The Springs Retreat

What did you do at The Springs Retreat?

2012-02-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

What did I do? Whew! The Lord and I cleared the air about a lot of things! Many things were surrendered, laid at the foot of the Cross, and then, God and I had fun! How marvelous to be in the presence of the Lord."

--Scotty, Youth Pastor's wife

Soul Work

2012-01-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

It is our duty to be loyal to God’s desires.

Beware of allowing externals to take control of your life. “Eat, drink and be merry,” became the life purpose of the farmer who had lost his soul. He failed to live rich toward God and only focused on amassing wealth for this life.

Our souls are not designed to be floundering on their own but are to be deeply rooted in God.

Open your inner world to the Lord and sit in his presence for a few minutes, without words, just inviting him in, that you might experience his love for you. Gently ask him to show you a glimpse of your inner world. As you sit in the Lord’s presence, do you sense he is opening you to something? Make every effort not to resist God’s work. If you find negative emotions, don’t pretend they are not there. Welcome them and release them to the Spirit. As you open yourself to the Lord, he will transform you.

As Christians, we can fail to live “rich toward God.” When we allow a busy life to keep us from a profoundly rich, soul-expanding, all-encompassing love for Jesus, we have become the farmer, living a profoundly impoverished life, living as if this life is all there is.

Keeping the Lord before us

2012-01-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

“The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of God .”

One of the most essential practices of the spiritual life is to keep the Lord before us all of the time. David knew this: "I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure" (Psalm 16:8-9).

So how do we do this? When we take some time to retreat, we have the time to quiet our “inner noisy workshop.” Sometimes it takes 24 hours of solitude before we can begin to be present to the Lord. I've found some ways that help me to quiet the inner noise - things as simple as keeping a list so that my mind doesn't have to be continually reminding of things I don't want to forget.

Along with quieting the inner noise, we need to fill our minds with Jesus. We open ourselves to him and direct our thinking toward him. This is another goal. We can develop the habit of keeping the words of the Gospels in our minds by reading them carefully day by day, and re-reading them. We can memorize them. I find that when I am actively working on memorizing a passage, I naturally recall it throughout the day.

Keeping the Lord before us is a choice, a habit, a skill that we can practice and become better at. If we stick with it, keeping our mind focused on the Lord and at peace in Him will become the default. Our minds will return to him naturally, as a matter of habit.

Memorizing Scripture is such a gift as it helps our mind muse upon God.

Arrange Time for Communion

2012-01-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

"We understand anew that God will not compete for our attention. We must arrange time for our communion with Him as we draw aside in solitude and silence."

Soul Care

2011-12-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

"Allowing service for Christ to steal our devotion to him is a radical failure in personal soul care. But it is one from which the practice of communing with Christ in times of solitude and silence can deliver us."

How many times have we gotten to the place where we are absolutely empty, poured out, exhausted...and how many times have we found that the rest and refreshment of a three day spiritual retreat, where we have a private room and time to take a nap, walk in a natural setting, read our Bibles, and simply be silent and alone with the Lord has completely restored us?

Silence, Solitude, and Time are essential to our soul care.

What did the Lord show me during our Retreat?

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

The Lord shared his love with me and let me know that He is here for me. And I learned that the Lord's love is unconditional and He has always been my Father watching over me.

"The Springs retreat is held in such a beautiful place where you can spend time knowing and worshipping the Lord."
- November 2011 retreatant

"The Lord blessed this time for me in too many ways to say. I felt loved by Him in everything here - from the thoughtfulness of the team putting all of the details together - in small things -- to the beautiful promises with my name put in there personally - it was so sweet.

"I found the chapels so beautiful and driven by the Holy Spirit. I loved the freedom I felt in Track 3 - and when I took some of that freedom, I never felt pressured by anyone to do anythingin particular, which is so important to me, here.

"I appreciated the "silent" table too...God took me on a journey I'm not soon to forget and I thank Him for that! Thank you for allowing me to come! Thank you!" - Laura T.

Why did you come to the Springs?

2011-12-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

"I came to the Springs retreat in 2009 for my first retreat and took home many tools to use in my life for the next year. God knew I would need them for that year. My sister moved out and I suddenly became a full-time caregiver for my husband. His Alzheimer's progressed. I had tools to work with so that I could "live in God's love."

My husband is with Jesus now and I need to find myself again, and see where God will lead my life. Thank you, Jesus.

--Patty Sue, November 2011 retreatant

Not what I expected!

2011-12-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

"I have felt like a wanderer, not excited with where I am headed. I was very frustrated with the Lord and wasn't sure how this retreat would go... I held on to verses that I have memorized and thought of his love for me in a different perspective. Romans 5 was something I stumbled upon which was helpful. I now am questioning more than ever what my purpose is... I might go back to school and I may look into ministry as I felt a tug on my heart. Overall, this retreat calmed my heart but showed me that I need to get down on my knees a lot more and be still and listen for what the Lord wants me to hear. NONE OF THIS WAS WHAT I EXPECTED (in true God fashion)!"

The Springs Retreat

2011-11-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

"The Springs was used by the Lord to give me time to dig into the dark places in my life, cleaning out the junk and lies, replacing them with who God says I am. It was a time of peace and no agenda. I just wanted what God wanted for me. I was refreshed and energized to go home and handle circumstances in a whole new way. I saw visably that God cared about my desires. He met me in the low dry valley and he met me on the mountain top. He used this time to tell me He loves me no matter what."

