Retreat.

Spring Retreat. Fall Retreat. 2 things that I look forward to every single year. This coming weekend we are loading up for our fall retreat and I am SO excited! I have had my packing list for about a week now.   I have talked about this before but I can't stress enough on how important retreats with your college ministry are. Maybe you haven't ever been on one and you are curious to what all goes on during the weekend. So I am going to share with you what we usually do and I am assuming (I could be wrong) this is somewhat similar to most college ministry retreats.   **Before you even get on the bus do this...log out of all of your social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even your email) I have made this mistake in the past and it is something I am definitely going to do this weekend. You are going on this retreat to get away and focus on God and sorry sista friend but you can't do that refreshing your Instagram feed every hour. Lesson learned.**   Okay where were we... Friday: You load up on a church bus with everyone else and depending on how far away you are going usually depends on the time you leave and the length of time you are on the bus. Some might think the bus is the most awkward part but my thoughts on this...it's only awkward if you make awkward!!!! Just make small talk with the person you are sitting beside. you get there and y'all unload and you head to your cabin to put your bags away...walk to the cabin with someone and talk to them...this is building relationships with your sisters in Christ and just remember if this isn't their first retreat then they too have been on a retreat where it was their first time and they were probably just as nervous as you. After you unload y'all might eat dinner or if you stopped on the way then you will probably play games of go straight into your first devotional (devo) and singing for the night. Enjoy this time, enjoy the singing, most importantly enjoy the lesson. Really listen and pay attention. Oh and go to bed late. Don't be a granny like I was on the last retreat and go to bed early because you have to wake up early...you are YOUNG enjoy yourself while you can. So stay up later than you usually do and play those games with everyone else.   Saturday: Wake up and head to breakfast. Sit with someone you know at breakfast so you can talk with them and the people they are talking to. This will get you better aquainted with other people on the retreat. Again building relationships. After breakfast you will probably have your second lesson of the retreat. Y'all might even break up into girls and guy classes. This is a great way for you to be able to open up and hopefully feel a little more comfortable with just the girls. Lunch should be coming up soon, try and sit with someone new so you can get to know more people. Usually after lunch there is free time to do whatever, play Frisbee, talk with the girls, take a shower if you didn't get to that morning. Remember stay off your phone..unless you are using your Bible app :) After a few hours of free time it's around dinner time, again eat with someone new. and then after dinner you will have your third or fourth devo and singing and usually some more games.   Sunday: Wake up and head to breakfast. Are you sitting with someone new? Or maybe you have made some friends that you want to sit with again. You should have your regular church service....just not at church, ha! After that, depending on how far away you are from home, you might load up and leave soon after the service.   The bus ride at home shouldn't be as bad because you have built relationships with different people. and there you have it! Seriously if you are thinking about going on the fall retreat with you college group, just go!! Maybe you have been attending a few events with your college group but you just don't feel like it's clicking or you don't feel apart of the group well this is THE perfect weekend to get to know everyone!! You are usually miles away from your dorm/apartment/home. I guarantee you, you won't regret it. If you do you can blame me but I am almost positive you will have a great time!!   and in honor of fall retreat coming up this weekend... Fall retreat last year- 2012- Camp Discovery



 

Spring retreat last year- 2012- Mississippi 

The girls cabin

         

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Retreat.