Youth Weekend Away

Last weekend, the youth group went away for their second retreat together to Cilcoed. We took even more youth away than on the Alpha weekend which was wonderful. The theme was Easter and for each session we looked at a station of the Cross.

I chose to do a joint session with Ellie on identity. We looked at the point at which Jesus is stripped of his clothes and is mocked, i.e. he has nothing and no one. I talked about how it would have been easy for Jesus to find his identity in His circumstance at that point and conclude that He was nothing and then shared my own testimony about my self esteem issues. I outed myself as a former self-harmer which was difficult as much as I didn't want to, I started to cry at the beginning of my talk, but God even used that to reach the youth, but as always with my talks God came through and I knew after that it wasn't me doing the talking but Him, which is undoubtubly much better!

Ellie talked about how Jesus is stripped and how in order to find our true identity in God this is necessary. I found this challenging and have been reading a book called 'The Irresistable Revolution' since the weekend which has made me see being a Christian in a totally different way and left me wanting to "strip myself".

The weekend captured the true essence of fellowship, the youth acted like the Church should in using each other to share their weaknesses, become vunerable and support each other. It was truely moving to watch these wonderful people so hungry for God.

On the last morning we had a "service" with worship led by the band that has been formed in the youth group, Paul's testimony [in a way I've never heard it told before], worship in the form of their own pslams being read aloud and sharing testimonys. All of which took courage; vunerability; and most of stripping of pride, fears, etc, but for the sake of God and His Church they did it!