Describe The Springs for someone who has never been

2011-11-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

"The Springs is a time to detox from the demands and pace of life. Newim provides a perfect blend of supplements, discussion, teaching and quiet time to help the beginner, as well as seasoned followers of Jesus, to maximize their time to hear and share with our Lord and Savior through the discipline of solitude." -- Pam Carr, Director of Womens Ministries

"A very peaceful time with God, enjoying His creation." --Dana S.

"A desperately needed time set in my busy life to go away with the Lord. A transformational experience every single time, but never what I anticipate or expect! A chance to fully experience alone time with the perfect love of Jesus Christ." -- Ashley Budd

Principles of Devotion

2011-11-20T16:21:00.000-08:00

Know deeply that I am whole in God’s eyes – beloved. He values and loves me. Because I am so loved and completely forgiven, I can love and forgive others.

Know yourself – your strengths and their accompanying weaknesses. Know how you promote and defend yourself.

Surrender to the love of God and entrust yourself to his loving intentions. Consent to his supremacy in all things. Be willing for God to be your Father.

Release control of your time, tendencies, inclinations, motivations, desires, goals, finances to the Lord. Be aware of what you might be holding back.

Find contentment in trusting in the goodness of the will of God, assured he has done and always will do well by us.

Fully participate, using your intelligence and energy to accomplish God’s will in the world.

Present your body to God—release each part to Him, ask him to take charge of your body, fill it, use it for his purposes. Use fasting as a strategy to help you know that the Lord is the Provider of nourishment for both your body and your soul. You are in charge of your body.

Stop idolizing your body. Care for it as it serves God and don’t worry or fear what will happen to it or what it will do to you. Entrust it to God.

Don’t misuse your body – not as a source of sensual gratification outside God’s will or to manipulate others by how you dress, or the things you say, or by using your words to exclude others.

Properly honor and care for your body—it is holy, set apart to God. Eat well and exercise. Enter into contrary practices like Sabbath resting and fasting to break the force of a habit that you don’t seem to be able to resist. When you feel tempted, turn your attention to deeply receiving the truth of God’s love for you. Rest. Sleep well.

Be in a community of trusted friends that are willing to open their inner lives. Be as honest as you can be about who you are.

Reflect on God’s Word each day.

Have a daily time to reflect on what the Spirit is doing in your heart and life. To do this, you might journal reflectively about: What insight did you receive today? What are you most grateful for? What do you want to hold on to? What do you want to release?

Take the opportunity to go on a spiritual retreat where you have the luxury of several days focused on being with God.

What I learned at the Springs this year

2011-11-18T08:20:00.000-08:00

"At the first chapel, I nailed down some hurts I needed to give to Jesus and I did! Thanks Christy!"

"The Lord used this time in my life to refresh and renew my spirit. It was a delight once again to see each of you - you make a dynamite team! I continued on my learning curve of solitude and silence -- it's getting a little easier. Luann has helped me a lot with that through conversations we've had and the awesome papers she has written on it that are available on the Resource Table. I'm trying to free myself of rules and expectations - it's coming!

"Thanks to each of you for all the work you sink into this very worthwhile project! Two resources that really meant a lot to me this year were "Hearts Unfold like Flowers Before Thee" and the 2 pages of God's promises from Scripture - that was amazing."

-- Sue, Nov 2011 retreatant

He Will Answer

2011-11-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.”
The truths of this verse are so precious to me. In times of trouble, or times of need, maybe times of loneliness, or fear about the future, it feels like He’s used this verse to teach me something…
He doesn’t always answer our questions, but He always answers our cry.

Sometimes His answer is “I am with you.”
Sometimes it’s “Be still and know that I am God.”
Or maybe it’s “Do not fear.”
But what has overwhelmed me lately is that His answer is always, “I love you.”
Regardless of my circumstances, or emotions, or thoughts, or needs, He loves me. That never ever changes.
I wonder how many times the Lord answers my cry, but I don’t hear? Because I’m looking for a different kind of answer. I often want an answer that will speak to my situation, yet He longs to speak to my heart. I usually want an answer that will cause me to know how things are going to work out, but He wants me to simply know more of Who He is, and that He is in control.

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.”
Thank You, Lord, that Your answer is always, “I love you.”

Describe your retreat for us --

2011-11-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

"The Lord has taken me into the quiet place and away from all the distractions to just love on me. I was not aware I needed this so much. He took my eyes off myself and as a result, I saw him everywhere.

"Thank you for your many hours of preparation and organization. It is evident much prayer went into this retreat." -- Leone Krohn

How did the Lord use the Retreat in my life?

2011-11-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

The Lord brought a long-hoped-for transformation to fruition.
He led me to find some answers to troubling questions and resolution.
He showed me his unconditional love and helped me pass it on.
He showed me His amazing creation through women and nature.
He made my heart sing through song.

Thank you Lord! Thank you the Springs!

Thank you for the Scholarship!

2011-11-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

"I am so deeply grateful for the scholarship. I wouldn't have been able to come without it. And the Lord has really used the women in my small group and the time here to put me on the path of freedom."
--Sarah Schmidt, November retreatant

How did the Lord use The Springs Retreat in my life?

