Breckenridge - Women's Retreat day 2

am – As usual, I am way behind in my devotional readings, but The Dove July 28-29 about growing really revived me.  I may be behind, but God never is!  These devotionals are just when I need them!   

The Dove, Sunday July 28, 2 Tim. 4:13, “Keep Growing.  In prison with no possibility of release, and facing the certainty of death on the chopping block, Paul asked Timothy to bring his books.  Why?  Because he wanted to keep growing.  The truth is: 1) When you finish growing, you’re finished.  When the poet Longfellow was old an admirer asked him how he was able to keep writing so beautifully.  Pointing to a nearby apple tree he replied, “That tree is very old, but I never saw prettier blooms.  The tree grows a little new wood every year, and out of that new wood those blossoms come.  So I try to grow a little each year.”  2) Growth doesn’t come easy.  It will stretch you.  It will challenge you to rethink assumptions you’ve always believed to be right.  Indeed, it can cost you friends and money.  But when you’re committed to growth you cannot settle for ignorance. 3) Growth is your responsibility.  When you were a child your parents were responsible for your growth, but now you are.  The poet Robert Browning wrote, “Why stay we on earth except to grow?”  Yet few dedicate themselves to the process.  That’s because growth requires change, and we’re uncomfortable with the things change brings.  Gail Sheehy said, “If we don’t change we won’t grow, and if we don’t grow we’re not really living.  Growth demands the temporary surrender of security.  It means giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, relationships that have lost their meaning.  Taking a new step is what we fear most, yet our real fear should be the opposite.”  Can you think of anything worse than a life devoid of growth?

The Dove, Monday July 29, Prov. 1:5, “Keep Growing.  When it comes to growth, Christ is our example.  The Bible says that He “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).  To enjoy favor with God and others you must keep growing spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  That requires you to do two things: 1) Never stop learning.  Every experience in life, including the ones you don’t enjoy, yields knowledge that can make your future better than you present.  But you have to look for it.  The downside to the Internet and the iPhone is that you get endless “hits” of information you don’t process or glean anything from.  Instead of letting life just “happen” to you, you need to stop and ask yourself, “What’s really happening here?  I’m hearing it, but what does it mean?”  You are body, soul, and spirit, so you need to ask, “Am I healthy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?”  No one can answer that question but you.  2) Never stop developing your talents.  When one of the world’s greatest violinist was an old man, he was asked why he still practiced six to eight hours every day.  He replied, “Because I think I’m getting better.”  What a great attitude!  It’s not enough just to live long, you’re supposed to live better!  Paul told Timothy, “ Stir up the gift … which is within you”  (2 Tim 1:6).  Wesley Tracy said, “Some people have the notion that following your spiritual gift is spending the days and years of your life doing only those thing which come naturally, easily, with no effort, discipline or practice.  No, your gift can either be mediocre or excellent; it’s up to you.”

I’ve been challenged this week to really step out in growth and it is uncomfortable and I do have to surrender security.   I get too comfortable where I am but I have to get over that and stretch forth so God can use me to His will and fullest potential.  I have to make every effort to grow my character and the only way is to step out, go through trials, and rely on God’s wisdom to get me through.  Then especially like the Aug. 3 said, unless I hear a fresh word from God, what could I possibly say to others?

The Dove, Saturday Aug. 3, Ex. 33:12, “Are you hearing from God?  Throughout the book of Exodus we read these two statements:  “The Lord said to Moses,” and “Moses said to the people.”  There’s an important lesson here.  Unless you have heard from God, what do you have to say to anybody else that’s worth consideration?  Does that mean God won’t use your brain?  No, when your thoughts and desires are submitted to Him He will actually think and speak through you.  What a privilege.  The trouble is, we want to speak without first consulting God and hearing from Him.  The people Moses had been called to lead hadn’t heard from God in four hundred years.  After ten generations of living without God’s Word, can you imagine the shape they were in spiritually?  If you want to know how such a mindset will act, look at their responses every time they had a problem in the wilderness.  They wanted to go back into the security of Egypt!  This is one of the dangers you will face as a leader.  You must love people and listen to them, but you must be led only by God.  And unless you know God intimately, when times get tough people will take you back to what’s familiar and comfortable to them.  When people want to go back to their old way of doing things, it’s usually because they don’t know God well enough.  The litmus test of spiritual leadership is found in the ability to hear from God, then teach people to love God, discern His will, and begin to walk according to it!

I have to watch my mouth and not speak from my head, but rather, only speak what God wills me to speak.  That’s what I pray that God uses me, more than that, that I hear God clearly because I spend that important quality time with Him every day.  God brought me to Ezekiel 47 and especially v. 9, unless we abide in the living water of the Word, we cannot be healed and in order to bring the ‘fish’ – the people to God – we have to point them to that living water – the living Word and allow the Holy Spirit to regenerate our minds and our spirit.  I can’t just rely on my memory of the Word and go on past experiences with God, but rather, to have a fresh anointing every day.

