Wow this has taken me way too long but I wanted to write some reflections on our retreat this past semester! I'm so grateful for my first college retreat and just for a refreshing get-away weekend that was really focused on Him. It was also refreshing to just be off-campus for a bit aha, and helped me reset and appreciate campus more as I came back (which, BTW, I miss a lot right now). Also, so grateful for my RCF fam! :)
Before going on the retreat, I really prayed that it would be a time of growth in Him and that we would be focused on Him and not distracted by each other. I, of course, wanted to get to know my brothers and sisters better, but I prayed that I wouldn’t let this be the focus of the weekend (that I would be focused on Him more). I think God really taught me so much through the sermons and discussions that weekend and I was so encouraged by it all. And in general, I think it was a really fruitful time of growth in Him. I definitely, however, was reminded of how I might seek fulfillment in relationships and people as I felt quite empty one night on the retreat from focusing on my relationships with people (those instances when perhaps you want to get to know someone or be their friend more than they want to aha). I don’t want to delve too deep into that right now, but I feel super blessed by the ways God’s brought me more peace and wisdom in the context of relationships since the beginning of the semester and just college in general, and how He’s graced me with opportunities to serve and showed me how amazing it is to serve Him and show His love! :)
Here are some of the (main) take-aways I got from the retreat. :)
Who Are We Perhaps Thinking of as Our “Non-Neighbor?” God calls us to love everyone as our neighbor.
I really liked the message we heard on neighborly love. The Pastor asked us who we might have categorized as non-neighbors in our heads. Is it the homeless? Is it the person who it’s kind of awkward to talk to? Is it the people who are “different” from us at school?
God calls us to love everyone as our neighbor. I think searching myself and asking who I might be thinking of as “less” of a neighbor was really important.
Interact with others as if you are interacting with Jesus. Love and forgive as He did for us first.
I think another big takeaway message I got from the weekend was to look at every interaction we have with others as if we are interacting with Jesus. We are called to love and forgive as He did for us first. We wrong God in so many ways and yet He pursues and loves and forgives us. He doesn’t think “oh she’s awkward so I’m not going to talk to her”—and similarly, we should approach our interactions with others overflowing with His love, loving and forgiving as He did for us. God didn’t look at us and think oh “they’re non-neighbors,” even though we probably qualified in every way, and similarly, we’re called to love everyone as neighbors.
And neighborly love cost Jesus everything—meanwhile we often ask “how can I fit this into my schedule? How can I make this work for me? How can I do this without giving up too much?” "There is no costless neighbor love, no neighbor love that won’t take your time and energy." “The Son of God allowed His existence to be completely altered.” (Writing this right now, during this quarantine time, reminds me of all of His love in the world right now. Thank you to all who risk their lives to serve others. Thank you to everyone reaching out to others and giving their time and energy. Let’s continue to do so. :) Thank you God for this reminder to me right now.)
Cross-Cultural Love
Another really interesting conversation we had was about Christianity in different cultures. I thought it was really interesting since I hadn’t thought about it as much. I think one takeaway I liked was that we should embrace our own cultures; God created us the way we are for a reason. I also took away that we should make sure a Church does not only serve one culture necessarily. I also was touched by how the Pastor talked about when he went to a Church that was predominantly a different culture, he was taken away by their upbeat worship and just how joyful it all was, in comparison to some more somber Churches that focused more on repentance than joy in Christ. As I heard this, I realized this might be true and another reason to appreciate the gift of diversity that God has given us and how we can learn from each other as we come together to worship Him.
What do you value?
One point the Pastor made that weekend was about what we value. He said that oftentimes what we value is reflected in our schedule and budget. If someone says they value volunteering in their community, but this isn’t reflected in their schedule nor their budget, do they really live out what they say? I think this thought really hit me when I first heard it (and is hitting me again now). I realized that I valued and yearned to serve the local Philadelphia community—but did I really value it if it wasn’t reflected in my schedule? After retreat, I eagerly searched for ways to implement serving Philadelphia into my schedule. I applied for an organization that volunteers with local youth. Unfortunately, given the current coronavirus situation, this in-person volunteering will have to wait for now, but I think this is something that has been on my heart and when he said that comment it hit—praise God for the reminder.
Wow—there were so many other good points and reminders that weekend that I wrote down in my notes. I am going to briefly bullet point a couple more now (some food for thought, if you will, right from my notes yeee):
Focus on being more than doing. What’s more important than your to-do list is Jesus’ has done list. Get up in the morning and ask—“Who must I become today as someone so loved by God?”
We’re all in a spiritual debt so large to God that we could never repay, but yet He forgives us and saves us. The forgiveness we are called to show is the very forgiveness we have received. The beauty of the Gospel is yes, our debt must be paid, but He’s the one who pays, He takes that debt (powerful dang). Forgiveness is not excusing the sin/debt, it’s not holding it against them. When someone says “hey, I’m sorry I wronged you/I was wrong,” say “I forgive you” (rather than “It’s alright”). Confess your sins, repent, and start practicing forgiveness in event and process (I forgive you, and I continue to forgive you).
What would your way with people say about God’s way with people?
The Comfort of God’s Judgment - God will judge, the day will come.
When doing right, doing right to Jesus. When doing wrong, doing wrong to Jesus.
How you spend your days is how you spend your life.
Wow, I admit this has taken me too long to write. I’ve actually come back to this blog a couple of times, and sitting here now, finishing it up and rereading my notes and thoughts, I’m so encouraged. Thank you God for these reminders. And thank you God for the opportunity to go on this retreat and for just everyone who worked so hard to put it together and for the messages You spoke to us.
A sister of mine in RCF told me that one of her Pastors told her a piece of advice she loves and does. Why do we take notes? To look back at, no? She sets a reminder in her calendar to look back at her notes at least quarterly each year. Looking back at these notes right now was so refreshing and encouraging. So encouraging you to too! Would love to hear about your thoughts on this retreat, another retreat, an event you took notes at, or just something you learned in class one day! :) Maybe set a reminder in your calendar too (I've found putting something in my calendar actually can be so helpful heh). ;)
Praise God.
All for the glory of God.
With love,
Joyce
Bible verse foundation: “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 I remember changing my cover photo to a picture of my RCF fam after retreat, with this verse as the caption. I have truly never met a group of people as loving—who I love so much and who I can feel their love for me and everyone—and I’m reminded, over and over again, that it is because we love because He first loved us. Love you RCF fam, love you whoever you are reading this right now. :) Praise God. :) Let's continue to show His love. :)
P.S. Here’s a photo of some of ma lovely sisters from the retreat! :) So much love heh! <3
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