I had the absolute pleasure of attending this year's compass retreat. During such a time where we feel so out of control, a retreat that centered around trusting the Lord was so needed, not only in my own life but I think for the community at large. We were also blessed to be able to have it held in person, which has been such a nice change of pace after so many virtual events. With masks and social distancing we were able to stay safe while being able to spend much needed time together as a community.
The retreat offered not only time for community building, but prayerful introspection as well. Thanks to our incredible speakers (shoutout to Oscar Robles, Emilie Miller, and Gabe Natural), we heard wisdom on different aspects of our trust in God, through the lenses of love, humility, and courage. One remark from Gabe stood out to me as especially prescient for our time, “The deeper the trial the deeper the conversion of heart”. I can say that I have personally seen the Lord working in amazing ways through all of the struggles the world has faced recently, and I am continually impressed by Him. Whether the trials are large-scale or more personal, I find immense comfort knowing that the Lord works all things to His good.
Finally, something Emilie shared in her talk has kept coming up in my own prayer; “I don’t want my goodness, I want the Lord’s greatness”. This has been such a helpful reminder to focus not on what goods I can accomplish on my own, but to reach out for the great things the Lord has promised. As believers, we are fortunate in that we do not have to settle for our own abilities and accomplishments, but can have faith in the Lord that He has so much better in store. This retreat really helped to reinvigorate my trust in God, which I was able to pour into the mission at Seton Hall University, and I can’t wait to see how the Lord continues to work within the whole Compass community
- Hailey Allegra, SPO Missionary & Compass Member
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