Go Away!

I'm sharing a quick blog post on some obvious thoughts, but they are still beautiful things to see happen in youth ministry. Getting away for one of my first retreats this weekend was a reminder of how important these sorts of impact-filled events are in young lives...in adult leaders' lives...in my life. You tend to see God do some things you don't often get to see from day to day. It's about getting out of the routine. A break with reality in some ways even as you embrace what reality should be: a small taste of, a slice of heaven on earth.

Although a small Youth Council Retreat with just five young people ranging from 7th graders to 10th graders to one Senior, these five youth and one other adult leader are even more dear to my heart than they were before. More importantly, I hope they are more aware of how dear they are to the heart of God and are drawing closer to God.

From the process of working on a vision statement and brainstorming ideas...to simple worship led by a young man and myself with a couple guitars...to walks around beautiful Mount Eagle Retreat Center...to watching young people care for and play with one another...to a slap happy late night with bad British accents! It's all a thing of beauty and God getting a hold of hearts.

I am so blessed...so lucky to have spent this weekend with these five. I am also so blessed that, in a way, my ministry began here back in October when I interviewed and the biggest chunk of my interview was spending time with so many young people at a Fall Retreat. To start off by seeing what God does when we get away with youth has been amazing and I look forward to the amazing journey of what is to come through Conference Retreats, Missions Camps, and more.

And yet a word of both caution and encouragement. We were never meant to live solely on the mountaintop experiences. Too often we struggle with getting back to the day-to-day because the view is so incredible up there and some of the mess that our lives can be or get into are just plain painful, humdrum, and blah. "I'd rather stay here" or "I wish we were back there" are often uttered when it comes to a return to "real life." The amazing analogy of nature is that sure the mountaintop experiences can take our breath away--perhaps due to  less oxygen at higher altitudes! The truth of the matter is above the treeline on mountains, it does get harder to breathe and almost impossible to live there. Mountaintop experiences do help us--often in awe--to see the forest for the trees. But it is in the valley where we most often must live. The beauty part of this is that while we may be parched and thirsty in this wilderness of life, when it rains, the valley fills first!

What a life though to both get away sometimes and just do life with and be there for young people. God bless teenagers! I strive so often to assist God in the business of changing young lives, and all too often, instead I see God change my life through them.