Thursday, April 12, 2012

prayer retreat

Earlier this month I was so blessed to go on a 24 hour prayer retreat
My mom, lovely husband, and great friend, Brittany, made sure Mylin was cared for while I was gone!
I was also privileged to get to spend the day with another good friend, at her in-laws house: a free place to stay!

This is the 4th (or 5th?) prayer retreat I've ever been on - and they have all been SO different!  Not just because God reveals different things to me each time, but because I have done them in all sorts of locations.  This is the first time I retreated with someone else and I think I will always do this again!  While we did spend time talking together about MomLife (a joint ministry of ours), our husbands, children, marriages, and just what God was doing in our lives in general, I still had ample time to read and pray on my 'own' in the house with her.  Having this partner calmed my anxiety about staying away from home (I am pretty hormonally anxious woman when pregnant...not to mention when I am not!!!) and also provided the opportunity to just talk about God and life without interuption.

This is how it all began on that Wednesday afternoon:


I ended up spending a lot of time writing down my thoughts on about 5 differently themed sheets of paper (Family, Self, MomLife, to do, Bible Study).  I would recommend this trick to anyone going on a retreat!  To always have a notebook beside me to pour my thoughts into helped me to get rid of the nagging chores I didn't want to forget to do when I returned home...and to help me not forget the passages I read or the words God gave me over certain subjects or requests.

I had struggled with having an agenda during this retreat.  I went into it with 2 huge 'things' I wanted to figure out, plus like 37 smaller requests I wanted insight on :)  Within about 3 hours, through reading and also an insightful conversation with my retreat companion, I realized that why I go to God to seek answers, He desires that I just seek Him

Well...after that I felt like, I've gotten what I came for - I can go home!
I didn't go home though :) But spent time reflecting on this and preparing myself for what I feel like will be a season of waiting, patience, peace, discipline, obedience, and trust (shouldn't all of life be like this?!).  I believe that why I wish I had certain things figured out in my life and for our future, God wants me to focus on learning about and growing in Him - He already knows how all those other issues will pan out - I am in a place to show Him that I trust Him to be in control...and therefore relinquish my control.
We'll see how this goes........
:)


Have you ever taken a prayer retreat?
Where do you go?
How do you prepare?
How does God speak to you during these times?!

5 comments:

  1. I love the separate pieces of paper idea - that's really good!

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  2. I am so happy you were able to do this! I love the themed pages....I do this in my prayer journal. I find it easier to organize my thoughts, keeps me focused, and I can reflect back on how God has answered my prayers or changed my will to his.
    I am planning to retreat later this spring....any location suggestions???

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  3. I soooo want to plan one like Life did at the villa at Victory Knoll. I need to see how much it would cost and see who all I could round up to join me.

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  4. I usually try and have my calendar/to do list sitting beside me when I am praying/reading. And if not, I usually have to go get it! It is so nice to write those nagging "to do's" down so you don't have to think about them! :) Glad you had a great time!

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  5. What a great thing you did even though it wasn't easy to begin with! I love the peace of mind you got at the end <3 I have not actually gone away like you have for a retreat, but I used to "soak" in worship music and the goal was to not ask God for anything or whatever just rest and be with him and at first it seemed impossible.
    It's really good for me to read what you said about patience and waiting. I'm in it with you!

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