2011-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

The Lord allowed me to see how He had been at work in our family's life bringing us together and knitting our hearts to each other.

He showed me that I have a proud heart and need to be a broken Christian...that this brokenness is an admission of need and dependence on the Lord...a pulverization of my self-will.

He showed me that I still feel overwhelmed and trapped by my own expectations.

He showed me that all I am required to do is to love God and love people and let go of everything else.

He Chose Me

2011-11-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

By Kim Bagato

On my first retreat at The Springs, I sensed great peace as I settled in. I’d contemplated what it would be like to spend time at a Catholic retreat center. The family I grew up in did not attend church every Sunday. We didn’t even go on Christmas or Easter. Therefore, my religious training was scant.
I had a lot to learn when introduced to Jesus in the early 1980s as a young adult. I still discover gaps in my understanding of religious traditions. The Stations of the Cross is one of those areas I didn’t know much about.

The first night of The Springs retreat we gathered in the chapel. My eyes were drawn to Jesus on the cross. I believe it was the first time I saw his humanness—He was a man. Jesus is God, but I saw him that night as human. It struck me how sad and hard and unnatural it looked to see him hanging there so vulnerable and in need of care. Memories appeared in my mind’s eye of my husband, son, dad, grandpa and friends I’d seen in hospitals, in pain, near death. Men—strong healthy men—injured, ill, vulnerable. They are the ones I lean on and look to and seeing them incapacitated is difficult for me.
Christ on the cross was a startling reminder of the pain he endured and the humility and abuse he met from men he could have overpowered.

He chose not to.
For me.
He.
Chose.
Me.

The following afternoon, I walked the path through the Stations of the Cross. I’d never done this before. Each pure white statue depicted a scene of Christ’s journey from trial to crucifixion and each seemed to emanate an historic peace. This bothered me. I’d read the gospel accounts, and my memory recalled the brutality of this course of events. These colorless sculptures left me with questions so I returned to the quietness of my room to study the scriptures and gain a better understanding of Christ’s final hours.

I did some research and discovered the titles and themes of each of the 14 Stations of the Cross and learned some background. I delved into my Bible searching for truth. (See Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 19.)

I found it.
Violent.
Harsh.
Abusive.

Quickly I realized that type of punishment couldn’t be fully reflected in cream-colored carvings. I’m uncertain if I’ll ever fully understand His horrendous yet supernatural sacrifice. That is not a pretty, holy, serene looking Jesus. He endured more than most of us will in a lifetime.
Deeply humbled and nearly in a state of shock, I allowed the gravity of that tragic injustice to soak deep. The profound truth of Christ’s unwavering expression of faithfulness, love and obedience to the Father’s will silenced my mind and granted me peace as I prayed:
Oh, God I don’t ever want to discount or squander your sacrifice and the unimaginable cost you paid to save my soul. It’s so valuable and heavy I can barely carry it.

© Kim Bagato 2011

How did the Lord use The Springs Retreat in my life?

2011-11-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

I came here to be refreshed - I received it.
I came here to hear from God - I heard Him.
I came here to worship and praise Him - I did that.
I came here for a greater intimacy with God - I got it.
I came here for direction - I got it.
I came here to fellowship with other believers - it happened.
I came to learn - I learned new things.
I came to relax - I relaxed.
I came to get away with Jesus - I did.

How did this Lord Use The Springs retrteat?

2011-11-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

"I love my time here. Just being quiet and enjoying the silence. For me, this is not something I can replicate at home. I have small children so the reality is that if I want a full day of quiet focused on God, it has to be away from home.

"This retreat I really concentrated on studying a book on learning how to crave God. We are made to crave but I've been filling my cravings with things and food and drink and fueling self-hate. I've been sluggish and down. I'm going to replace those habits with God. Give me more God! I'm created to crave Him. By his grace I'll find freedomfromthe vices that consume my thoughts and my heart. Give me more God! His grace issufficient for me."

What are your taking home from your retreat?

2011-11-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

"During this retreat, the Lord caused me to stop and listen and record what He wanted me to know at this point in time about family circumstances, ministry circumstances and primarily about my need for Him to fill me daily with His love."

"The Springs is a way to come close to the Lord in quiet solitude."

How did the Lord use this Retreat?

2011-11-06T07:45:00.000-08:00

"He answered my cries. He satisfied my spoken needs before the retreat even started. He used the rest of the time to clarify confusions I've been struggling with for a while. He even opened up a new path for my future and gave me a new guide. Amen!"

Soul Rest

2011-11-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23

It’s stressing over outcomes that makes me nuts. This is not the spiritual life. The spiritual life involves surrendering all outcomes to Jesus, drawing close, listening to his Spirit to follow his leading, and doing my best but not with a compulsive, obsessed, “driven to prove myself” mentality.

This is quite a challenge when you are being held accountable for results and you really can fail, lose funding, lose your job.

