Ministry Moment: Creation Retreat

I am in love with Creation.

More accurately, I am in love with our Creator who made all of this around us to enjoy. Whether you hike a trail or go for a walk in your own neighborhood, I find it impossible not to be wow-ed by God’s greatness. How did He even think up butterfly wings, and how did He decide that gravity would be a thing that holds us steady, reminding us of the true Steadiness He brings to our lives?

What wows you when you go outside?

I’m not sure we take enough time to contemplate the Creator. If we did, I think we’d see more clearly the tender care God brings to our lives and just how desperately we need His restoration and His Salvation. Nature tells a story of need and provision, of death and rebirth, and of growth and resilience.

I have discovered, over the years, in ministry and as a therapist, that people need more time to rest in this Big God who holds us close. God holds planets in orbit with less than a pinky finger, but that same God holds me to His chest when I pray. I wanted to offer the youth and families I serve a moment to be aware of that and to learn about it, so I created a Creation Retreat. 

The Creation Retreat can be offered in all kinds of different formats. I held mine over the course of three days with my junior high youth group and families at a local-ish camp. You could also use the devotions for family nights over the summer. You could print them individually and share in kits to be used for family devotions. You can use Creation Bingo by itself as a scavenger hunt.

However you use this resource for your family or your ministry, I pray that you connect with God in His Creation and see yourself as a treasured part of this big, wide universe He has made. Maybe you could dig into questions about how we could better take care of it or where you see God working in it. May it always lead you to lean in closer to His Word and to see God loved His Creation so very much that He sent His one and only Son to die and rise so that He could have an eternal relationship with each of us.

One day, friends, He is coming back to restore the Creation all around us.

We don’t quite know what that will look like, but we do know it will be perfect and complete and new and yet familiar. And that is no small hope. Go into that Creation today and be wow-ed by His mightiness and His tender hand in everything you see.

Up Next - It’s almost time for summer break at heidigoehmann.com, but first, find out what’s on the schedule for next season. Look for an overview of next season’s content coming soon, from blog articles to podcasts to Mental Health Monday videos, and more.

In the Meantime - find out more about God as Creator and Connector of all things in my study: The Mighty and The Mysterious