Back from Retreat - 5

After attending a successful conference or retreat, we may leave feeling challenged and thoughtful or really stimulated and blessed by God. This time I have left feeling both.

I have discovered from experience, that there are several things to consider when arriving back home:

• Be careful what you share! There is always the danger that any sharing of your fragile personal pearls will be rubbished by some careless remark or you may just bore the pants of people. If I am doing this to you, then please forgive me. Better say nothing and wait until the 'blessing' has taken root within you.
• The enemy will be on the prowl to devalue what you have received and will try any way possible to cast doubts and uncertainties. For example, by harsh words with a spouse, friend or colleague. Hold on to what you have received and doubt your doubts.
• If we have received a blessing, then sooner or later it will be put to use, usually as a blessing to others. Be open and sensitive to God.
• Spend time with God to assimilate and pray over what you heard and received.
  

I promise not to harp on about retreats, silence and listening for a while. I have such a need and a longing and I believe I am not that different to others inside. Jesus certainly needed regular space for solitude with His Father.

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On Retreat - 4

We go on retreat for different reasons. Maybe we want to withdraw for a while from the pressures of everyday life, to get things in perspective. Perhaps to find some hideaway, where we can experience peace and quiet, get closer to God and seek new direction. Whatever our reasons, if it is a Christian retreat, then to get the full benefit of course, we need to mean business with God, so in that respect it is serious.

There were certainly important, even pressing and painful issues that surfaced during our retreat. These weren't all solved of course, but I was given fresh purpose and direction, with plenty of stuff to work through with Jesus back home.

We arrived feeling somewhat battered and because I was expectant and eager to push in and get out all I could of the time, I was a little tense. Our retreat guide sensed this and saw my need to relax and just give God the freedom to move. It was even suggested I needed more fun in my life, starting there and then.

I spent an hour or so in the art studio playing with paint. Looking at this piece of work you wouldn't think that I am an accomplished artist. I just let myself go, dipped my fingers in and smudged and smeared and splodged and flicked to my heart's content. It may seem a bit of nonsense, but with hindsight it does make sense. It's all there - pain, tears, joy, laughter and God's creation. I let the child in me come to the fore, allowing myself to break all the rules and walk over the floor with dirty shoes. It was very satisfying and freeing - and God was smiling with me.

Some of you may be thinking that you already have plenty of fun and we need to be more serious. Others may say that as a Christian there's no place for such nonsense, with the world in the state it's in. But I would say that we need to be in touch with this side of us, especially at this time. I'm sure Jesus had His smiley moments!

The sun is out this afternoon and we are going to have some fun.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Mark 10:15 New International Version

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On Retreat - 2

It was the first day of my retreat and I decided there would be just enough time for a short walk before lunch. The sun had broken through the gathering storm clouds, so I decided this was my window of opportunity. The path was tree lined and led to a dramatic viewpoint on the clifftop. It was easy level walking, which I took at a slow pace, to give the opportunity for my thoughts to roam.

As often happens before going away on such events, things occur that seem sent to try and unseat me and threaten my peace. The days before we left home, I received two items of news that had the potential to threaten my health and finances. I had already 'processed' these with Father, but as I strolled along, admiring the beauty all around me, these troublesome thoughts started to surface again. I allowed myself to feel the emotions involved, my vulnerability, even anxiety and offered these feelings up to God.

As I was doing this, the sky darkened and the rain came down in sheets. I was nearly at the viewpoint by then and sought refuge in a stone shelter. This was a rugged solid structure built into the hillside with local stone. Not only did it keep me dry, but I reckoned I would be safe from lightening, thunderbolts and even be bomb-proof. I sat on the bench and leaned against the wall. I had a perfect view of the storm outside, but felt totally safe and secure. It was as if God was reminding me, that whatever happens in my life, so long as I put my trust in Him, I am completely protected and secure with Him.

The rain stopped as suddenly as it started and I went outside to look at the sea view. A large rainbow arced over the sea and stopped me in my tracks. Yet another reminder that Jesus is my hope and He will never ever let me down.

