10 Leadership Qualities to Pray For at a Retreat (plus a few bonus ones)

Pray you (and your adult leaders) can...

1) Work Hard
Retreats are exhausting. It takes lots of energy to set up/tear down, teach, play, listen, counsel, and so on. Roll up your sleeves and work hard; catch up on sleep the following weekend.

2) Be Prayerful
A successful retreat requires prayer before the trip but especially throughout. Be praying throughout the day. (And sleep with one eye open.)

3) Have Listening Ears
Focus. When you have a chance to talk with a student about meaningful things, take advantage of the opportunity. It’s a gift!

4) Survive Late Nights
I prefer one day retreats that last from 7-7:30 PM, but they’re not usually meaningful. Getting away is key and that means overnight and...uh...late nights. (However, you can establish boundaries, so flex some muscle when needed.)

5) Survive Early Mornings
If you actually want a moment to get your head together (and teeth brushed), you’ll have to be one of the first up. Plus, you may have a leader meeting or want to poke your head in the Bible for a minute or two.

6) Provide Crowd Control
Be willing to sit with students at meals and teaching sessions. Your presence will not only encourage them, but will lessen the temptation to act out. (Lessen, not remove.)

7) Have a Good Attitude
Your face and body language send a message, so be positive!

8) Have a Sense of Humor
Laugh and have fun. Be careful but loosen up a bit, too.

9) Be Flexible
Things will go wrong. Schedules will change. People will let you down. Now you know what to expect, so relax and roll with it.

10) Be a Servant
Yes, you do see that spill. Don’t look away. Don’t do it! Grab some paper towels and clean it up. Heck, grab a student and talk while you both clean it up.

11) Be Forgiving
You probably shouldn’t have brought your favorite shirt or favorite jeans because one is stained and the other is hanging from a tree.

12) Be Diplomatic
Every story has another side. Listen to both sides, pray, seek counsel, and then lovingly share your verdict.

13) Persevere
Yes, you can make it. Yes, you can make it. Yes, you can make it. (And God is using you, too!)