“The Lord is my shepherd.” He is the one who provides. He is the one who makes me lie down and rest secure. He is the one who nourishes and refreshes and leads the way. He is the one who restores my soul. He is the one who guards me from evil and takes away all my fear because I know he is right there beside me, able to protect me. He is the one who vindicates me in the presence of my enemies and honors me and blesses me. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all of the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Soul rest is possible because I learn from Scripture that the criteria for success in Jesus’ kingdom is not the outcome I’m striving for. That’s the world’s measure. Success in God’s kingdom is defined by God and is based on our love for him and others, our dependence and humility before him, our fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we live in the kingdom of God we can lighten up, have fun doing our best, because we have been set free from having to prove our worth by producing results. God wants our hearts and he’ll produce success according to his measure. He may even have us fail in order to form our character in the crucible of suffering and difficulties. So rest.

Spiritual Gluttony

2011-11-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Rest rekindles the fire.

There is such a thing as “spiritual gluttony” – when we compulsively want more and more spiritually. The compulsion to do more ministry, glean more insight, meet with more people, pray longer, give more, sleep less. Passion that morphs into an obsession can ruin us.

On a regular basis, we need to stop and take a true Sabbath’s rest. If we don’t, we can become spiritual gluttons. Passion everyday can squelch our passion. Lay down everything you are doing and stop all of your mental activity and truly rest.

Rest rekindles the fire.

Restore My Soul

2011-10-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

“There is no grander sight in the world than that of a person fired with a great purpose, dominated by one unwavering aim.” Orison Swett Marden

Let God use all that he’s created to nurture my soul and speak to my heart. He is good, he cares for me, and loves me, and welcomes me into his kingdom through the passion of his Son. Everything leads me to him. He is restoring my soul.

Two weeks outdoors to be immersed in the beauty of nature has the same soul-restoring effect as a silent retreat. It draws me out of the world of hurry, and struggle, and decisions and draws me into God’s world of peace, and joy, and rest.

Lord, may you use these days to restore my soul. Light me on fire by the work of your Spirit that I’ll return home dominated by one unwavering aim to love you with my heart, mind, soul, and strength every day. I desire to be fired with a great purpose, that your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

Spiritually Dry

2011-10-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we get to the point where we are really dry. We have worked so hard in ministry, yet we feel strangely disconnected from the Lord. How do we re-connect? How do we remind ourselves that we are living in His presence? What can we do to deepen our understanding of God's love for us?

Journaling, reflection, lectio divina, prayers of confession and relinquishment, silence, and solitude, the prayer of examen, will all lead us into his arms.

We can get spiritually dry even though we are involved in Christian activities.

It's amazing how refreshed we feel when we stop all of our "religious" activity, spend time giving God our hearts, falling in love with him all over again, letting the truth of His love soak into our inner sanctuary, seeing his hand in our lives and hearing his call, and simply attending to him. So one anecdote for spiritual dryness is to take a Sabbath’s rest and stop all of our work.

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

Spiritual vitality will return.

Rest - A Day to Disengage

2011-10-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

“Foolish out of measure is he who attendeth upon other things rather than those which serve the soul’s health.”

I had been intense all month, mentally considering ideas, reading, writing, meeting with people. On Thursday, I was exhausted and I felt on Friday that in order to continue wanting to be in pursuit of God, I needed a break, a day to totally disengage. I didn’t read anything. I didn’t turn on my computer. Instead, Kevin and I enjoyed a day outside. We took the light rail downtown and walked to the Rose Garden. A great day, enjoying being outside, with Kevin, mentally disengaged from ministry so that I could re-engage with enthusiasm tomorrow.

I’m learning that for me to stay hot, I must disengage at times. Passionate living can leave me mentally exhausted and a day off can be so refreshing that I wake up the next day desiring to re-engage.

Sleep

2011-10-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to be passionate about anything when I’m on the verge of falling asleep. When I’m tired. I just want to go to sleep. I can’t push through being exhausted. For me, I need to be rested to live passionately. So part of nurturing spiritual passion is being disciplined about getting enough sleep. For me, I need 7-1/2 to 8 hours of sleep.

I can want to be passionate, but if I’m too tired, I get grumpy. I can’t stay awake, I can’t concentrate, I can’t reflect or think deeply or learn. When I try to read when I’m tired, my eyes may scan the words but I have no knowledge of what I read. When I try to pray I fall asleep. So in order to nurture my heart’s desire for the Lord, I need rest.

We may want to stay up late doing something, but that actually works against us. If what is best for us is that we live fully alive, then we need to pay attention to getting enough sleep. That doesn’t sound as spiritual as staying up all night working on something—but it is.

Care for our Bodies

2011-10-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

I am responsible to care for my body. It is central to all other responsibilities I have. I am the steward of my body. It belongs to God and he has entrusted it to me.

I must present my body to God as a living and holy sacrifice. The goal is that every part of my body is inclined toward God and godliness, breaking conformity with the world and being transformed by the renewal of my mind (thoughts, imaginations, judgments). We don’t want our bodies starting us off after evil, dragging along our thoughts and feelings.

“The body must come to serve as a primary ally in Christlikeness. The body lies right at the center of the spiritual life. It can, and often does, hinder us. The body should be cherished and properly cared for, not as our master, but as a servant of God.” (Willard)

My language, culture, gender, talents, opportunities and family all come to me through my body. My body keeps a record of my desires, sensations, emotions that tells the truth about me in my core. I cannot escape my body. My body is God’s creation.

