By Ellen Holton |
Growing up in a small community and attending a public high school, retreats were far and few between. I had never heard of Kairos or Encounter before stepping foot on this campus. I hear people in passing and eventually many of my friends who would encourage me to go on Encounter. After many applications and backouts, I finally decided it was time to commit and find out what the big hype was about this retreat.
Not only did this experience reignite my faith, it also brought a joy to me that I continue to embrace as part of my third Encounter at UP. This joy is what brings me back: the joy that others radiate through their own transforming experiences and passion and zeal for Christ and life.
Joy was once described to me as an acronym: Jesus, others, yourself. The Encounter is where I was able to find the joy that everyone searches for because of the opportunity the retreat offers to explore these aspects of joy.
The Encounter with Christ Retreat invites retreatants to enter into a conversation with Christ. As a result of that conversation we are able to share our journeys with others and accompany them along theirs, to remove masks and learn more about our true self and the self of others. Being a part the Encounter family brings joy and my prayer is that all students who are still searching for that joy go on Encounter. Think and pray about the opportunity in the Spring to experience this.
