May 2, 2022
Recently, our church gifted my husband and me a weekend retreat to the Wilds Christian camp in Western North Carolina. This camp holds so many special memories in my heart, and the weekend not only refreshed my heart in new ways but reminded me of many past victories and lessons.
If you have never had the privilege of going to a Christian camp, the experience is a special treasure indeed. Nothing compares to the quiet surroundings and the ability to unplug from the busyness of modern life. Though the hours before driving to camp were filled with frantic packing, shopping, and running to the car wash, all the effort was worth the rest and rejuvenation.
A few thoughts stood out to me from the weekend. Even if you cannot get away on a quiet retreat in the near future, I hope you are encouraged!
Take time with your spouse.
For various reasons, we do not have people lined up out the door to watch our kids (then again, who really does?) We try to be respectful of our parents and friends and not burden them with watching our kids all the time. To our shame, we have not invested in our marriage as we ought in the aspect of taking time with just one another.
Though my husband and I both work from home, there is a difference in getting away from home and spending time with each other than just having a conversation at home above the noise of normal home life. Taking walks around the campsite without corralling kids was so refreshing and beneficial for our relationship.
The Giant Swing
Fellowship with other believers is crucial.
My husband and I tend to be quiet, private people, yet we need the fellowship and encouragement of others. We also need to reach out and be a blessing to others. At the beginning of the weekend, I asked the Lord for an opportunity to encourage someone else, and the Lord answered that prayer several times over and also sent people our way to encourage us!
One couple in particular was a special blessing to us. They actually roomed next to us, and we kept bumping into them all over the campsite. Our running joke was that we really were not trying to follow them! In all seriousness, they listened graciously to us, and we enjoyed hearing about their lives and how God was working in and through them.
One item on my bucket list for the weekend was to go to the craft shop to see a dear lady who has been influential in my life. My husband had the privilege of meeting this treasured lady, and not surprisingly, she was a blessing to my husband as well.
The ministry of godly music is powerful.
As a musician, music is precious to my heart. Life-changing truth coupled with beautiful music is about more than my heart can take some times. God created music to touch our souls, and music can stir our hearts for Him and bring to mind through a tune the truths of God’s Word at later times. The singing during the song service was powerful, and everyone could sense a spirit of unity through the heart-felt singing.
A life well-lived is so much more than making money.
There were couples from every walk of life at this retreat. There were young couples newly married, and there were seasoned marriages present. There were couples who probably skimped and saved just to be there that weekend, and I am sure the several hundred dollars spent for the weekend meant nothing to some couples.
None of us knew what the other couples made in this environment, and it did not matter! We were there to worship the Lord together and learn more of Him. Getting away from the busyness of family life and the stresses of running a household reminded me that life is more than the mundane, yet we have to stop long enough to look up at God to get an eternal perspective.
God’s Word is powerful.
God spoke to both my husband and me in distinct ways throughout the weekend, and our hearts were encouraged and convicted by God’s Word. At the Wilds each day we had something called “God and I” time where we spent about thirty minutes studying God’s Word. Though the time spent reading God’s Word at camp is truly special, God’s Word comes home with me!
People in the ministry need encouragement, too.
As mentioned earlier in this post, I desired to be a blessing to someone at camp, and that prayer was answered several times. On one occasion, I had the privilege to talk to a staff lady. Our conversation was mutually beneficial as my heart was certainly encouraged, and I believe the Lord allowed me to be a blessing to this lady. It is easy to forget that people in the ministry need encouragement, and often those in the ministry can be viewed as impervious to struggles. Yet these servants of the Lord have the same hearts of flesh and need refreshment and godly fellowship as well.
Get outside and be active.
As we huffed up the trail on the short hike to the zipline, my husband and I looked at each other and said we need to get in shape! The busyness of life can take over and it’s hard to exercise, but my husband and I want to make an effort to spend more time being active together as a family. One thing that impresses me about the staff at the Wilds is how in shape they are. Many of the staff members have worked there for years, and yet they still have energy to serve the Lord. I believe that energy comes first from God’s grace and second from taking care of their bodies.
The Wilds is certainly not paying me to say this, but I would encourage you that if you live within driving distance of Brevard, NC, take a trip to this special place. For anyone who lives near New Hampshire, there is also a Wilds of New England.
-Ashley
Thanks to my kind husband for the use of these photos! I neglected to carry my phone with me most of the weekend and did not take any decent pictures.
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