My body is not just physical but is inhabited by Jesus’ real presence (Phil. 3:10, Romans 8:11). I need to set aside “my flesh” by God’s grace, putting to death all of the old desires that are in rebellion against God, and take on my new life in Christ. Christ was raised that I may walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

To accomplish what God has called me to, my body must be as healthy as I can achieve. How foolish to squander this great gift of a body by allowing it to deteriorate from lack of exercise and over eating. Lord, change my heart (my inner thinking and attitudes) so that I value and see the connection between my health and the work you’ve called me to. I cannot sacrifice my health without limiting years of my life and ministry.

Our Bodies

2011-10-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

“Most of what is called character consists in what our bodies are and are not “at the ready” to do in the specific situations we find ourselves in.” (Dallas Willard)

The proper retraining and nurturing of the body is absolutely essential to Christlikeness.

Willard instructs us that inclination to do what is wrong (temptation) resides primarily in my body. We can act or speak before we think. Our body parts can carry us away (James 3:5-6). Our bodies run our lives: we are almost entirely devoted to how our bodies look, smell, feel, and how I can use my body to be admired.

God created our bodies so that we could live a life devoted to God as we await our glorification and new bodies in the next life.

Body worship, body hatred, fear of what our bodies will do to us before we die are all coming from a perspective that there is no God. God says that our bodies are beautiful, holy, sacred and belong to him. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. God created our bodies and gave them to us. Spiritual formation involves not just our hearts but our bodies as well.

Heart * Soul * Mind * Strength

Take Back your Time

2011-10-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

Aren't we always looking for more time, telling people how we have no time, using lack of time as an excuse for not doing all kinds of things—including things we know we should do like reading to our children and flossing our teeth?

I’ve come to own that I make the choices for how I spend the 24 hours that God has given to me...no one is making me busy except myself and no one, besides me, will give an account for how I spend my time. I've come to the conclusion that my days are full just like everyone's days are full and I'm the one responsible for it. If I’m too busy, it’s my fault.

No time is more profitably spent than the time I use to heighten the quality of my walk with God. If I think otherwise, I have been badly misled. The real question is, will I take time to do what is necessary for a vital, passionate life in Christ or will I try to get by without it?

There is no substitute for time spent with the Lord.

But First

2011-10-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

"I will follow you, but first let me go..." Lk 9

I've always read this passage and wondered why Jesus would have a problem with someone wanting to bury his father, or taking the time to say good-bye to his family. This morning what stood out to me was "First let me go..." Don't we always have something that we want to do first? Jesus, I'll follow, but first I need to send an email, clean the house, finish school, raise my kids. We can go through our life thinking we are following Jesus, writing books about following Jesus, teaching others how to follow Jesus...but never actually following Him because there's always something that we need to do just now...then we'll follow.

Following Christ. Being on a Mission. Living with Passion—all begin now. There's an urgency that can't be put off. First let me follow—then everything else will be taken care of.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” Matthew 6.

All of Me

2011-10-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s comands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9-10)

Spiritual formation is foundational to living a Christian life that is pleasing to the Lord and worthy of his sacrifice and calling.

Spiritual transformation requires obedience. It requires intentionality on my part to do what the Lord commands, but it cannot be accomplished by depending on my will alone.

Spiritual transformation requires that I (heart, soul, thoughts, feelings, will) work together with the Holy Spirit in interaction with the grace of God to let God’s love change me in the core of my inner person.

Hungering for righteousness, longing and wishing for my attitudes, motivations, reactions, desires, and focused action to be beautiful and good, even Christ-like, won’t happen automatically while my attention is consumed in other things.

Spiritual transformation requires that I make love the central focus of my life. Jesus says, “Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9) Remain. Stay there. Don’t leave.

Love is the very least and the very most I can do.

Is This Really Possible?

2011-10-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:11-12)

"Living a life of love," "experiencing complete joy"—not exactly the first characteristics that spring to mind as people outside of the church seek to describe us. Not exactly the first characteristics that spring to my mind either. Why? Why aren’t we full of love and joy?

Willard writes, "It's God's intention that our lives should be a seamless manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23).

Is Willard right? Can we really get to a place in our lives where we experience God's joy from deep within that won’t be shaken by our circumstances? Not a pretense of joy, but a true sense of well-being and hope in the Lord always. Yes, I guess it is possible: Jesus taught us to abide in God's love, like a branch remains with the vine, "so that his joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete." It must be possible to live in joy.

Why don’t we experience love, joy, peace, patience...every day?

Maybe we're not paying enough attention to our interior lives. For the fruit of the Spirit to naturally overflow in our lives, we must attend to matters of the heart: experiencing His love and receiving his grace. When we go on a spiritual retreat we can take long periods of time to experience his love and grace in these kinds of specific ways. A spiritual retreat is different from a vacation. It's not just time for us to get away from it all. The retreat is for the specific purpose of being with the Lord.

During a retreat we have time for spiritual exercises like practicing the presence of God, and letting the Word of Christ richly dwell in us, and spending time in solitude with the Lord and experiencing his divine love. Practical exercises can help us abide in his love.

Back home, if we take the time to be with him, and make these practices part of our daily life, we are able to stay connected with the Lord like a branch is connected with the vine. Through living as Christ taught us we open ourselves to receiving his grace so that we will exude in increasing measure the character of the Spirit of God and experience his life changing us from the inside out. At least that's the goal that the Lord Jesus has set before us.

“Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love.” (Eph. 5:1)

Solitude, Silence and Rest

2011-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

“We need to be sure HE is pulling the load, bearing the burden—which we are all too ready to assume is up to us alone. We must understand that He is in charge of the outcome of our efforts, and that the outcome will be good, right. And all of this is encompassed in one biblical term, “Sabbath.”

Practicing solitude, silence and fasting are especially helpful in resting. It's practicing silence and solitude on retreat that not only provides a deep sense of rest while we are on retreat, but also then enables us to enter into that place of rest even in the midst of a very busy life back home.

Living with an attitude of total rest in God will not happen automatically. We must practice laying everything down and walking away from it. We have to practice not talking. We have to practice silencing the inner noise. I love that at The Springs retreat we have opportunity to learn how to leave behind all of our work and how to quiet all of the noise so that we can truly enter into God's rest.

The challenge is to not bring our work with us when we go on a spiritual retreat. It's tempting to think that we'll use the time to write an article or complete our Bible study. If we do this, true solitude and rest will not be found. We have to get away from our work to rest.

Take an afternoon to walk the trails. Take an hour to reflect on the beauty of a wildflower or listen to the birds. Take some time to just sit in a chair and look at the valley and be open to the Lord. Just be with Him. It can be quite a shock for those of us who are so busy doing ministry to come away in order to just be with the Lord. But once we've practiced solitude and silence, they become the most precious times for us...and truly, we can learn to bring the blessedness of that rest into our busy lives.

Dependence

2011-10-10T16:00:00.000-07:00

“The most powerful force on earth is the soul set on fire by the love of God.”

Living with my soul on fire must be balanced with complete assurance of Jesus’ mastery of the universe, otherwise I start burning out from thinking it’s up to me to move these mountains that won’t budge!

Dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit, and trust in the promise that all I need is the faith of a tiny mustard seed helps me to work hard without getting discouraged and giving up. The results are really not up to me.

I find it is very challenging to live fully invested in advancing the kingdom of God and at the same time to rest in God’s sovereign control of the outcomes of my efforts, because I want to succeed.

I so want to see my friends come to know the Lord.

I so want to see our church grow.

I so want our church plants to be successful.

I can be working hard. I can be praying and yet see so little movement toward the goals I’ve set. I get frustrated with people when they abandon their part. Usually after the fact, I can tell that I have stopped depending on God and have taken full responsibility to accomplish things on my own. I’ve crossed over the line.

In church, the pastor read the story of Jesus speaking to the waves. The words “Be quiet and still” totally caught my attention. Jesus was speaking them to me: “Luann, be quiet and still.” Yes, Jesus rules the universe. He speaks the words and it will be done. As I opened my heart to his sovereignty, I could sense his peace return. All I am trying to accomplish is his. I can do my part but it is all dependent on him. If these goals are his will, he will make them happen. He just has to say the word.

Caleb is a good example for us. Hold on to God’s promises. Do your part in the waiting. Don’t be afraid. Move forward in full confidence that God the Holy Spirit is there working along with you, alive in your soul. But at the same time, know that God is in control. Allow your soul to be set on fire by the love of God. Live sold out to doing all that you can to further the gospel. Be assured that Jesus is in sovereign control.

Lord, I need to be intentional, think and plan strategically, take my next steps and totally know that your Holy Spirit is at work and will lead the way. I can wait and rest in you. The outcomes are your responsibility. If it doesn’t go as planned, fine. That was your plan. You’re as much interested in how my soul is transformed in all of this, as you are in me accomplishing my goals. I can be passionate every day and be fully at rest, totally dependent and confident in you, Master.

Watch and Learn

2011-10-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

Spiritual formation is centered in loving God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving my neighbor as myself. As we are maturing in Christ, love for God and love for people should be increasingly developed in our hearts and more fully expressed in the ways we relate to people. Love is our message. (John 15-17)

A colleague, Janice Smith, responds to a need she hears with a desire to help. The rest of us offer to pray, but when she hears of a difficult life circumstance she asks, “Can we send a card, bring a meal, help financially?” Love lived. Passion every day. I want to be like her. I’m watching. Learning.

We can study Jesus to become like him. We can also study his followers to learn how to walk as Jesus walked.

Is there anyone you are watching?

Entering a Life of Worship

2011-10-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

Inner renewal happens as we worship the Lord. Let the love of God lead you to worship. Let the psalms and hymns and spiritual songs create an undertone of worship in our lives. Throughout the day, join with angels who are worshipping in heaven: "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever." (Rev. 5:13)

Our love of God leads us to worship Him, and overflows into a life of compassion and mercy—loving others.

Dallas Willard writes: "Worship is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration of our whole beings to God. Nothing can inform, guide, and sustain pervasive and radiant goodness in a person other than the true vision of God and the worship that spontaneously arises from it. Then the power of the indwelling Christ flows from us to others."

Matt Redman encourages us to set apart something in our lives that will serve as a call to worship. That seemed like a wonderful idea. I've set apart the sunrise and for months now, every time I see the sunrise, it reminds me to stop, turn my focus to the Lord, spend a few minutes in unworded openness before him, receiving his boundless love. The sunrise is my call to worship Jesus.

Worship isn't something that I have on my to-do list—another task. That's not the spirit of worship. Worship overflows from a heart that is grateful.

