The long-awaited summer retreat organized by the Youth Evangelical Fellowship HQ (YEF) kicked off on July 14th. This annual event is a significant milestone for the YEF community as it provides a unique opportunity for members to delve deeper into their faith and explore the theme of Freedom in Christ. This year, the retreat takes its inspiration from the book of Galatians, with the aim of encouraging participants to break free from the shackles of bondage and embrace a life of true liberty.
The opening message, delivered by Danielle White, set the tone for the retreat. Packed with fervor and spiritual insight, the sermon resonated with the audience, leaving them eager to embark on this transformative journey. The powerful message revolved around the concept of finding and keeping your freedom in Christ, a notion that holds immense significance for believers.
Following the thought-provoking sermon, the members gathered to share a delicious dinner. This communal meal created an atmosphere of unity and camaraderie, fostering connections among attendees and setting the stage for the days ahead. As the retreat progressed, it became abundantly clear that the members of YEF were not merely coming together for recreational purposes but to seek a deeper level of spiritual understanding and growth.
The graceful prayer meeting that ensued after dinner was an essential component of the retreat. Participants engaged in heartfelt prayers, seeking guidance and wisdom to navigate the challenges they face in their daily lives. In these moments of connection with God, the YEF members expressed their desires to break free from the chains of bondage and experience the true freedom that only Christ can offer.
On Day 2 of the retreat, participants were able to meditate upon the book of Galatians with the hope and dream to become the true people of God. There were many graceful messages given that reminded them of their need to break everything within them that could bring them to have ritualistic hearts.
Through Apostle Paul, they were able to understand more deeply the meaning and purpose of true circumcision of the heart. They found Paul to be the one who did not compromise the Gospel for a second and stood up for the true Gospel at any cost. Without someone like Paul, the Gospel could not come to the people of God today.
Participants came to deeply understand this in their hearts and were able to truly feel the presence of God as the messages were being delivered. Some participants came to tears when they realized how precious this book of Galatians is for them on their path of faith. After the messages, they also watched the movie, “The Shack”, and were able to enjoy a touching film during that time.
In the closing service on Day 3, many students from the local campus, members, and leaders in Florida were able to gather and conclude the YEF Retreat. It is very thankful that they could all come together and deeply share and learn about this book of Galatians.
