Winter Retreat Wonder

One of the highlights of my year, every year, is our Winter Retreat at the beginning of the spring semester. We take all of our students from every FOCUS campus across DFW down to a retreat center for a long weekend of deep dives into Scripture, bonding, powerful worship, and plenty of time for students to have fun and connect with one another.

When I was a student, these Winter Retreats felt like mountaintop experiences where I encountered God in ways I normally wouldn’t throughout the year. Now, after 10 years of attending them—and 10 years of following God outside of those big camp highs—going to a retreat feels a bit different. I still get to encounter God there, but often in a different way.

I get to join God in marveling at the good work He is doing in these students’ lives. I feel like I get to delight alongside Him when, during worship, our students are jumping up and down, running around the sanctuary, almost forming a mosh pit, and continuing to sing even after the worship team finishes the song. I get to join God in witnessing sweet moments, like when shy or socially challenged students say, “Why does everyone keep inviting me to join them all the time? I’ve never experienced that before.” I get to watch students who were timid freshmen just a couple of years ago now ministering to this year’s freshmen in the small groups they lead, especially during a night of lament.

I could go on and on and still wouldn’t be able to encapsulate all the ways God was moving at this retreat. It’s a palpable experience, to say the least. It reminds me why I do campus ministry. This retreat was just a glimpse of the thousands of students who are hungry to know Jesus—students who simply need an opportunity to encounter Him for that hunger to ignite into a fire that transforms those around them.

Thank you for being part of that journey for these students and for making things like this retreat possible!