Last fall Indiana Academy (IA) conducted a spiritual retreat for their students. The gentlemen traveled to the fort at Camp Au Sable in Michigan, and the ladies stayed closer to home in Tipton, Indiana.

The guys tried to ignore the 30-degree temperatures while canoeing, hiking, playing games and, most importantly, focusing on spiritual issues, such as saying "Yes" to right choices, learning to serve, and the importance of confession and repentance. The male academy staff were joined by the pastors and other mentors from the Cicero Church in this unique experience. Other lessons were more practical, such as when one student asked who was going to cook since "there were no women." During a six-mile hike, communion was held in the woods.

The ladies learned about "Lies Young Women Believe and the Truth that Sets them Free," partially based on the book by Dannah Gresh and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Nine lies were explored, such as "Beautiful Girls Are Worth More," "I Need a Boyfriend," "I Feel More Valuable when I Dress Immodestly" and "A Loving God Won't Allow Pain." The lies were addressed in creative ways, which involved an exploding Diet Coke, covering a paper coffin with temptations and writing a letter to their future husband. One young lady wrote, "I realized I believed all of those lies." The truth for each lie was then explored.

By the end of the retreat, several ladies expressed, "I learned a lot of things. ... This will help me a lot."

Kara Kerbs is the dean of girls at Indiana Academy.