This afternoon our youth will be leaving for Traveler's Rest, SC to take a trip to the Fall Extreme Conference.  I have been praying for this event for some time because this is the first time that we have ever gone on this particular trip before.  You never know what you are going to get when you go on any youth retreat, much less one that you have never done before.

I always look forward to these events, however I also approach them with caution.  I try to always keep in mind how I have promoted the trip.  This may seem like a weird thing to be concerned with, but I have found over the years that the things I promote in a trip are the things that the youth will be focused on the most.  Example: last year we went on a high school retreat at a location that had horseback riding and paintball for recreation options.  I found myself focusing on these events so much in my promotion that many of the youth were only going for those things.  They were not interested in the worship or devotion times, and while they did participate in them, the main emphasis for them was the recreation.

I love when camps have amazing recreation, and the one that we are going to today surely does, but it is important to remember the real reason for retreats: the pursuit of God in a new, refreshing, and relaxing environment.  I pray for that this weekend and ask that you join me in prayer!