Retreat

This year on impulse and invitation I went on a Ladies retreat with a church that is not my own. We went to Big Bear and I had a wonderful time. I have to be honest; the facilities that my church ladies were retreating to were much nicer. However, the speaker at this retreat was 'spot on'. Her energy and love for Jesus was wonderful and encouraging. I heard that the speaker at the retreat I missed was also awesome. I look forward to tracking down some audios from that retreat and hearing them as well.

The speaker at the Big Bear Retreat made a statement that sort of stuck in my caw. When she said it the first time it hung around in my brain.

You can have as much of God as you want.

Think about that. She followed it with so many other statements that I needed to hear that, that one kind of folded its way to the back of my brain.

Then at one of the meals she stopped at our table and spoke. We thanked her from coming and all that good stuff. Then I said to her, knowing that I was probably revealing more of me than I wanted to, "I so envy your obvious joy and delight in the Lord" She smiled leaned in and said to me, "You can have as much of God as you want."

WOW!! Rather than be embarrassed I was awe struck. Is that not so the truth?! He is right there just waiting to meet me and fill me with as much joy and delight as I can hold or possibly need.

There were many things that she spoke of that I have always heard that for some reason just stuck with me.

Like, how many times have I heard the word picture of how we are being refined as silver. The silver smith holds the silver over the heat until all the impurities are burned out and he can see his reflection in the silver.

God holds us over the heat in the way of trials in an effort to get rid of the impurities, and cause our roots to grow down deep so that He can see His reflection is us.

The things, large and small, that I see as a trial, I am to count it as joy. How many times have I heard this?! Then I went to the book store and picked up a book by Elisabeth George that gave me a visual on just how to do this. I can't wait to sit down and list all the 'trials' that I struggle with from with in and with out, and then check them off in JOY column, not the sorrow column.

Then the very last thing that was reinforced for me was this: We as women tend to set a million little goals for ourselves. I want to be a better mom, better wife, better employee, and any thing else you can think of when what our goal really needs to be is to spend more time in the Word, more time delighting in the LORD. Because when we do, all the other stuff will fall in to place.

So, I can't wait to have supper, visit with my son and then sit down to delight in the LORD. I'm going to read my book, make my list and count it all JOY and then read my Bible. Maybe not in that order. Please fell free to hold me accountable to my commitment.

We all know that it's easy the first day or two home from a week end of pure focus on the LORD. It's when all the responsibilities and habits show up that it gets 'hard'.

Thanks for letting me share. Remember:

We can have as much of God as we want. I just *love* that.