From a Christian Girl's Perspective

My Retreat Experience

Last May 7-8, we had a two-day retreat called Victory Weekend together with other church members who finished their One2One where we tackled different topics and got baptized.  If your church has a retreat like that, GO JOIN. I swear it is life-changing.

When I woke up in the morning of May 7, I felt like not going at all because despite how excited I had been about it days before,  I just wasn't feeling it. But anyway, I still went.

I made friends with people I wasn't comfortable with before and we tackled different topics. These topics changed my perspective on the world,  on myself and most of all, on God.

Before lunch time, we sang the song "Pour Us Out" and our pastor said we were going to experience tongues of fire. I sang with all my heart and I prepared my hanky because I knew I would be tearing up. I lifted my hands before the Lord and closed my eyes to avoid distractions. (BTW, accdg. to our pastor, the benefit of speaking tongues of fire helps you pray when you do not know what to pray. It's not necessary to be with othe people when you experience it, you could just be in your room and just let the Holy Spirit speak through you)

After the chorus, I started experiencing manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The venue felt really cold to the point that I was shivering. My hands were sweating and my jaw began trembling and some weird sound began coming out of my mouth.  The trembling was so fast, and I was SPEAKING IN TONGUES! It was more like a shrill and I uttered a few words I don't understand but I just knew it was God.I started tearing up and that's when I realized that the Holy Spirit was actually speaking through me and I didn't even understand the sound. My hands, which I lifted before the Lord, was lifted higher without me intending them to. Some people around me were speaking in tongues as well and the sound of our voices, though speaking in different foreign languages, were synchronized: they minimized and maximized together. The emotion I had at that moment was unexplainable. I couldn't think of a word for it.

I also had in my mind the picture of a boat on a body of water and it was in a very remote place. The next scene showed this: people there who were rallying and they were very sinful. They carried these slogans which showed the sins they committed as if they were implying that  these sins were okay although biblically, these were wrong. But they were discipled and they were so on fire that they felt God's presence. Their lives were changed and they loved God so much that they overcame their struggles. The next scene showed these people who were now in white and were floating over the clouds. They were saved!

Honestly, I only got to realize it all when I got home.

This statement kept running through my head: "More of you Jesus, less of me."

We also watched the video of Jesus dying on the cross and listened to a talk about it. It was only then that I realized what Jesus had done for me. Too often, we forget its significance but I hope we all get to realize how Christ died for us. He suffered everything as a human. He felt the pain. Imagine your body experiencing what Jesus had gone through at the cross for us. Christ, thank You!

Another experience which had an impact on me was the talk about purity (male and female were separated). It was so amazing, every girl should hear about it. When our pastor's wife started this prayer, it was so moving, the Holy Spirit was speaking through her. After that, God made me firm with the decision of staying pure and finding satisfaction on Him alone. God is so amazing! Hallelujah!

The last part of the first day of the retreat was counselling. We were each assigned to a person we could release everything to. I shared my problems and I was crying. I realized I had been carrying so many baggages I never knew existed but made me miserable. The person I was talking to (who is like a sister to me) spoke the words I knew were guided by the Holy Spirit because it changed the way I see things! It was such a freeing moment for me! God is just unfathomable and His ways are so amazing!

I went home praising and so euphoric. I was praying that God wil continue to set my heart on fire for Him all the days of my life! I got home feeling awesome!

The next day was a Sunday and after church we went on with our 2nd day of retreat. We tackled some topics and something that really struck me was this thing I learned: Faith is not a feeling, faith is a condition.  A condition wherein you believe that no matter what happens, whether God answers your prayers or not,whether you get rich or get poor,  you will still have security because you know that He is there no matter what circumstance you may go through.

After that, I got baptized! Christ, you deserve to be recognized! You died for me and I am proud that my only key to salvation is You!

The entire experience WAS BEYOND AWESOME. All the miracles that happened in the bible can still happen today because our God is the same God Peter, John, David, Solomon, Jacob, Joseph and all the bible characters encountered! He is constant, He doesn't change. He is amazing and He is alive. He loves us so much that no one could ever give us the same love He has for us. He is in our hearts and you have to know that He is alive in you!  He is within You at this very moment and He loves you more than you will ever know. Think less of yourself, think of God more. We live because of Him and everything is about Him! We praise you Lord!