Despite record low amounts of snow all over Colorado, the Senior High Youth group had a blast tearing up the icy slopes during our Winter Retreat to Winter Park, Colorado, December 30th – January 2nd. After celebrating Christmas for a week with my wife and her family in Arrowhead, Colorado, I met the students in Winter Park the afternoon of the 30th. After years of being asked if we would ever do a ski trip for our annual Winter Retreat, the day had finally arrived that our students had long hoped would become a reality. The lack of snow in Colorado throughout the month of December left me concerned we would even be able to ski–especially considering other well-known Colorado resorts had shut down or at least closed over 50% of their trails. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to solicit parents and students for prayer that the Lord would provide snow. After all, the main reason you take the long trek all the way out west to ski is for the fresh powder, right?
Snow or not, it was a joy just to see the excitement and enthusiasm from the students as they stepped off the bus into the cool, crisp Colorado air after a long day of traveling. We spent the first day getting acquainted with the resort, breaking in the 50-person hot tub, getting our rentals and lift tickets, assigning rooms, and meeting for our first time of worship.
After spending the Fall semester unpacking the book of Hebrews and spending a considerable amount of that time in chapter 11, known as the Hall of Faith chapter for it’s detailed mention of many of the Old Testament heroes of faith, I decided it might be best to pick up where the author of Hebrews left off, and detail some other heroes of the faith in scripture that exemplify to believers what it means to live by faith. “By Faith” would be our theme for the retreat. We spent 3 worship meetings looking closely at the journey of faith David was put on, the struggle of faith Thomas suffered, and the object of faith that Jesus became for Peter.
Our time in Colorado would actually end up providing practical application for our “by faith” theme as we were forced to rely on the Lord for good weather, protection on the slick slopes, and kind relationships, for our students to grow closer to Jesus and to each other.
