Monday, May 02, 2005

Summit 2005

Summit 2005

We just got back from my first sr. hi retreat as director. Wow, it was great. We went to Kenbrook Campground, (in Lebanon, PA…not sure if we’ll ever go back again, because they charge for every extra thing) and had a blast.

The students showed me Christ through their attitudes and the way they treated each other. The adults showed me the love of Christ in the way they looked out for those students who were on the fringe.

It was a good weekend to get away too. Had fun kayaking (Adam Holtzapple took a spill and Ryan and Bryce went down a hill), eating, watching Napoleon Dynamite, telling tales of the seniors, laughing with each other, singing to our Maker, crying with each other, processing God’s truth together, wrestling in the hall, doing ropes initiatives inside, getting frustrated together and working it out, watching God work through his people…

The personal meditation times were actually helpful for me too. I didn’t expect it, since normally the leader seems so distracted by stuff to get done, but I received fresh realizations of God’s enduring love during the silence. The first session was based out of Psalm 136, which has the repeated refrain, “His love endures forever.” And we were to write out events in our lives followed by the same refrain. And as I wrote out the high times and tough times in my life, writing the refrain caused me to be baffled by God’s overwhelming presence through it all. In all the events of my life, God’s love has endured. In my grief with Aubrey, his love has endured. In my joys of ministry, God’s love has endured. Every step of my life is balanced with God’s love.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Josh!
Wanted to tell you thanks for coming to my game and supporting me. We ended up winning 1-0. yessss.
i also wanted to thank you for this weekend and not "showing" me what i should have done with the brittney situation but getting me to think about it and in the end, making the right decision. i'm glad that we both worked things out with one another so now we can focus on getting to know each other a little bit more before judging. the compassion you show for people, whether you get a long with them or not, amazes me day in and day out. thanks for being not only an awesome role model and pastor but a great listener, especially when i needed it. :-)
yes that is coldplay playing on my xanga...how weird is that that you were wearing a coldplay t-shirt!? whoa..
okay well i have to get ready for another soccer game. who-ra. lol. i'll see you tomorrow night, maybe. if not have a great week and i will see you this weekend.
peace
love
and
in jesus
x__kylie