Today’s blog is written by Lili Galvez. Lili is a high school junior who loves serving through worship in our StudentLife and KidsPoint environments.
As a student I love learning more about Jesus, engaging in worship, participating in games, and spending quality time with friends. Episode was an amazing youth retreat that allowed opportunities for students to grow in fellowship together.
Our ride to North Carolina was such a blast because most of the time we cranked up the radio and sang along to just about any song. I also loved this part of the trip because I got a chance to reconnect with friends who have moved away.
Our first session opened up with a few games to earn points for our team. Many students from our church participated and made an impact in this year’s competition. After the games, we moved on to worship. The band this year was great, and they included many songs we sing at First Wednesday, like Every Beat! Besides the sessions and worship, there was a variety of fun activities to do while we stayed there; such as arts and crafts. On the second day of camp, we were given free time for a few hours. A group of us decided to play a game of volleyball. When we first started playing, I felt extremely insecure. However, throughout the game, my attitude changed knowing my friends and leaders were playing right by my side and were cheering me on. Episode has that much of an effect on us by bringing small groups closer.
One night, my small group began opening up about some of the challenges they had been struggling with that I had never known. In a way, we all have similar stories and that is when I knew it was a night of breakthrough. The theme of Episode was to be Set Apart. A quote that helped me put this in perspective was, “God wants to set you apart because He wants to elevate you above a common life.”
It is easy to give into the societal pressures of this world, but we must accept that we are called to be different from everyone else. There are times I feel left out by others, but then I am reminded that I have a home group and leaders who teach us to embrace our identity in Christ. I cannot even begin to express how important community is. Church retreats like Episode, build character, trust, relationships, and confidence in the Lord. Whether you are a grandparent, a parent, or a student, I highly suggest visiting StudentLife and joining us for future trips.