As we worship, we are renewed in our inner being.

Enjoy him. Pay attention to his fingerprints in your life that you might be deeply grateful to him for all he is doing and has done. Caring for our souls in these ways is our responsibility—this is our part of walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5) —and when we do, love and worship overflows in goodness and mercy as we live out our worship in service to others.

Soul Care

2011-10-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16)

Inner renewal is the secret to a life of service in tough circumstances. It’s the secret to not giving up.

The best way we can care for our souls is to be renewed inwardly in his love for us day by day. Every day, day after day.

Daily, for the rest of your life, be intentional to care for your soul by being attentive to God’s presence and aware of God’s love for you. That’s the very best way to nurture your soul.

Walking in the way of Jesus involves restoring our inner devotion. We will have sweet times of fellowship with the Lord when we retreat, but we shouldn’t expect that the intensity of devotion we experience on retreat will stay with us. And we shouldn’t keep looking back to earlier times when we experienced his nearness and just put up with living with a sense of being disconnected today. Thomas Kelly reflects: “But the light fades, the will weakens, humdrum returns. Can we stay this feeling? No, nor should we try…the Eternal Inward Light does not die when ecstasy (our feelings) dies, nor does it exist intermittently…Continuously renewed immediacy, not receding memory of the Divine Touch, lies at the base of religious living.”

The challenge is to learn in our daily practice how to be renewed. A good place to begin is by making a list of those activities that nurture your soul and then be intentional about incorporating them into your day.

“He restores my soul.” Psalm 23

Nothing Else

2011-10-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Nothing else is required in life. He is my love.

I am so grateful for the love of God. I’ve been chosen by him. I’ve been welcomed. I couldn’t make it happen. I had no coercive power to force it. But here it is. Jesus loves me and what a gracious gift that is. It’s humbling. Beautiful. Gentle.

And for our love to be mutual, I must choose him—choose to make him my desire, the love of my life.

Staying in love every day is our goal. The fire of passion must be nurtured. Bible study, prayer with words, prayer without words, reflection, fellowship, times for solitude, silence, and being with the Lord – are all ways to tend the fire within.

I desire to nurture my relationship with the Lord so that I live passionately in love with him every day. I desire that my “work” is produced by my faith in Jesus, labor is prompted by my love for him, and endurance is inspired by hope in his love, and our future together.” (I Thessalonians 1:3).

“I have everything that I need.” (Psalm 23:1b)

Nothing else is required in life when Jesus is my love.

Passion

2011-10-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Our ability to live out our call to love the Lord and to love others, and to live the teaching of Jesus is directly linked to our ideas and images of who God is, how he relates to us, and how we see our self. True theology actually believed is crucial.

Nurturing our inner life is about spending time letting truth sink down deeply into our belief system, especially the knowledge of how cherished we are by God.

How can I let truth permeate my soul? Spend hours over several months in contemplation and meditation on the love of God specifically for YOU, and the goodness and beauty of his character. He is good. He is trustworthy. These truths are core fundamentals, the bedrock on which to build your life in Christ.

The hours I have spent coming to more richly know the love of God has been in 5-10 minute blocks of time, morning by morning, sunrise after sunrise. Then it has been more fully experienced at The Springs retreat. The love of God is the rain that has to pour down on my heart and seep into the ground water of my soul. It’s the ground water my roots find to sustain me during drought. It’s the spring that never fails.

I’ve taken words of God written in Scripture and personalized them as if he spoke them to me. “You are my beloved – on you my favor rests” “I’ve known you before you were born.” Reflecting on them has made me stop and seriously wonder, can these words really be true? Is it possible? Yes. The Father loves me. Passion begins in knowing I am loved, because once I truly know that I am loved, then, I want to love him back.

I want to experience divine love, God’s passion for me.

Every day.

Spread My Love

2011-09-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

“Spread your love everywhere you go.” Mother Teresa

“Love for the Lord overflows into passionate living—loving those around me.

Jesus opened himself to receive his Father’s love to the point that he was filled up to overflowing. As he met people who were hungry and thirsty, some physically, most spiritually, he loved them. His love overflowed and embraced everyone he met.

My call is to love as Jesus loved.

Why does this sound like news to me today? Mother Teresa put it well, “Spread your love everywhere you go.”

Quenched

2011-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

"Dedicate your life to a cause greater than yourself, and your life will become a glorious romance and adventure." Mack Douglas

Thirst. Unquenched desire, longings—all of these are an invitation to passion. When we’re hungry and thirsty, that's when we get to the place where we realize that nothing we are doing really satisfies us—we are desiring something more. Something deeper. Something real. And then we are ready to hear Jesus: "Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again." (John 4:14a)

Lord, if this is true, give me this water!

When we come to him thirsty, the Lord Jesus gives us the Spirit of God. He gives us himself. He is the refreshment we desire. He alone quenches our souls’ restlessness and emptiness. He alone satisfies. We are set free. Freed from the ceaseless need to find something that will satisfy. Quenched. Well-watered. No longer obsessively, yet perhaps unknowingly, driven to be loved. When I come to Jesus, his Holy Spirit flows into my life and turns my passion to find something to satisfy my deepest longings into a passion for Himself and a passion for sharing his love and goodness on earth. Life becomes a glorious romance...and adventure.

