Picture this. You’re standing on a cabin porch overlooking a field, surrounded by yellowing trees and clear blue skies. You see middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students, and adults reading God’s Word, reflecting on the same passages and prayers. Prayers are read together in devotion.

“God, I want to know you more but don’t know how…”

“Lord, I struggle with caring more about what other people think of me than what you think of me…”

We read Psalm 25, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, and 1 John 4 and our thoughts are guided towards God’s goodness and love for us, grounding ourselves in truth. After devotional time, we play, explore, and ask each other questions. This is the beauty of retreats: unique time, intentionally structured for our students and leaders to simply be together in God’s creation, worshiping him, listening to his Word, together. Free from the distractions of screens, the looming deadlines of homework, and outside expectations, we’re allowed to focus on the Lord and the image-bearers around us.

I don’t say all of this to romanticize the time we had together. It is still a middle school camp wrought with exhausted people who say and do silly (and even mean) things. However, it is in and through this brokenness where we bring to light what is wrong, extend grace and forgiveness, and realize all we are able (and get) to do is rest in the finished (but ongoing) work of our Savior.

At the end of the day on Saturday, we opened the floor to a time of affirmations. As the people of God, we are called to name and celebrate that which is good, beautiful, and true (Phil. 4:8; 1 Thess. 5:11). It is the most powerful thing to have the image of God named and affirmed in you. It is so important to recognize the power of words to not only tear down, but also lift up (Prov. 18:20-21)! As image-bearers indwelled by the Spirit, we have in us the power to heal and encourage life in one another.

I wish I had the time and space to share with all of you the many sweet things the students shared about one another – and the leaders! Thanks be to God that we attend a church where we are able to go to beautiful camps with our brothers and sisters in Christ and freely worship our Creator! What a gift.