Retreat

This upcoming weekend, from February 28th-March 2nd, 112 teens and young adults will be attending our annual Year 2 Confirmation Retreat. It is one of our most impactful events of the year and we would all love your prayers throughout your weekend!

I am blessed to be a part of this retreat every year, and usually it is during our Lenten Season, which feels appropriate. We go away from the world, just like Jesus did, to gain clarity and encouragement regarding God’s will and His infinite love for us.
I know a lot of us are unable to attend personal retreats throughout the year. It’s hard to create time to attend a full weekend due to our busyness (although, I do strongly recommend going to an annual retreat). Luckily for us though, Lent is intended to be a retreat-like experience and everyone is invited to follow the footsteps of our Lord. Lent is a retreat.

The Y2 retreat weekend involves fasting (from phones, mostly), almsgiving (our leaders devote so much time to the teens), and definitely prayer. While it may not feel like the “real world” at the retreat, it is intended to help the retreatants to invite God into every aspect in their lives post- retreat. It is to help them to see that their God loves them immensely, and that truth doesn’t go away when a retreat ends. Retreats make reality more clear; you are God’s beloved.
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What is Lent? It is quite similar. Yes, we are following the footsteps of Jesus, but it is not intended to stop there. The Lenten season’s main goal is for us to realize that God would do anything for you, because he loves you. That truth really sticks out during Lent, and hopefully that truth doesn’t stay only within that season. Hopefully Lent, with all its almsgiving, fasting and prayer, is a retreat for you to encounter Jesus, and heed his call for you, in discipleship. 

As the teens are off at the retreat center in Ojai, please keep them in your prayers. Pray that they truly encounter God, in whatever small or big ways, and that they
become convinced through this encounter. Convinced that Jesus is
Lord, and it is an honor to be His disciple.

God Bless,

​Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister 

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