“Abi nako maghilom lang ka ana pila ka oras (I thought you will just stay silent for a few hours),” Roxanne shared her first impression on quiet time (QT). She wasn’t alone in her assumptions, though, for many first-time attendees of IVCF camps think that QTs are just long silent moments when you are not allowed to talk to anyone. But just like the others, Roxanne later found out the significance and importance of this discipline for her spiritual growth.
Roxanne was part of the forty-odd attendees of the online Discipleship and Leadership Training Camp (DLTC) in February. Invited by her uncle Eli, who is a staff assigned in Central and Eastern Visayas Regional Unit, the General Santos native had her first (and hopefully not the last) taste of an IVCF camp. For one who is more accustomed to the events of her local church, Roxanne prayed for activities that would further deepen her relationship with God. Her prayer was granted 700 kilometers away, in Cebu (a distance rendered irrelevant because of an invisible virtual highway). The camp’s theme “Rooted” was just the apt answer to her desire for depth. Daily quiet times allowed her to dig deep into God’s word.
“You will fail in your spiritual discipline,” Clive, the camp’s student director said in his talk on the topic. This statement hit Roxanne hard because she was quite aware of her tendency to plan and then to fail. But she knew that for her to grow in her relationship with God – to be rooted – giving up on her devotions was never an option. That is why she committed herself to “regular journal writing, praying, and meditating.”
And while deepening her roots was meant to strengthen her relationship with God, spreading them was designed to enhance her relationship with others. This is where small group (SG) – her favorite part of the camp – came in. She enjoyed her SG mates’ company because they all came from different islands. She did not feel any shyness as she shared her thoughts because everyone else had an opportunity to talk. Most importantly, Roxanne felt comfortable around them because she felt no judgment in the things she shared. This family that she found in her small group further enhanced her camp experience.
Roxanne was right – well, partly. Quiet Times are moments to pause and be silent. But it is also a time to ponder on God and speak of His greatness. In silence and in speaking, both via QTs and SGs, her roots extend a bit, a process that she hopes will continue as she remains rooted, in Christ.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for Roxanne and the other campers that they will continue to find their rootedness and growth in the person of Jesus Christ.
- Pray for our students who are attending our online Bible study meetings across the country. Pray for continued provision as many of their families have been hit hard due to the pandemic.
- Pray for our upcoming National Leadership Summit (NLS) in April. It is designed to train new student leaders in this new normal.
- Pray for the executive team led by NLS Overall Director Ricky Patricio.
