retreat make happen most: all of us come together with some kind of vision based on our common faith in our Lord.

Thanks to Jim and Mary, Andy and Sarah, Sterling (I’m sure she had some work in there somewhere), Todd, etc. for making this happen for us. Andy worked hard to make our fellowship yesterday morning very meaningful, but I’ll let someone else tell you about it.

-Chad Smith

Chapter Two

For me retreat was, to say the least, AMAZING. This was my third year going and by far it has been the best.

I started off the weekend a little rough…I kinda, for some reason, didn’t really wanna go. I’m a homebody, so I hate packing and sleeping somewhere else. Anyways, after the ride down with some pretty awesome freshies, I was getting kinda pumped about worshipping—away from the world. The first night was some awesome praise time to our Father, oh and Todd has some pretty great things to say about some of God’s Word.

But for me, retreat wasn’t so much about the lessons and the singing, as it was the alone time I spent talking and listening to God. I don’t know about anyone else, but when we were instructed to write down our struggles and burdens on this red piece of paper, I was a little scared and intimidated. It’s always hard for me to speak to God about the things I am struggling with, so writing it down, not knowing what was going to happen to this proof of my wrongdoings worried me. But none the less, as I spent time with God that night, just praying to him and feeling him in my heart, I was convinced I needed to write down the things in my life that are hindering my relationship with God and my fellow brothers and sisters.

After I found out the next morning that someone was going to see my sins written down on a piece of paper, I was like, CRAP…I hope they don’t recognize my handwriting. But then I was like, well, actually I really don’t care if they do or not because this is truly what is going on in my life and I kinda want someone to know. Knowing throughout the day that someone was praying for me and my struggles, reguardless of whether they knew it was me or not was sooooo comforting. And I think a lot of that PEACE I was having was God. God just granting me this peace, telling me it was ok, he had already forgiven me…and now I had someone praying, genuinely praying for my heart. I mean the feeling I had of this GUILTLESSNESS was really overwhelming. I remember telling Katy Ashley that during my quiet time at retreat, I was feeling really overwhelmed, overwhelmed by the things going on in my life, the relationships I had formed/neglected, and even God’s LOVE and MERCY.

Basically what I’m trying to say is God did some amazing things through retreat to me this year. Something I am constantly thinking about is how Todd said that Jesus has made his DWELLING among us. Jesus has pitched a tent in my heart and my soul and he is there everyday watching over me and yearning for a deeper relationship with me.

-Lindsey Harrelson