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[1½ MIN READ]
Asian Christian Fellowship’s fall retreat for the second time was the combined retreat for Coalition for Christian Outreach’s Central and Eastern Pennsylvania regions (09’12’F-14’U). Forty-two students and CCO staff from 5 college campuses participated this year, 12 from Arcadia University (9 students, 3 staff).
Was it a successful event? Of course it was; because God is a faithful and sovereign being who never fails to glorify himself when his people choose to engage in the effort to do so: And we did.
I was pleased to learn how one ACF student was able to develop and deepen relationships with his fellowship peers that he hadn’t otherwise been able to do, even through his previous (first) year of college.
Share this post with someone you want to know more about ACF and its support by CCO (Calvin’s website).
These kinds of events are primarily designed to challenge and encourage students, so experiencing challenge and encouragement as a staff member is extra special. Here’s mine that might also encourage you.
Penn State University Park’s Ana (CCO staff) led a workshop session on prayer. She introduced 2 students and me to the early establishment of one particular form, breath prayer, in the church of the earliest centuries. Put off reflexively (and self-consciously) by what I termed the “wacky” vibes, I gradually leaned into the ideas of controlled breathing and mindfulness.
An example Ana shared featured a prayer based on the tax collector’s words in Luke: (inhale) “Lord Jesus Christ,” (exhale) “Son of God,” (inhale) “Have mercy on me,” (exhale) “a sinner.” I realized I already had a phrase—based on the disciple Thomas’s conversation with Jesus—that was easy to adapt into my own breath prayer: “Don’t disbelieve, but believe.” “My Lord and my God.”
Read more: About breath prayer (Christianity Today)
As I’ve been conducting a bible study of Psalm 23 and properly memorizing it in tandem, I noticed how perfectly a psalm can become a breath prayer. Even I can improve my prayer life by incorporating a practice like this. Thank you, Ana! Thank you, God!
A successful event by at least two counts
FINE PRINT [CCOmmentary #2 for 2025’09’19’F] ¶Text: Calvin Wang (Wäng), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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iCandybyWangC 
Another great rumination, CTC. I have occasionally done the prayer breathing when I try to fall back asleep, and didn’t know it was a thing!
Obviously, even separated by nearly 2 millennia, great minds think alike!