The Journey

A friend asked me to write a brief testimony about my experience with a retreat/training course I completed a few months ago. I thought you might enjoy hearing it as well. The Journey consists of 6 retreats over a 2 year period. You can read all about it on their website The Leadership Institute

Here' my story: 

I signed up to join Generation 18 of the Journey in the winter of
2010. An acquaintance of mine, David Costillo, invited me and so I
looked into it. I knew David through mission work we partnered in to
the DRCongo. David was on staff at that time with World Relief.

After 30 plus years in ministry, I was in a winter of my own. I felt
tired, unsure and basically burned out. I wasn't sure where to turn.
When I showed up for my first retreat, I was not sure what I was
stepping into. I now realize I was stepping into a life boat God
supplied for me to give me the transforming experience I needed to
restore my soul, learn how to keep it healthy and breathe ongoing life
into it to love and serve God fully for all the days I have left!

Walking this path for 2 years with my generation was life-giving. At
our final retreat, I shared with my group, "God is no longer my
employer whom I'm trying to please, He is my best friend whom I love
with all that I am."

That may sound trite upon reading, but it is huge, and I know a lot of
leaders in vocational ministry and leaders in their chosen vocations
who do not walk with God as I have learned to do and their souls are
shriveling up. The men and women that lead this Journey are humble,
intentional, honest and sincere followers of Christ. I have never felt
more loved and accepted in my life, and certainly not at any of the
dozens of conferences I attended throughout my ministry career.

I have personally witnessed many leaders in ministry crash and burn. I
now realize that what often leads to these outcomes produced by sin is
lack of personal, spiritual soul care. The Leadership Institute exists
to provide quality teaching, ample space, and Scriptural context to
help all of us learn how to follow Jesus in the way He invites us; to
where our load is easy, our burden is light, and our JOY overflows.
grace

This Day Prayer

Abba Lord; my Guide, Counselor, Healer, friend. This day:
Draw my mind to Yours,
Set my sights on heaven
Defy the gravity of my heart

and lift me above the mire.
Discipline my thoughts
Forgive my pride
and humble my heart.
Let me anticipate this day with joy,
knowing Your Presence in every moment---
filled with beauty and strength.
Lead me to the work You've prepared
Where my heart will be satisfied
as I delight myself in You.

Not What I Want

After a hard night of tension and poor communication with Steve and I, I reluctantly entered into my alone time with the Lord. As always, I am humbled and grateful I did. It's been a long time since I've written about my time with the Lord, but felt led to today. Mostly because my husband has asked that I write, so out of love of honor for him, and obedience to my Abba...

1 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Verse 11 stood out to me:
"May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do."

The good things my faith prompts me to do usually aren't the things my flesh/self/ego (whatever you want to call it) wants me to do. I want to...
do things that make ME feel good
things that fulfill ME
things that make ME look good
things that are fun, exciting, impressive, big
things that I decide are a really good idea and make sense
things that I think I'm good at

Paul and Silas and Timothy are praying for power to accomplish the good things YOU lead me to do (things that my FAITH prompts).
BIG difference.
I can't plan it---map it---design a purposeful existence. I can't SEE it---because when I walk by faith I can't see the road ahead, only the path below that you light up. God, I'm horrible at not leaning on my own understanding---I want it to be for ME. I pray for Your power to accomplish what YOU want. Give me keen sensitivity to Your promptings...
v. 12 "THEN the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of Your grace." That's what I long for.

Again, You point me to a life of abiding in You. You invite me to cling and obey. And You promise inexpressible joy. May You give me the power to accomplish Your will; to do what You lead me to do.