Grace Student Retreats = Countless Memories
On January 26th-28th Grace Students is hosting the Imago Dei Student Retreat at Doe River Gorge. To give GFC some insight into what a retreat experience is like we asked a few students to submit their thoughts for our blog. Enjoy this post from Grace Student, Sarah Taylor.
There is nothing quite like waking up in the early hours of the morning, getting ready in five minutes, and walking with your friends to a morning worship service. You can see the cloudiness fade from your peers as they begin their day by lifting their voices to praise God. This same sense of camaraderie and commitment is felt throughout any Grace Fellowship student trip. Speaking from personal experience, nothing bonds students quite like worshiping, studying the bible, and spending an entire week or weekend with each other. Through these trips, countless memories are made.
Until the day I die, I will remember the time the entire youth group sprinted in torrential rain from the church we were staying to a nearby Sonic. Kids were using the hoods of their jackets to dump water on each other, but everyone was so soaked that it had little effect. That night, everyone smiled and talked as they sat drying. The friends I bonded with then are to this day some of my closest friends. Without the church and church trips, I would not have the close friends I am so thankful for today, the type of friends who are willing to help me grow and to grow alongside me.
I vividly remember going on a retreat as a student who was deeply struggling in her faith. I went because my friends were going and my parents wanted me to, but I had no idea that I would learn something that would affect my whole outlook on religion and life. Even as I attempted to zone out the preacher, his words still struck me exactly where God knew I was struggling. That night I gained a new understanding of the God who saves, an understanding that, despite growing up in the church, I lacked. Without that particular retreat experience, I would without a doubt not be where I am spiritually today. Overall, Grace Student trips have helped me bond to my fellow students, make quality friendships that have stood the test of time, and grow deeply in my faith.
Sarah Taylor, Grace Student
