I think we all can agree that starting off a new school year can be tough. Fall sports are starting to train and practice again, extracurricular activities are just flooding your life, and homework and tests keep your mind occupied all the time. I personally get flooded with all of the activities and groups I've committed to, barely spending any time at my own home or even by myself. So with all these tasks that I am constantly doing, sometimes it seems like taking time off is the last thing I should be doing, with everything I could be practicing or preparing for. But my friends and my parents really encouraged me to slow down, so I decided to sign up for the D Group Fall Retreat. So a few weeks ago, forty or so other students and myself went on the retreat, and I don’t think I could’ve spent my time any better.
The first thing that everyone probably thinks about when going on a retreat is “What are we gonna do for fun?” When we pulled up to The Ark Christian Ministries, we could see all the stuff we were gonna do. Paintball, basketball, axe throwing, high ropes, swimming pools— a multitude of activities for us to do. I personally participated in paintball and swimming, a nice break from the concerns and stresses we deal with in everyday life. And sitting down for the first sermon, I think that was what was on a lot of our hearts.
The main topic that we were discussing was just taking time to listen to God and hear what he has to say in our lives. Even though we say we are going to spend time with God, or really want to, the biggest obstacle to that is the distractions we get from our phones, our schoolwork, our friends, our jobs, etc. and etc. So in the midst of a brand new school year where everything is beginning to ramp up, taking a small trip to remind ourselves what is really important was super beneficial. We were able to take time by ourselves to just read the Bible, pray, and listen to God. We can get so wrapped up in our worldly troubles that we start to lose focus of what we should be working towards and who we should be staying connected to. I know that I had a tremendously good time at the D Group Fall Retreat, and I can’t wait to see how it will affect my daily life.
-Carter Shaw, high school student & intern