AN AMAZING WEEKEND

I had the blessing and privilege of going on an InterVarsity retreat to Garden City (the beach!) South Carolina this past weekend. I'm going to try to do the weekend justice but I can't promise you'll completely understand the amazing experience I had.
It's funny, you go on a retreat expecting to learn a few things, maybe make a few friends, but what I never saw coming was a sense of community unlike any other.
Saturday night, especially, changed my life. Karen Gupton, IV Staff Leader at UNCG, talked about the healing of the paralytic. A quick synopsis of the story: Jesus was surrounded by people, so much so that four friends, who were carrying a fifth on a mat because he was paralyzed, could not access him, except by lowering their friend through the roof. Karen said to us, sometimes you have to let yourself be the friend who is lowered through the roof to Jesus, to be healed. And sometimes you get the privilege of carrying others to Jesus in their brokenness.
Then we broke into small groups of 15-20, (there were ninety of so people on the retreat) and we were also split up by gender. We then were encouraged to share things we were struggling with in life, whether it was a relationship, our Christian walk, school, family, or whatever. After one person would share, we would all lay hands on that person and pray for them as a group. What amazed me was the way that everyone was crying. Person A would share something she was struggling with and everyone, whether they were really close to Person A or had just met her, would be weeping for her, sharing in her pain. It was amazing the sense of community that we experienced that night. I have always had people in my life who loved and cared about me, but so often we get caught up in our own lives and our own worries, that we might not get further than "How's it going?" "Busy." "Me too." "Later." "Take Care." But Saturday night, my heart broke for my friends, my acquaintances, my sisters in Christ. My tears were for them. My sobs were because they were hurting and it hurt me to see them hurt. It was an amazing feeling, that I can hardly explain.
That's our group picture above.