I sat on the firm, cold bus seat with my headphones in, and my eyes fixed on the colored trees flying past my window.  Well…that’s where I was physically at least.  Mentally, it seemed as if I were in a thousand different places all at once.  I couldn’t finish a single thought before something else interrupted and held my mind hostage.  

Too many questions; not enough answers.  

How do people truly find God?  What was I supposed to change?  How would I know when I’ve finally found God?  All I could do at this point was pray to a God that I wasn’t completely sold on, for answers to becomes clear at this church retreat.

For three whole days I was surrounded by two different types of people: those who not only knew OF God, but knew him personally, and those who were in the same position as me and wanted to.  For three whole days I was in what seemed like a new world.  

No judgment, no drama, no worries, no doubts.  

For three whole days I received answers to every lingering question in my mind.

I was in a room full of over 100 people.  Not a single dry eye was in the room.  All around me were people who appeared to be flawless and overwhelmed by happiness on the outside, but were silently dying mentally, spiritually, and emotionally on the inside.  

It was the very same people that I had looked at before thinking they had the easy life.

In one weekend, lives were changed forever, purposes were found, and hearts were saved.  It was like a game of hide-and-seek, with reality as our opponent.  We managed to escape for a weekend, but before you know it…ready or not; here it came.

I sat on the firm, cold bus seat with my headphones in and my eyes fixed on the colored trees flying past my window.  Only this time…I was free.