Rock Your Soul

This weekend was exactly what I needed. The Back 2 School Retreat was one of the most amazing experiences I have had all year, and I can already tell how much I have been affected by what all went on this weekend. I remember how much I was impressed last year, and was a little skeptical about how this was going to live up to its awesome reputation. I remember all the passion and the love that flowed out on Saturday night last year, and how much I could feel the spirit moving in me.

Got to Joe’s with Becca around 7:30 on Friday night, and we hung out there with everybody for a while before heading over to church. First big surprise of the weekend; Ross was there. I haven’t seen Ross at Fusion (our church youth ministry) in such a long time. He’s always been someone I knew but didn’t really known, and I absolutely ADORE his mother, but I’ve never really spent a lot of time with him, and it was so cool to see him at church.

I was expecting a pump up service and a short message from Dan on Friday night, so I went into the service more excited about going back to Joe’s house than staying for an hour or so. Second surprise of the weekend. Ken Freeman and Nick Thurmond rocked my soul. I can’t even explain how moved I was that night. Hearing Nick sing was one of the most indescribable experiences of my entire life. I was so touched by his music and God’s spirit moving in me that I was moved to tears more than once before Ken Freeman even began to speak. Alright, so this wasn’t going to be just a short worship session, message, and go home deal. I could handle that.

Ken Freeman scared me at first. He was bold, he was loud, and he was really into what he was talking about. This year’s goal is evangelism; something that really related to my life. God certainly knows what I need and has an uncanny knack for getting me back to Him, always.

“Stand ready to help me, for I have chosen to follow your commandments. O Lord, I have longed for your salvation, and your law is my delight. Let me live so I can praise you, and may your laws sustain me. I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commandments. Psalm 119:173-176 “

That has been my soul’s prayer for so long that I had begun to ignore the starving cries of my own heart. Ken Freeman’s message touched me, and his shocking and slightly disturbing way of speaking; his blunt admissions of death and hell, shocked me and most of all made me think. I’ve been so lost in this world that I have been ignoring the people who are broken, my best friends who are paralyzed, and I was walking through life ignoring their silent cries. As the service slowed and 5 – 6 people accepted Christ that night, the high school students were invited to come bow at the stage and pray as Nick was singing. I can’t even begin to imagine the passion and emotion that flowed through me at that moment. As I knelt at the foot of the stage, God’s arms wrapped around my heart and he truly rocked my soul. I sat there for about ten minutes just crying and being moved by Him. It’s an experience I won’t ever be able to forget, and my soul felt so light after that.

Joyful and clean. That’s the best way to describe how I felt after we left the church that night. The rest of the weekend was exactly as I expected it, a time of fun and joy and never ending passion for Christ. But I still can’t get over just how much I was moved Friday night. Our God truly is a God that fights for his children, and never gives up.

1 comment September 8, 2008