Hi, my name is Nicole and I am an individual who was not brought up in the Christian faith. I did not go on retreats through religious institutions as a child. It was not a natural part of life for me. Therefore, as a person in my mid-20s, and struggling to find myself, this was my first experience. I have been a Christian for five years now, and I have been coming to grasps with what it means to be a Christian. I felt that I was ready to go on the Young Adult Winter Trip.
When I think of a retreat or “getting away” from the daily stressors of life, I do not think about reflecting on my life. I do not think how internalizing my characteristics and discovering ways of improving myself can make the world a slightly more loving place. Working on ourselves can seem like a draining process. However, when we came together on this trip, with like-minded individuals who are all in the same boat, it created an energized social setting! I also am introverted and was worried about feeling drained being around so many people for an entire weekend. Instead, I felt at peace because we were not focusing on our status or boasting. Instead, we concentrated on God’s love. In life, we are so consumed by surviving that it can be very challenging to find the joy that comes from God.
Often when we are done with our daily activities, the last thing that we want to do is “work” more when reading the Bible or praying to God. But when we shift our perspective and see God as a source of light, we begin to realize that God holds us together in an unsteady world. I believe going on a trip with people in the same stage of life and who have the same idea (that we want to retreat from the outside world) allowed people to be more authentic. On the retreat, I discovered new details about people that I knew and others I had never met. I realized that we are all more alike than the world or the evil-one would like us to admit.
It is honestly challenging to find a place in the world where you feel like you belong, especially since we live in a competitive world with limited resources. Being in an environment, like the Young Adults Winter Trip, can help us disengage from the harsh realities in life and open our hearts in ways we often close during our daily lives to survive. It is when we begin to recognize that loving others is strong and not weak, we can activate a community that is for people, and not against. Trips like this give hope that is not commonly offered in life. Hope – what a remarkable way to start the year!
YAWT 2019
Check out these photos from last year's Winter Trip.
