God Touched Us at Tecaboca~No the Real Fight Begins

A Few Days Home from St. Matt’s 2k15 Teen ACTS Retreat and the Demons Are Out... July 31, 2015

St. Matt’s 2k15 Teen ACTS Retreat was AMAZING!!!!

The DEVIL is mad because every single one of us came back changed, recharged, and wrapped in the love of Christ. And when love grows strong, so does spiritual resistance. The enemy doesn’t like joy, peace, or community. He thrives on fear, chaos, and isolation. So of course, the moment we returned home glowing in God’s grace, the darkness tried to creep in.

Every time we draw closer to God, build each other up, or walk in light, the devil will try to sabotage it. He will use whatever weakness or distraction he can to separate us from that light. But here’s the thing we see him. We recognize the tricks. And we choose to fight.

"We will not allow him to win."

To win, we must recognize spiritual warfare and prepare for it. When we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, we’re often caught off guard joyful, yes, but not battle-ready. But this is a real world full of real people who can be bitter, broken, and mean. And mean people? They laugh at love. They mock support. They don’t understand the bond we shared because they’ve never experienced it.

We must guard our hearts without building walls. Don’t let fear make you suspicious of those who truly love you. Don’t let the enemy distort what God so beautifully built. Take a pause. Reflect. If you stop and listen, you’ll be reminded of your purpose. God has shown you over and over again that you matter. That you have a path.

We often lose sight of the truth when we're surrounded by noise, pressure, or negative people. But in those quiet, sacred moments like at Tecaboca, we remember.

We feel the truth. And we want to grow. But then, real life slams in. The bills. The drama. The distractions. Anger tries to sneak in. We forget to make time for God. We choose instant gratification over divine peace. And that’s when we start to slip. We must be proactive. Cut the toxicity. Remove the distractions. Even when it’s hard, sad, or scary don’t let anything keep you from soaring. Don’t lose your integrity.

Don’t sell your spirit for short-term comfort.

God gave you a message. A mission. A spark meant for only you. Maybe you’ll walk that path with a friend. Maybe it’ll be yours alone. But either way when you bring out the best in others, your growth becomes unstoppable. You won’t always see your own transformation. It’s like weight loss slow, subtle, invisible until one day, BOOM. You’re different.

You’ve left the old behind. And you’re not going back.

When you feel tempted to revert to who you used to be, lean on your people. The real ones. The ones who lift you up and want the best for you. The ones who reflect God’s love. Surround yourself with growth. Surround yourself with life.

Reflect, always. Reflect on the choices you’ve made and the ones you’re about to make. Pray. Seek wisdom. Keep those with shared values close to you.

Relationships thrive when we nurture them. That includes our relationship with God. When I was asked to be part of the retreat team by the adult and youth directors, I hesitated. I was nervous. Kidney stones, time commitments, the fear of not being enough. But I knew this was Marisa’s last ACTS youth retreat and I wanted to be part of it.