Spiritual Getaways
Do you like to get away from home? Do you enjoy times when you can leave the kids with someone else and get away with your spouse? Do you love vacations? I know I love getting away from the routine of life every once in a while. So, do we also need a spiritual getaway? I would say the answer is yes. I am talking about a retreat with just you and God.
Today, I had the privilege of getting away for the day to Stutzman Cabin. I have been here three other times and I am blessed each time. You may ask, "Why are you blessed? Because I spend the whole day with our awesome God. No phone calls, email, books, or projects to be finished. It is just me and God.
What do I do for a whole day? Here is what works for me. It may not work for you, but you will never know unless you try. I start the day in praise and adoration. I read Scripture and sing my heart out to God. Today, I took by iPod and sang worship songs along with it. I have found it is very important to start my retreats in praise before anything else. After I finish this, I will spend some time in confession. I ask for forgiveness for sins that I am aware of and ask God to reveal any areas where I need to confess things. Following confession, I tell God "thank you" for the things in my life: salvation, calling, family, provision, etc. After thanking God for my innumerable blessings, I then begin praying for needs and listening.
This makes up the bulk of my retreat time. During this time of requests and listening, I pray for all prayer needs that I am aware of for those around me. Following this time, I focus on my personal life and requests associated with it and then repeat prayer for ministry life. Throughout this time, I take breaks of "me talking" and listen to God. God will usually bring to mind other things to pray about. I pray about upcoming ministry activities and ideas that I have been thinking about over the last few months. I bring them before God and seek His will regarding them. Some of my "great" ideas have been discarded after praying about them on a retreat. I then usually close my time with thanks and worship.
I encourage each of you to take some time in the coming weeks to getaway with God. If you can do it at home without distractions, you can stay home. But if you would be easily distracted, find a low cost or no cost location where you can be in silence and solitude. It is important that your time not be interrupted and have minimal distractions (computer, phone, books, etc.) You will not be sorry that you decide to do this. The time will fly by and you will be looking forward to the next time. This is nothing fancy-just time with God. All you need is yourself, a Bible, notebook (you will want to write down thoughts and what you pray), and music, if you want. I hope you enjoy your spiritual getaway and if you have questions, please let me know.
Today, I had the privilege of getting away for the day to Stutzman Cabin. I have been here three other times and I am blessed each time. You may ask, "Why are you blessed? Because I spend the whole day with our awesome God. No phone calls, email, books, or projects to be finished. It is just me and God.
What do I do for a whole day? Here is what works for me. It may not work for you, but you will never know unless you try. I start the day in praise and adoration. I read Scripture and sing my heart out to God. Today, I took by iPod and sang worship songs along with it. I have found it is very important to start my retreats in praise before anything else. After I finish this, I will spend some time in confession. I ask for forgiveness for sins that I am aware of and ask God to reveal any areas where I need to confess things. Following confession, I tell God "thank you" for the things in my life: salvation, calling, family, provision, etc. After thanking God for my innumerable blessings, I then begin praying for needs and listening.
This makes up the bulk of my retreat time. During this time of requests and listening, I pray for all prayer needs that I am aware of for those around me. Following this time, I focus on my personal life and requests associated with it and then repeat prayer for ministry life. Throughout this time, I take breaks of "me talking" and listen to God. God will usually bring to mind other things to pray about. I pray about upcoming ministry activities and ideas that I have been thinking about over the last few months. I bring them before God and seek His will regarding them. Some of my "great" ideas have been discarded after praying about them on a retreat. I then usually close my time with thanks and worship.
I encourage each of you to take some time in the coming weeks to getaway with God. If you can do it at home without distractions, you can stay home. But if you would be easily distracted, find a low cost or no cost location where you can be in silence and solitude. It is important that your time not be interrupted and have minimal distractions (computer, phone, books, etc.) You will not be sorry that you decide to do this. The time will fly by and you will be looking forward to the next time. This is nothing fancy-just time with God. All you need is yourself, a Bible, notebook (you will want to write down thoughts and what you pray), and music, if you want. I hope you enjoy your spiritual getaway and if you have questions, please let me know.
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