Today I am witnessing about one of the ways God works in our lives. Sometimes He uses others to plant a seed and then asks us to take a step in faith before we get more detail or direction. It can be scary and yet at the same time you have this feeling that you know you are being called to do this and so how do you say no? If the Lord is calling you to it, He will be with you guiding you each step of the way. If the Lord is calling you to it, then He will make it fruitful. All you need to do is say yes and then take that first step out in faith. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Today I want to witness about how the Lord can sometimes work in our lives. I went to a retreat in January with some of my big life mentoring sisters. There were about 20 of us there. We spent the time doing cool things like running in the ocean first thing in the morning and dressing in 80s gear and doing jazzercise at a local restaurant. I had not met most of these people before. Aside from the cool activities planned we also spent some time talking about what was going on in our lives and where we wanted to be at the end of the year. This wasn’t easy as many of us had never met and sharing the intimate details of our lives was scary. Although once people started sharing their stories the strangest thing happened, we realized even though we were all very different, we were also the same in a lot of ways. It was a great experience.
A month or so after the retreat I was talking to one of my new friends from the retreat. We were talking about our mentoring group and the various retreats our mentor Pamela Crim does and my friend said she could see me doing something like that, mentoring and putting on retreats. The seed was planted. I was trying to figure out where to go with my business.
I had thought about this type of thing before, but hearing someone else say she could see me doing it made it all see a bit more real. I tend to be a slow mover. I get an idea and I talk myself out of it for quite awhile. Do you ever do this? You come up with an idea and then don’t act on it because that inside voice tells you a million reasons why it won’t work?
One day I was at Eucharistic Adoration and I felt like the Holy Spirit told me I needed to plan a retreat for this summer. So of course I obeyed and started planning right away, right? Wrong. I did what I always do when the Holy Spirit directs me to do something. I asked a bunch of questions. Here are some of those questions: “This summer, are you sure? This summer is in just a few months. Who will even come to this retreat?” I felt as if the Holy Spirit said, “You just book a place and time and I will get the people there.” “Ok I said, but what about the theme of the retreat, what do you want us to do there? What will I talk about? Will I be the only speaker?” Again I felt I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Once you book the place I will give you more details.”
I really felt as if the Holy Spirit was wanting me to step out in faith. I started to call retreat centers to see if there was anyone who had availability this close to summer. Most places did not and the ones that did were too expensive. I wasn’t sure who would be attending but I knew I wanted to make it affordable for all. The price was going to be at least $400 at the places I was finding. I was getting frustrated and wanted to give up. I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to email my prayer group and see if any of the would want to go on a retreat and if $400 was too expensive.
I also asked if they even wanted a sleepover retreat. Maybe I should just do a daytime retreat or a one day retreat. Many said yes to a retreat most said stay over retreat which I felt confirmed what I felt I was getting from the Holy Spirit. A few said they could go if it were $400, however many said it was too much, again confirming my thoughts. I decided to ask a few people if they knew any retreat places. I am not sure how I happened upon the Holy Cross Retreat Center, and yet I am so glad I did!
This retreat center was affordable and the person I talked to was so nice. They have many retreats there each year and yet they are always the same type of retreat. This fall will be the first time they open their doors to outside groups for retreats. They do not have a minimum number of people I have to have. They are completely redoing all the rooms with new paint, new beds and new mattresses. They already redid the bathrooms so by the time we get there it will look like a whole new place.
I was so excited that it was all coming together. I was amazed how the Holy Spirit led me to find the perfect place. Now that it was really happening I had to start thinking about what the theme would be and who to invite and how much it would cost. Oh, that is another way the Holy Spirit was guiding the details. The only weekend that was available except Thanksgiving weekend was October 6-8. However our prayer group is starting a Life in the Spirit Seminar on the 6th of October. However that happens to be a long weekend where many people may have Monday off. So I will be doing the retreat from Saturday until Monday instead of Friday until Sunday. It all worked out perfectly.
I am still figuring out all the details so that I can open registration in the next two weeks or so. I am sure I will have another witness after the retreat about all the amazing ways the Holy Spirit worked throughout the retreat. I know the Holy Spirit will make sure those who need this retreat come to this retreat. My hope is that anyone who needs this retreat can come, even if they can’t afford it. I will have a place on the registration page for people to donate extra money towards scholarships so if someone can’t pay they can still come.
I am excited to watch this all unfold and I’m excited to see what the Lord has planned. I truly feel as though He just wants to pour His love out on His children. I feel He wants to fill the up with His love and also provide some inner healing. I think connection with other people that are also on this faith journey is important as well.
This is one way I have opened up my heart and let the Lord lead me into a new adventure. It has been an amazing journey so far. How is the Lord working in your life?