Youth Winter Retreat: RESPONSE
Last weekend was the Mars Hill Youth Retreat, and we really made a push to cover our teens in prayer. While an in-depth recap to share on the blog is currently in the works by one of our youth, I wanted to let you guys in on some of the response we received from the retreat.
I wish I could have just screen-shotted their words, scrawled in their sweet and sloppy handwriting so you could get the full effect. Reading their thoughts about their life and how they are processing the Big Questions is an emotional experience. Sometimes I forget the feelings that accompany youth. Let’s read the words they willingly chose to share (we have their permission) and remember to constantly pray for the teenagers in our church family.
“I’ve been having problems with a classmate recently. He did something really offensive, and I’ve had a hard time forgiving him because he can still be rude. He hasn’t apologized and I don’t think he is going to. It’s been really hard to be kind to him. Luckily, this weekend has helped me out. It reminded me that God tells us to love everybody, because He first loved us.”
“As a community, we have to support each other with love. We can bear one another’s burdens by being gentle and encouraging, and pointing them to God.”
“I learned the most about transparency, which is something I struggle with. I need to take off the mask and be honest to others.”
“I have been thinking every night this weekend just about things like how do I want to make myself better and how do I want to tell people how I feel. When I’m around Mars Hill I don’t look at it just as a church- I look at it as a family.”
“This was my first time at a camp and a first time for going on a winter retreat. I was really nervous at first when I went, but then I had so much fun hanging out with friends, learning more about the gospel, singing, and most of all hanging around with the Mars Hill community. I learned so much new stuff and had the best time ever.”
“I learned that we need each other to build each other up and not tear one another down. I feel like God taught me I need to look at others through His eyes.”
“Ever since I was 10 I have been struggling with depression. Truth be told, I didn’t think that I would be impacted at all during this weekend, but I was wrong. Ever since the first Bible session on community, it’s hit me how much I have isolated myself and how I used to believe I was alone in the world. I usually have thoughts like: I’m so ugly, now one like me, no one would want to know me, I’m just a burden. But I’m slowly realizing that’s not true.”
“I was reminded this weekend of how important community involvement is in the church. We were created to live in community; however, Satan seeks to destroy the very good thing God has given us. This is evident in my life as I have spent too much time keeping things to myself, no being honest or transparent with the church. This weekend, I have found the encouragement to bring my burdens to other believers and to not be afraid of honesty with my brothers. Through this weekend, I have seen God begin to work more through me to grow in community for the sake of God’s glory as Jesus says in John 13:34-35. “