During the junior-senior retreat, I interviewed eight senior students whose answers all varied in different ways. I asked questions about the most meaningful moments they experienced during worship or Bible study, how the retreat helped them grow in their relationship with God, what key lessons they took away from the messages that were shared, which activities or free-time moments helped them bond the most with their classmates, and how the retreat brought their class closer together as a whole. I interviewed students: Andi Gremillion, Braden Finklea, Alex Rutledge, Grace Sims, Brayden Shultz, Allie Kitterlin, Sydney Vetter, and Skylar Vetter.

1. Ava Dale: What was the most meaningful moment for you during worship or Bible study?

Andi Gremillion: Seeing everyone come together and be on fire for the Lord. 

Braden Finklea: When I turned around during chapel and saw everybody at the front worshiping.

Alex Rutledge: Seeing everyone vulnerable and seeing kids give their life their Christ. That was very special.

Grace Sims: The most meaningful moment to me of worship was how vulnerable everyone was. It was evident that God was present in the room and actively working. Everyone let go of everything and trust the Lord and gave it all to him. 

Braden Shultz: That Jesus showed up and revealed himself to me and others.

Allie Kitterlin: The most meaningful moment for me during worship was just fully submitting to the Lord and giving him all my praise.

Sydney Vetter: The most meaningful moment for me during worship was looking around and seeing everyone smiling and completely worshipping God.

Skylar Vetter: I love seeing all my peers come to the Lord and finally get it. Hearing them share encouragement and share how long they have come along has been the best thing. 

• Ava Dale: How did the retreat help you grow in your relationship with God? 

Andi Gremillion: The retreat made me realize that there is nothing else worth living for other than the Lord. 

Braden Finklea: The retreat helped me grow in my relationship with God by giving me some reassurance to lead me in the right path.

Alex Rutledge: You could feel God’s presence. He was just speaking to you. 

Grace Sims: The retreat helped me grow in my relationship with God because he showed me that he is here and no matter what happens he will always be there for me. He showed me that Northlake is what I needed and truly where I belong. 

Braden Shultz: It helped me be bold and walk with my spiritual brothers and sisters in faith.

Allie Kitterlin: The retreat helped me grow in my relationship with God by just knowing that he has forgiven me for the mistakes that I have made and I also need to forgive myself and he just showed me he was there for me.

Sydney Vetter: The retreat helped me grow in my relationship with God by remaining faithful in God and consistently praying and believing for exciting things!

Skylar Vetter: I was able to be overwhelmed by His goodness and He showed me his love and what He’s been doing for everyone to commit to him.

1. Ava Dale: What is one thing you learned or took away from the messages shared at the retreat?

Andi Gremillion: That I need to not live by what I want but what the Lord wants for me .

Braden Finklea:One thing I learned or took away from the messages shared at retreat was that I need to let everything go and give my full %100 life to Christ. 

Alex Rutledge: It’s okay to be vulnerable, and make the most of the senior year. Best people to do it with.

Grace Sims: One thing that I learned is to not be afraid to speak to God and to worship him because of what other people may think. I also learned that God can change people in many ways and there is hope for everyone to give their hearts to the Lord. 

Braden Shultz: We can bring that same feeling we had in retreat to school and worship God just as much in school.

Allie Kitterlin:  One thing I took away from the message was choosing if I wanna live in the past or take that step forward.

Sydney Vetter:  One thing I took away from the message at the retreat was from mr. Holloway when he spoke about how many days of school we have left and if we wanted to move away from our past and into our future completely submitting to God.

Skylar Vetter: I loved Mr. Holloway’s and his analogy with the marbles and how we can give God our past or let Him guide us in this next year. 

1. Ava Dale: What activity or free-time moment helped you bond the most with your classmates?

Andi Gremillion: I would say worship. 

Braden Finklea:Walking back and forth from our cabin and hanging out with everybody at the lake. 

Alex Rutledge: The lake. It was fun laughing and having fun on the obstacle course.

Grace Sims: I think the few hours in the rain helped me bond with my classmates the most because we were running through the rain and nothing else in that moment mattered other than having fun and just no drama . 

Braden Shultz: I’d say worship, we got even closer during worship.

Allie Kitterlin: An activity that helped me bond with my classmates was the free time and the open mic part.

Sydney Vetter: Definitely testimonies at night!

Skylar Vetter:  Most definitely capture the flag. We all got along and it was just pure fun. 

1. Ava Dale: How did the retreat bring your class closer together as a whole?

Andi Gremillion: Everyone came together and praised the Lord as one. 

Braden Finklea: The retreat brought our class closer together as a whole because God has given our school a revival and seeing everybody worshiping the lord was very special.

Alex Rutledge: Absolutely. It was much needed.

Grace Sims: I think the retreat brought our senior class together as a whole because we all decided on another worship over a relay because we all saw how evidently he was there and trying to work through our school and it starts with us! 

Braden Shultz: It brought us together because we know how much Jesus can move but we physically saw it but need to have faith like that everyday.

Allie Kitterlin:  I think the retreat brought us all closer just when we were all worshipping together and praying for one another. 

Sydney Vetter: Finally seeing who God is and turning their lives around. Everyone is praying for one another and loving each other.

Skylar Vetter: We all just saw how GOOD God is and what He can do when we all come to Him. He brings unity and love to everyone.