Saturday, May 27, 2006

Born for Battle


That was the theme of the Campus Crusade retreat we attended in Idaho last week. It was definitely a guy-thing, but it was quite an education for me! There was way too much to distill into this blog, but I'll try to relay a few highlights:
1) There's a difference between being transparent and being authentic. Transparent people are open about their weaknesses (like Bill Clinton), authentic people admit their struggles--and then ask for help.
2)That it's easier for me to be authentic with people I don't go to church with . . .
3)That pornography actually causes a chemical re-wiring of the brain. And that God can heal the damage done. Check out www.purewarrior.org.
4)If we aren't loved by God in solitude, we are on the prowl for ways to get others to meet our needs. "LET HIM WHO CANNOT BE ALONE BEWARE OF COMMUNITY." Bonhoeffer
5)That I LOVE working with (and learning from) college students!!!!!
6)That ministry can quickly become a mistress and that we need to fight for our marriages.
7)That Greg and I need friends. The blessing of community became abundantly clear to us this week.
8)And finally--Baptism rocks! Well, I already knew that, but the retreat ended with 3 guys getting baptized in Payette Lake and I couldn't stop weeping. As the last young man came up from the icy water, someone shouted "Born for Battle!" and all the guys joined in, hugging and crying together for all the world to see.
The Kingdom of darkness took a hit that day, for sure!