CSF: Fall Retreat!

As the school year gets underway and grumbling begins to occur in the pits of UIS, a light shines through the murky waters of studies. FALL RETREAT. Its a time for students to refocus themselves on God and to get away from school work for a weekend. It is also a time for community and being intentional with one another. It lasts from Friday to Sunday and is filled with a guest speaker (this year was Shane Taylor), team building games, nights of testimony around the campfire, free time to spend in community and with God, small group questions, great food (thank you Dillings!) and worship. There were over 40 students attending this year which is one of the largest years + three baptisms! Sophomore Allison Duncan, one of the ladies who was baptized, shares her thoughts of the weekend...

"This past weekend at the CSF Fall Retreat was the best weekend I’ve had in a long time. In fact, I think it’s safe to say it was the best weekend since last year’s Fall Retreat. That’s how spectacular and important this weekend retreat is to me. Before the retreat, I had been contemplating being baptized for a long time. And the retreat solidified so much of why I wanted to be baptized and with whom I wanted to be baptized around. God spoke to me a lot on the retreat about ridding myself of sin and using this baptism as an act of obedience and as a way to show Him that I AM ALL IN for Him! As a result, I have found myself having a crazy passion for His Word lately. All I want to do all day every day is read the Bible and it makes me so happy to think about! I am seriously excited to be born again of the Holy Spirit and to seek out ways He is moving in me! The message at the retreat was exactly what I needed to hear. The moment that stuck out to me the most was when the speaker said (referring to John 2), “Jesus sipped the cup of sorrow in the midst of a wedding of joy so that we can sip from the cup of joy in a sorrowful world.” This statement blew my mind! I realized how blessed I am! On the Sunday morning of the retreat, I woke up so happy to dedicate my life to Christ and I thanked Him so much for literally making me the happiest I’ve ever felt. He has strengthened me so much over this retreat and I will never forget any of it."

Below are some pictures of the epic weekend!