Weekend retreat and 1st day of lectures!

Hey!

Last weekend we went with our Frontiers group and spent a couple nights in the mountains. It was soooo beautiful and there was great weather. The first day we shared testimonies and focused on 4 main aspects: 

1. Challenges we've faced

2. Greatest and most important moments/times with God

3. Passions and talents

4. Why we chose to go on this DTS and what are our goals and expectations for this time

It was really a powerful time because our group was very honest and open. There were many sad tears and happy tears in hearing and telling our stories. Despite the challenges that we heard from people's stories, it was really awesome to see how God has used that to bring good. Many of the challenges in people's lives, and mine as well, have lead to the greatest moments and growth we have had with God.

God has been showing me a ton through all of this. I think a big lesson that God has been teaching me, especially through the weekend, is just to see people in the way that God sees us. Also, to really remember that I have NO idea what someone has been through, and I should not make any judgments or assumptions about them. People shared very painful and surprising stories, and I just would never guess they had been through that. My daddy always emphasized that I must treat people with love and respect and how I would want to be treated. So simple and something I have always known, but hadn't always lived out as I should. I think this environment, with living with so many different people from different backgrounds and cultures, will teach me to see everyone more in the eyes of how God views us, with love and compassion and care for them. 

Anyway, that's just one tidbit of what God has been doing in my heart. 

He has also been revealing to me just how powerful prayer is. I unfortunately, have slowly allowed myself to forget how real and powerful God really is. Its awful to say, but I think through being honest with myself about that, God can start to really change my heart. It has been really encouraging to hear so many people's stories of how God has been faithful and answered prayer. It was also really cool to see how God has spoken to them through prayer (not necessarily verbal, but in other ways, such as pictures or words, etc). I just have been getting this sense of how much I need to really LISTEN and WAIT on God for direction and in all aspects of my life. I am sure I have missed many opportunities when God has been speaking to me or leading me in a certain direction, and that sucks, but I want to change that. I want to really learn to hear God's voice more and not forget to include him in big decisions and even small things in my life. It is cool though, to see that God has already been growing me in that area, because going on this mission trip was really a process of me waiting on God and allowing Him to lead. I honestly have been praying about doing something like this for almost all of high school. There were so many times during this process, when I was SO close to turning back on all of it and ignoring where God was leading me. I thankfully have listened, and really believe that God wants me to spend this time here. 

Anyway, sorry this is very long but it is very exciting to me. Its also cool to look around and see that God is really moving and changing the hearts of the people around me too. 

Oh ya, the first day of lectures were today and that was really great. This week's focus is on the Character and Nature of God. I took many notes, and will try and update you more as the week goes on and I learn more and more from the lectures.

God is doing great things here :)

I want to give some prayer requests though please if you could remember to pray for:

There has been a lot of information and the schedules have for the most part been very non-stop. I was talking with many of the girls, and we just got an awful feeling of being very overwhelmed with everything. Everyone, especially tonight, seemed soooo exhausted and stressed. Because there is such a lack of free time, if you could just pray to learn a good balance of our time and energy. Also, renewed energy and strength. I have already found myself having to drink some coffee tonight to pay attention during a bible study. So that's not good. This next one is soooo important. Pretty much every girl in our group got a feeling of some demonic force working against them today and especially tonight. I know for me even, I got super anxious and negative and scared and wanted to go to sleep just so I wouldn't feel that anymore. Many felt the same, and some more serious than others. However, we all had a great prayer time and really felt God's presence after. This is such a place for growth in God and the devil hates and fears what is going on here. So if you could pray for protection against any spiritual warfare during this time.

Thank you soooooooooooooooo much. Your prayer means sooo much to me and the girls here. 

Sorry that this is so incredibly long! I love you all and will try and update again when I can. I had pictures I was going to post from the weekend but they won't load :(