RETREAT

Just got done with a Labor Day retreat! We had 22 students and 3-5 leaders (depending on the day). The kids experienced team building, surf lessons, sand castle contests, camping at Volcano, communion, hiking and jumping off towers into the ocean. It was a lot of fun, and a great way for the kids to hang out for 3 days. However, I was talking with one of the girls as she was about to go home and she mentioned that retreats are great, but it's getting back into "real life", that's hard. She seems to get spiritually "high" and then anticipates the great fall at the end. Can you relate to her?

A few days ago, I was having a phone conversation with a friend, Ali Lantz. I was explaining this situation of students getting "spiritually on fire" at retreats, camps, trips, etc. and then just crashing hard once they get back into real life. She shared that retreats, camps, trips are all opportunities to gain new perspectives on life. These opportunities do not signify growth, but opportunities for perspective changes. It's the "real life" and what you do in the day to day routine that signifies spiritual growth and change.  Hmmm food for thought.