Later – wow, I needed this today.  As Nancy said speaking on behalf of God: “If I loved you so much, who are you not to love yourself.  Not only forgive those who hurt you, but come to repentance for our reaction to the event.”    Ps. 91:14-15, John 10:10, Is. 61, Luke 4:21, Is. 53:3-5, Heb. 2:17-18, Eph 3:16-19,  Ps 18:16-19.  Phil. 4:8.  We are the gate keepers  to our mind – we let in or let out good and/or bad.   “I am crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Gal. 2:20.   Demolish strongholds 2 Cor. 10:5.  Take every thought captive.  As in Mat. 4:4, the devil is after our inheritance.  As the enemy did with Jesus, we discredit our identity when we listen to the enemy and he tries to derail us from our destiny.  We cannot let him steal our identity.   I like what Nancy said: “My childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over!”  Phil 3 – don’t look back!  Ex. 15:6.  This morning’s session was great – all about self-esteem and it met the needs of a lot of women here.

“Word from the Lord” for the women - God says: “I know that you’re afraid and sometimes even feel despair.  No one else may know it-you hide it well—but I know. That’s not all I know about you…. You’ve had such disappointments.  This isn’t the life you dreamed of… You feel blah, numb, burdened down with so many responsibilities, no fun; You get unhappy, even despairing sometimes, wondering ‘why bother’? it’s overwhelming.  You think you’re too much for yourself to help or fix.  But you’re not too much for Me. You may feel you get everyone tired with your ‘stuff’…. But I’ll never get tired.  I know you’re not used to leaning on anyone; but come—you can lean on Me.  I know every fear and doubt, every thought you’ve never dared to express to anyone.  I know every single word of your heart.  I’m holding every one of your tears—they’re precious to Me.  I am the answer to your secret wish that someone could love you the way you need, and take complete care of you.  I’ll always be there for you, to protect you and calm you down when you need it, and hold you close.  Lean into My heart—you can trust Me—let Me show My love for you”

Nancy says—you may think you’re not enough—I’m not smart enough, good enough, pretty, nice, young, thin, worthy enough, etc….Jesus says ‘you’re more than enough….in Me you are complete!’

3 pm – most totally awesome experience – hot tub outside – 44 degrees, snow on the ground, and lots of bubbles in the hot tub!  What a gift – I am soooo thankful I got this gift!  We got out of lunch about 1 pm and Cathy and I went into town.  We went to one art gallery and I talked with the docent and gave her my brochure.  She knows of a couple artists in CS who she’ll give my info to.  Awesome artwork,  I got a few good ideas of what I want to do from looking at those pictures.  I have several pictures I took of the desert coming out here to Colorado.  I want to do some of those, but also some with big storms coming in – like a wall of water.  I saw a huge picture like that at this gallery.  We walked about a bit, got a cookie from the cookie shop, and I got onto the shuttle and went back to the hotel myself – I wanted some serious hot tub time!  I just finished round 2 of the heated pool and hot tub.  This is soooo awesome!

Eve. – By 4:30 or so, there was a whole hot tub full of ladies.  It felt so awesome, I couldn’t leave – they all left about 5 or so, but I stayed on until 5:30 or so – very nice!   Great dinner.  I’ve connected with so many artists this weekend.  There are several here – a few said they’d come to my studio and one said she wants to hang her artwork.  I’ve got another lady who wants to display her jewelry – such a great day.

Evening session notes (the women’s ministries leader, not Nancy this time):  John 8:36, Gal. 5:1, Rom 12:2, Eph. 1:4, Phil 4:7, 13, 2 Cor. 5:17.   Gen. 37 – Joseph was a God Dreamer.  When God has given us confidence and calls us to a great work, God’s greatness has to rise up in our spirit.  We have to go through the ‘pit’, ‘prison’, and ‘trials’, but we’re not to compromise God’s plan and will in our lives, but deliver that uncompromising, unwavering Word with authority.  That authority comes from on high.  We cannot shrink back on this call on our lives, no matter what persecution that comes against us.  Our position in the natural (our job, place in society) combined with that position in Christ (his call to leadership) – authority in both places.  Circumstances didn’t confine or define Joseph, we can’t let it define us.  God defines us.  Authority gives you permission to call things forth in a move of faith unapologetically.  Heaven moves on our behalf because we operate in the authority of Christ.  Gen. 39:2 – a godly “no” will always cause a reactive and defensive nature – if a person is walking in a godly way, then one can handle a godly ‘no’ or rejection.  An ungodly person will turn it against the godly person, but God avenges us.

Wow – I just had the most incredibly, awesome experience.  We finished the evening session about 9:30 with awesome worship, and I went to my room, got on my swimsuit and went out to the hot tub.  There were minimal lights, so it was the perfect atmosphere.  The steam was coming up thickly from the pool and tubs, so I stepped in for the most wonderful spa experience.    I floated around, soaking up the heat, and look up into the most gorgeous sky full of stars.  So I lay on my back and floated, feeling wonderful.  I saw a shooting star and I communed with God – the most wonderful ½ hr – wow!