H7 Story: Becoming Pillars

On Jun 6th & 7th, I had the opportunity to attend my first Pillar Retreat! It was held at the beautiful Dogwood Lodge in Soddy-Daisy, TN. The weekend was absolutely incredible with over 40 young adults gathered for a meaningful and fun packed time.

We were offered a wide range of activities including eating s’mores by the bonfire, kayaking, swimming, line dancing, board games, puzzle making, and so much more. We also had plenty of downtime to relax and truly take in the beautiful scenery that surrounded us.

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that “Iron sharpen iron, and one man sharpens another.” One of my most cherished times at the retreat was experiencing the presence of community, something that is vital for Christians! I engaged in conversations with new people that I hadn’t had the time to get to know on a typical Tuesday night at Pillar.

Our very own Tommy Staggs preached about 1 Timothy 4-6. I polled some Pillar Peeps and asked them to share some of their biggest takeaways from his sermons:

• Kara Stalker: “To pursue learning God’s word, righteousness, and love for our family (church family as well).”
• David Bowlin: “As a leader, I learned how important it is to have spiritual disciplines in my life to help uphold the truth. ‘Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.’” 1 Timothy 4:7b-8
• Tessa Gourley: “It was a good reminder to be proactive in my relationship with God and seek after Him daily. He is my treasure and the only one who satisfies.”
• Tyler Brinegar: “All Christians are called to ministry—not just those who work in ministry. That means all of our lives are meant to reflect Christ. If Jesus truly is your greatest treasure, would someone see that if they watched you for two days straight?”

After the sermons, we also had an opportunity to further discuss in break-out groups followed by some quiet time and personal reflection in God’s word. Being surrounded by like-minded people was great encouragement for me. It allowed me to have more meaningful conversations and forged a path for new friendships.

While this summer’s retreat was my first with Pillar, I can guarantee you that it won’t be my last.