God's Blessings

So here goes writing my first blog post while being a part of SPIRITUS. I hope the pressure doesn't get to me too much... :P

Well it's been under two months since I've arrived in Wisconsin (from the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia) to work in youth/retreat ministry. What is there to share except the fact that it has been an amazing experience so far- hence the title of my post "God's Blessings." I can't believe how right it feels for me to be a part of this team of young adults serving the youth in the area and bringing them closer to Christ in faith. Some of the many blessings include a wonderful community of amazing/inspirational people, getting spiritual formation, and learning so many valuable tools for a future career in whatever the future holds. It's been such an experience. These blessings I mentioned, though, are just the frosting of the cake- the real sweetness and satisfaction comes from the work we do- helping youth have an encounter with God and helping them delve deeper into the Catholic faith. Already into October, we've had quite a few retreats so far ranging from second grade to twelfth, and actually today, I was on a team that finished giving a Confirmation retreat. This past retreat, for me and many of my teammates, really was a reminder for us why we do what we do on SPIRITUS. Of course sometimes it's more difficult to engage students on some retreats we give, but this past retreat God gave us one of His breaths of fresh air. For many of the students, they shared that this retreat put things into perspective for them and allowed them to build a stronger personal relationship with Christ. We were able to discuss different aspects of the faith, but in particular, the session on forgiveness was powerful for the students. Many of them really opened up and allowed Christ into their lives at this point. It was truly an emotional experience. While the forgiveness session stood out from the retreat, overall the spirit of the retreat emulated joy, openness, and community. By the end, many of the students thanked our team and gave us a generous portion of high-fives and hugs. Even some of the adult chaperones and leaders did not hesitate to share how fruitful they thought the experience was.

Although not every retreat or youth ministry event will necessarily be as rewarding, it's these moments of real encounters with God and bonds with the students that make what we do worthwhile. It's then that we are reminded how God is really working in the students' lives but also our own as members of SPIRITUS. God's blessings are always around His children (not just SPIRITUS and the students but everyone in the world). Sometimes it just takes these special moments to be reminded of that. For me, this ministry is such a blessing- my teammates inspire me, I feel like I'm growing a lot, and the students we encounter make it all worthwhile. I look forward to what else I'll be experiencing in the next few months here in Wisconsin in youth evangelization.

So until next time...God bless! :)