By the time I decided to photograph the rainbow - something I have never tried before - it had started to fade, but I think you get the picture.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings" Psalm 17:8 New International Version

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On Retreat - 1

We've been back again to the Christian retreat and conference centre in Devon, England, that has views-to-die-for. This photo is of a collage created by the youth at their summer camp, about two years ago and is their impression of the old house and grounds leading down to the sea.

This time, we had come for a five-day individual retreat.

The time followed a familiar pattern for me. It started with a 'honeymoon' period, revelling in the expectancy of several days solitude, 'just for me and Jesus!' By the next day feelings were already starting to surface and by the third, things seemed quite messy and I wondered how I would get through. Help was at hand however, as each day we each met individually with our retreat guide, who assisted us on our journeys. By the last day the Lord had brought all the threads together, in time to leave with a new sense of direction and freedom.

I felt revitalised. Life-changing stuff!

"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31 New International Version

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Seeing from God's Perspective

Our optician reported that the vision in my left eye was restricted and referred me to a consultant. I was unaware of any problem and couldn't see what the fuss was about, but agreed to an operation to correct the condition. I was a little apprehensive at the prospect of having my eye cut into, but the surgical procedure went well. However, the post operative medication inflamed my eye which was extremely painful. This slowed me right down and catapulted me into a period of restriction and trauma.

I asked a friend to pray with me. Apart for praying for healing, she said that she believed God wanted to "broaden my vision." This wasn't a reference to my physical sight of course, but meant that through the experience, God would reveal me things that I wasn't seeing. In other words God wanted to show me things from His perspective.

I had been a Christian for many years. However, I was so wrapped up in Christian activities, that I was blinkered to what God was really trying to show me. I was blindly following a narrow path of 'ministry' without giving enough time to focus on the 'Minister.' The enforced months of inactivity were like a prolonged 'retreat,' where I had time to refocus. I emerged from this experience, rather like a mole coming out of its hole, blinking in the bright light and wondering, "what on earth is going on around here?"

The process goes on of course, but I offer a few observations coming from this time. Seeing from God's perspective:

1. Means setting aside regular quality time to be alone with Father.

2. Requires being brutally honest and open with God, including taking responsibility for our own feelings and behaviour patterns.

3. Results in seeing ourselves as God sees us.

4. is always in accordance with God's Word in the Bible.

5. is life-changing - we'll never be the same again.

6. gives us the freedom to be ourselves, the person we have been made to be.

7. Means seeing world events in a new light, especially being aware of the conflicting influences of good and evil that abound.

8. and above it enflames the love affair with Him.

You probably could add a lot more --

"One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." John 9:25 English Standard Version

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Just Do It!

We have just returned from a week away at a Christian retreat. Apart from anything spiritual, it was so good to get away from routine, relax in beautiful surroundings and be catered for. There were some fixed teaching and prayer sessions, but I had no fixed agenda and I was open to what God wanted to show me. I am never surprised at the ways and means He uses to get through to me.

This is just one simple example from the time:

One morning we were outside the conference room waiting for our session. Rather than walk round to the main entrance we waited at the side doors. We knew the doors would be opened as soon as they were finished inside and ready for us. We chatted amongst ourselves for a while, until we realised that it was past the start time and the doors were still closed. Almost as an afterthought, I suggested we try the doors and look inside. As we nudged them open, we saw that nearly everyone was seated and ready to start.

The double doors were plain white and very big - the biggest I had ever seen - but the shiny brass door knob was tiny. One slight smooth turn of the knob and all was revealed and began to happen. Now you may think so what? But I knew this was significant.

How many times have we believed for something we have longed for, prayed for, but have waited for God or someone else to act and make it happen? When all the time God was waiting for us to make an initial move of faith. It may be a very small action, but it would release the power of God in the situation.

I know the key to this, is keeping a close walk with Father, but there are times when we dither. There was a time when I knew it was right to move my mother from the other side of the country, into a nursing home near us. I wasn't sure what to due and waited and delayed any decision and of course God knew this. With this on my mind, I was driving along one day, when I saw a poster in the rear window of the car in front, saying "Just Do It!" And so I did and after that first action everything unfolded without a hitch.

"- faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17 New International Version

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