Caroline Wilson's Diary

A Retreat Like No Other

We made the two hour trek from our respective homes to North East, MD.  There were approximately 45 of us.  Who were we?  Scattered pieces of a perfect puzzle.  We drove in different cars; drove with different friends; and drove away for a two and a half day retreat at Sandy Cove.  We had common goals.  Some wanted their souls refreshed, some needed their souls to be refurbished and others just wanted to be reunited with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When we arrived, I expected a regimented schedule of well-known speakers who would preach to us from their well-crafted notes, inspired by the Holy Spirit of course. 

Melanie Wright, our leader, welcomed us with her bubbly personality and then she had several women read the following scriptures:

Revelation 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Ephesians 4:16 - From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Deuteronomy 23:21 - When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

Ecclestiates 5:4-5 - (4)When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

 (5) Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

John 8:47 -He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Then it was time for the introductions of the guest speakers.  We all looked around and to our surprise we were the well-known, subject matter experts.  Hmmm.

Each of the women bared their souls.  Neither sought compassion nor condemnation, but we were able to share so freely what was on our hearts - the good and the bad.  Now, here's the real blessing of the retreat - our personal testimonies, no matter how great or small, actually helped another sister.  We were the missing pieces to the perfect puzzle.

It didn't stop there, we spent 4 hours each day just hanging out: shopping, swimming, kayaking and doing whatever we needed to relax.  At night, we sat around a campfire, and listened to the peaceful sound of fire crackling and the North East River lulling under the glistening moon.

I finally got the picture.  God orchestrated this retreat so that we would know:
- His eye is on the sparrow
- There's nothing we cannot overcome
- We can share each others burdens and not get frustrated with each other
- We can be each other's strength in times of weakness 

New friendships have been made, and since the retreat new testimonies have gone forth.  Most importantly, we were told a secret.  We're all His favorites :-)  You had to be there to understand it.

As we said our goodbyes, we saw the missing pieces fitly joined together to make the perfect puzzle.

Stop Chasing and Just Rest

For the past month, I've had conversations with people who are busy looking for the next best thing to fulfill something in their lives.  Don't get me wrong, It's always good to set goals and work toward them, but if one is always trying to achieve the next best thing, I wonder do they know what they're really seeking.   

There seems to be an unquenchable thirst for things, status, money, position.  But can these things really fulfill the cry of the soul?  When one is always chasing after their goals to a point where they've become miserable, ask if there's something deeper.  Psalm 42:1 sums it up.  "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."

Um hm, that's it in a nutshell.  The soul is seeking something to give it rest and satisfaction.

In Confessions by St. Augustine, I'm reminded of something he wrote.   "Lord, you made us for yourself, and we can never know rest until we rest in thee."

I wonder if we really took the time to rest in God and allow ourselves to be ministered to by His Holy Spirit, what  will we find?  I'd venture to say that  we'd find that we're able to rest in His peace, joy, love.  Jesus lived and died and rose again so that we can have life more abundantly. 

 

Thank You Jesus For The Reminder

I awoke earlier than usual this Sunday morning and started my daily routine of whispering good morning to Jesus; sitting on the side of the bed like Annie Lee's Blue Monday piece, and heading downstairs for quiet time.  But instead of sitting quiet, I turned on the TV and switched to channel 371 (Direct TV).  There in front of me was Dr. David Jeremiah, one of my favorite TV pastors. 

His powerful sermon was something that I enjoyed being reminded of.  Grace - That wonderful unmerited favor of God - giving what we don't deserve.  Then he further went on to talk about Mercy - withholding from us what we do deserve.

He went on to list several examples of both.  I'm paraphrasing so please forgive me.
- Mercy withheld the knife from Isaac's heart.  Grace provided a ram in the thicket. (Gen. 22:1-14)
- Mercy saw a man on the side of the road and bound up his wounds.  Grace paid the bill. (Luke 10:25-37)
- Mercy forgave and received the  Prodigal Son.  Grace threw him a party. (Luke 15:11-32)

At any rate, I was reminded of the things that I deserved and the things I didn't deserve.  But Thanks Be To God for Grace and Mercy.

I Refuse To Do It...I Mean It!

For the past few weeks, there has been so much bickering at work.

• Finger pointing
• Backbitting
• Backstabbing
• Malice
• Strife
• Envy

True, there are a number of reasons that cause me and my co-workers to go at it each other with a vengeance, but the main reason is probably that we really don't like each other's personalities.  I remember my grandmother once telling me that we tend to hate things in others that really reflect who we are.   Yep, you've guessed it:  We're all Type-A personalities.

Anyway, I spent my morning devotional time not praying for God to change the situation in the office, but really asking Him to help me see where my role is in all of this.  Phillipians 4:8, which reads:  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.

Why this scripture?  I find that I've chosen not to look at my brethren through the eyes of God.  I've refused to see truth, honesty, purity and the lovely things about my co-workers.  The good report -- humph -- Can I find something good about them?  Can they find something good about me?  The answer is yes, but because I chose to focus on the bad things, I'll stay in a place that's not pleasing to God.

My vow today:  I refuse to participate in any conversation that doesn't edify and glorify my brethren.  I refuse to let any harsh words spoken to me cause me to react negatively.  I refuse to meditate on the things of the past.

I refuse to do it and I mean it!

It Almost Sounds Like A Dirty Word...

...especially when you've been wronged.  The word is FORGIVENESS. 

I was sitting in church on Sunday and the message was "I Surrender All:  My Unforgiveness."  I sat there thinking that God really likes me and desires that I continue to grow in Him.  I admit that, at times, unforgiveness is demon that plagues me like cancer eating away at the flesh. 

Chapter 17 of Luke tells us that offenses will come, but in verses 3-4 it reads: (3) Take heed to yourselves:  If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  (4) And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Now, what happens when the person who has wronged you doesn't repent?  Turn to Matthew 5:44:  But I say unto you Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

This is when you want to look towards heaven and say, "God, you're kidding, right?  Did you see what they've done?"

However, imagine God in all of His majesty and holiness; sitting on the throne saying, "Um hm.  Saw it all, but I also have a record showing things you've done to others.  They've forgiven you.  Better yet, look at the things you've done to me (against my commandments) and when you asked for forgiveness, I immediately cast you aught against me as far as the east is from the west, never to remember them again."

Wow! 

Pastor David Wright said, "Forgiveness is not a suggestion, it's a commandment."

I know it's easier said than done, but continue to study what unforgiveness can do to a person. You'll understand that the stronghold of unforgiveness can be very detrimental and will ripple into other areas of your life.