Sunday, October 28, 2012

Post retreat...




It's pouring rain, coming down in buckets instead of drops.
Soon the colorful trees will be stripped naked, all but the towering old growth evergreens around our home.
 I feel warm, cozy and wrapped up in love.
I didn't know how much I needed it,
this weekend retreat with the women from our church.
We ate too much.
Oh, the food was so, so good.
We stayed up late and slept too little.
We sat around in our pajamas talking and laughing,
then went to bed and lay there in the dark talking and laughing some more.
We sang and worshipped together, we heard the Word taught together,
we prayed together, we cried together.
It was glorious.
My spirit was nurtured by this time with my friends, these beautiful women, my sisters in Christ.

(Thank you to all who read this post, who prayed for me and prayed about our retreat.
It made a difference.)

***************
I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal…

#2415-#2435

a gift silent-
-my home office in the morning quiet

a gift still-
-my heart as I trust God to bring the details together for our ladies' retreat

a gift strong-
-a drenching downpour

3 gifts begun-
-a new Precepts Bible study
-morning coffee at the desk in my home office, starting on today's to-do list
-a new day

3 gifts accomplished-
-Bible study prep done
-ladies' retreat prep done
-Sunday's message done

3 gifts extravagant-
-His love
-His grace
-His blessings

a gift humbling-

a gift honoring-
-each time I get to stand before people and teach God's Word

a gift happy-
-laughing long and late with the other ladies at retreat

3 gifts in Christ-
-our church family
-the whole body of Christ from every tribe and tongue
-His Spirit

Gratefully yours,



9 comments:

  1. SO glad it was refreshing. We don't ever know how much we need relationships until we take time to let them go deep into our hearts!
    ~Adrienne~

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  2. I'm so glad it was so soul refreshing. I'm looking forward to one soon, and I can not wait. I love being with sisters in Christ is such a big way.

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  3. The retreat sounds heavenly. As usual the teacher was ministered to as much if not more than the students. :) God is good. :)

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  4. what a wonderful treat - to get away with ladies and to have your soul encouraged. glad the Lord provided this opportunity for you.

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  5. So thankful you had a refreshing time...body,soul and spirit. blessings~

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  6. Praising God with you for His refreshment! We are gathering this weekend in a little different format than usual to worship, pray, worship, and pray some more!

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  7. What a wonderful post overflowing with gratefulness! I discovered earlier this year, in part through Ann, the very real link between gratefulness and joy. Amazing isn't it!

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  8. enjoyed reading through your gifts. so beautiful. thank you for sharing and for the refreshment!

    thank you,
    kaysie

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  9. A retreat sounds amazing! What a blessing for you! Connecting with others and learning from His word, a preview of what's to come in eternity:) Blessings! www.toshowthemjesus.com

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