Intimacy with God

Is what we are made for

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

-John 15:4

 

Why Coach Retreats are so important

It may appear on the surface that YLI’s primary work is the much loved Basic Training – the discipleship conferences where we get to engage with 400 new young people every year. In actuality, YLI revolves around the smaller Coach retreats where the team focuses on deepening relationships with each other and in  intimacy with God. The more “visible” ministry activities like the Basic Training, water projects, and disciple-making are all an outgrowth of intimacy with God. That is why the Coach retreats are so important. Unless we have a deep love for Jesus, we will never truly love His mission. In order for us to be fruitful we need to be in union with Him. 

YLI Coach Retreat at the Home Base in Tamale, June 2024

Every person is made for intimacy with God. As our relationship with Him deepens, we find that we can trust Him enough to step out of our comfort-zone. And when we step out of our comfort zone, He always goes with us. When we see God showing up in our lives, our love for him deepens and we surrender more to Him.  This way of life is what our late friend Henry Blackaby wrote about in his classic book Experiencing God. We’ve spent a lot of time studying Experiencing God together this year. 

One of the highlights of my 17 years with YLI was the Intimacy with God retreat with our Nigerian team in September. For three years I have been trying to get into Nigeria, but rejected visas, and logistical challenges kept delaying the trip . Looking back, I see that God allowed those roadblocks to occur so it would happen when He wanted it to happen. YLI’s ministry in Nigeria has been growing for seven years without me.  Although I knew their names and faces thanks to Zoom meetings, it was wonderful to be with them in person. Nigeria is the fifth highest persecuted country in the world and the Interns live with the inherent dangers of being a Christian. Throughout the retreat, I sensed an unusual attentiveness to my teaching, and seriousness regarding the importance of listening to God. It felt like they were hanging on every word as if I was giving instructions to perform emergency surgery! Afterward they shared how much they needed this time to focus on listening to God. One person shared that understanding discipleship from YLI has given purpose to their life. They mentioned how much they appreciate that YLI is so practical, and that our focus is on building relationships, not an organization. Now, with a five year visa, I’m definitely planning to be back in Nigeria a few times next year. YLI has an incredible opportunity to partner with these young people and with the vital ministry they are doing in a very dangerous part of the world.