the    sides

After all the retreats and trips I’ve experienced, I continue to be amazed by God. Just when I think I’ve seen it all - He shows me I haven’t.

Last Saturday we left Pinecrest as 14 individuals who knew very little about each other and cared even less. Thoughts about God and Jesus were afterthoughts at best. Adult leaders were nice people who were necessary to get out of town without parents but for the most part were to be kept at arm’s length away.

What a difference a week in the mountains while the rest of your team and church is praying makes. God just showed up.

I can’t put in a post what happened these past few days. It would be impossible and cheapen the whole experience. You honestly had to be there to watch the transformation take place.

Instead let me just tell you what happened on the last night.

14 people sat in a room laughing, teasing, talking to each other for 2 hours without the TV, without goofy games, and without being forced to. For the first time - it wasn’t awkward. They went to the pool together. They shared deep secrets and thoughts in the devo time. They prayed for each other. People got real about where they were really at with Jesus. Students from 6 different schools, 3 different cities and countless different baggage became a community, a safe place to be real. Adults were treated as older friends who could be trusted. I watch our adults quit being sponsors and become coaches, disciplers.

Comments were made like – “I wish so-so had come this week.” “When are doing another one of these kinds of trips?” “I can’t believe I almost didn’t come because I thought this was going to suck and I didn’t know anybody.” (Gotta love the honesty of teenagers.)

And I got to see not just a glimmer of hope, but a great big beacon of potential. For most youth ministries - it would have been another great trip to post up pics about. For us, it’s spiritual marker 1 on becoming a community that reproduces spiritual leaders.

Thank you, Jesus for doing exactly what we asked in a way we would have never imagined.

Some pics of the weekend - to download the larger sizes, click on them. It will send you to my Flickr page where you can do that.

View From Our Balcony:

At the top of the mountain…

Eating in and eating out…

The Crew…