The family and I are at a retreat right now in Wisconsin. After brunch with some good pastor friends and their families, our family headed out to Wisconsin. For some reason the drive was really long. I don’t know how you feel about the online maps (Google Maps, Mapquest, etc) but for some reason they sometimes give you the worst directions.
This retreat is a gathering of close to 20 different churches in the Chicagoland area. I was telling the retreat participants that I did not want to go in the beginning. I knew that I was going to be tired from the Kenya trip and I wanted to spend time with my family.
But then Christina “rebuked” me or shall I say gently admonished me. She mentioned how spoiled I was growing up in one of the largest youth groups in Chicago when I was in high school. Also, when I became a youth pastor, I served in one of the largest youth groups in Chicago in the 90’s.
Christina on the other hand grew up in a small church which barely had a youth group. It is incredible how our experiences in life affect the way we make decisions.
After praying, I realized the opportunity to minister to so many people who will be future “world shakers and history makers.” So I said yes… under one condition – that my whole family would be able to come to the retreat with me. The retreat facilitators agreed… so we are all here at the retreat.
First night went fairly well as I interlaced my testimony in the passage – the students are receptive.
One thing I left the students with was – “If God can change a person like me, then He can change anyone – there is hope!”
1 Timothy 1:12-17