The title of this blog is an exclamation of a student when hanging in a cabin one night and is the prayer of all the chaperones and some students. So many significant conversations took place at or on the way to and from the Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center (WCRC).

 

Like last year, we stopped at Faith Landmark Ministries on the way down to hang with the Solid Rock Youth Ministry Team who challenged us with some great team building activities and another “Fire Five”–Taking Hostage of Thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5-7), Work Ethic (Matthew 19:26), No Cliques, Digital Detox, and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (Proverbs 18:21). Our experience with them is so great that it’s one of the key factors when we consider whether we should return to WCRC.

 

Our time at WCRC was packed with six hours in the woods swinging from trees and all sorts of sessions–sessions with SMCA alum Jason Garner, sessions regarding purity, and sessions stressing the importance of daily Bible reading. Jason graduated from SMCA in 1997, married Trisha McGraw in the SMCA chapel in 2000, and became the youth pastor of New Manna Baptist Church in 2004 where he serves now. He was thrilled to speak at all three chapel sessions [“Eyeing Egypt” (Hebrews 11:23-27), “2nd Chances” (Isaiah 55:7 and Jonah 3:1-10), and “Battling Anxiety“ (Matthew 6:25-34 and Psalms 13:1-6)] for our retreat, which was the same annual retreat that God used in his life over 25 years ago!

 

Our purity sessions were filled with learning God’s truth and design for our young men and women. Our school nurse, Louise Huffer, who also serves as a clinic nurse for Care Net, joined us just for Thursday evening to share with the ladies while Kibwe Owens took the lead in sharing with the young men. Other chaperones shared their stories, pleaded with the youth to make wise decisions, and planted seeds. In an attempt to encourage consistent time in the Word, Jennifer George walked through a recipe for quiet time each morning–RREAP–Read, Review, Evaluate, Apply & Pray. When we returned to school, students gathered in their small groups to make commitments that they signed, and then followed up with them the following Wednesday morning during discipleship groups. 

 

God did a mighty work in our students and teachers over these three days. Our prayer is that He will use the 85 who attended the retreat to impact the world for His kingdom. Jesus used 12 to turn the world upside down. Wonder what He could do with 85?! #wearethe85 #70times7