Plebe Retreat

It has been forever since I have blogged and I apologize. I have been working on getting all my paperwork done to leave West Point. It is all done, and I am no longer a cadet at West Point. I am now free to go to Israel after a short stay at home to give me time to say goodbye to the family that I will not see for Christmas or Thanksgiving. This is the first time I will miss these major holidays, but God has got it taken care of so no worries.

So the title of this post is Plebe Retreat because this past week while sitting at West Point waiting for my paperwork to be processed I had to do something. Not only was I bored, but I felt like there must be a reason God has me here. This led me to help out with the Plebe Retreat. For those not from West Point, a plebe is what freshman are called. In essence, this was a christian retreat for freshman with upper class as small group leaders and facilitators.

The best group EVER:

Obviously...this was my group. I had some great guys with some amazing stories and backgrounds. And to be honest, I know God wanted me here at West Point for this time. A time not to be waiting on paperwork, but to be fellowshipping with fellow belivers.

The weekend was focused on the theme "Breaking Free." Breaking free from whatever holds you back from living for God. The Bible passage that was chewed on all weeend was Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11:1-45. It was looked at from Mary's, Martha's, and then Lazarus' perspective. For me, the most powerful perspective was that of Lazarus because he had to break free from his burial clothes to serve Jesus:

"⁴⁴ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'"

As christians are we still wearing our burial clothes or did we allow ourselves to be reborn in Christ? Or did we allow only certain areas of our life to be reborn? Are we holding onto pieces of are old life that we just can't get rid of?

Makes you think...

This weekend was amazing and life changing. There was a cross that we layed some of our "burial clothes" at for Christ to renew us. Christ showed up and changed lives. I pray that this power experienced at the retreat does not fade, but gets put into West Point. These plebes can make a difference at West Point and truly take out some of the pessimism. Complaining does not make West Point go by faster it just makes cadets more negative human beings.

Lord bring your light to all those that need it!!!