Passion lived.

Every day.

Stirrings

2011-09-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

“When we experience awe, when we perceive something bigger than ourselves, perhaps a mystery, or wonder, or that “which lies within our reach but beyond our grasp,” we are experiencing God. “ (Abraham Heschel quoted by David Benner in Opening to God, pg. 140)

Beloved, Listen

2011-09-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

“You are my beloved. On you my favor rests.”

Jesus heard these words from his Father as he was baptized by John. Treasured words. Is it possible that the Father would say such words to us?

Henri Nouwen thinks so. He writes: “We are the Beloved. We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children and friends loved or wounded us. That’s the truth of our lives. That’s the truth I want you to claim for yourself. That’s the truth spoken by the voice that says, “You are my Beloved.”

“You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother’s womb. I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as my own. You belong to me. I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover and your spouse…yes, even your child… wherever you are I will be. Nothing will ever separate us. We are one.”

Take just a minute right now. Close your eyes and open your heart to the Lord. Listen attentively to the voice of the Father calling you his Beloved.

Do you notice any movement within your spirit of being drawn? If so, that’s the Lord. If so, it is his Spirit calling your spirit.

Open your heart.

Boundless Love

2011-09-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

Watch a sunrise… Ah! The Father really likes me. He’s very fond of me. He is a compassionate God who loves me in my brokenness. When we look to Jesus, we find him looking at us with a gaze of infinite tenderness.

Jesus told a story: Day laborers arrived at various times throughout the day. Some only worked an hour while others had worked hard all day, yet the extravagant farmer paid all of them the same.

God has opened heaven and extended his boundless, extravagant love for all who will come. Come, experience the love of God for you, today, right now, as you are. His love overflows for you.

His love may scandalize all who think that people have to work hard to earn his love. The truth is, his love knows no bounds. We are fully, completely, boundlessly loved by God even if we are broken and arrive at the last hour.

“I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:14-15). God’s generosity is boundless.

Watch the sunrise tomorrow morning. Let the beauty of dawn speak to you of the beauty of God’s boundless love. His love extends to you.

Even if it’s the last hour, it’s not too late to come.

Openness

2011-09-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

“OPENNESS TO GOD is simply a response to the hunger that God places in your heart. Any openness to God that you experience is a gift. Don’t try to generate more. Simply ask God to increase your awareness of the depths and extent of your spiritual hunger—the yearning of your spirit for God’s Spirit. God will do the rest...” (Benner, Opening to God, p. 40)

Registration is open for The Springs Retreat, November 2-4, 2011

2011-09-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking about going to The Springs in November, now's the time to sign up. We have 14 spots available. Go to http://www.newim.com/ and click on "shop" - to register online. Or email DarleneDerby@comcast.net with questions or scholarship information.

Luann Budd will be leading Track 2 this fall, focusing on the contemporary use of the Prayer of Examen.

An Invitation

2011-09-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

I dare you, while there is still time, to make the love of God your magnificent obsession.

If we get alone for a few days we’ll notice underlying our more external desires is another layer of inner longings.

We long to feel loved for who we are, not based on what we do but just for being us. We long for a deep sense of well-being that wells up from within and lightens our load. We long to live with zest, energy, passion – so that we feel alive. We long to know our purpose, why we’re on the planet. And we long to make a significant contribution for good with our lives. How can we satisfy these longings?

These longings, all of our longings, can actually be paths that will lead us toward God. He is wooing us. Think of them as an invitation.

Let your longings lead you to Jesus, the Lover of your soul.

Longings

2011-08-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.” Matthew 7:7-8

Do you know what your heart longs for? Perhaps what you are looking for is God. After years of restlessness, seeking acclaim from the philosophy department at Harvard, something happened in Thomas Kelly’s life. No one knows what, but somehow the longings within him finally led him to God. He spoke to a group in 1938:

“I want to speak as simply, as tenderly, as clearly as I can. God can be found. There is a last rock for your souls, a resting place of absolute peace and joy and power and radiance and security. There is a Divine Center into which your life can slip, a new and absolute orientation in God, a Center where you live with Him and out of which you see all of life, through new and radiant vision, tinged with new sorrows and pangs, new joys unspeakable and full of glory.”

Jesus invites us to be seekers. Let your longings lead you to go deeper. Seek and you will find. God can be found.

’O God, Thou hast made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” Augustine

Christian Spirituality

2011-07-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

“Christian spirituality is summed up in one word: love.”

We are called to be lovers. Not dispassionate, hardworking do-gooders. Not aloof academicians. Lovers.

Love is to be my singular focus, my all-consuming desire, my first thought in the morning, my last reflection in the evening, my prayer throughout the night. Every breath. Every heartbeat. Every thought. Every motive. Every act. LOVE.

Every day.

Good Friday prayer

2011-04-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Good Friday is one of those days in history that changed the world. Verses from Isaiah 53 have been on my heart today: "the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him and by His wounds we are healed."

I pray that we will each know the peace that Jesus purchased for us...a deep abiding peace within our inner person that sets us free from any lies we may hear from the Accuser that we are not good enough, or that we are disgusting, or that what we have done is so shameful that the suffering of Christ couldn't redeem it. May each of us know His peace today that was purchased at an incomprehensible price.

Brenning Manning was meditating on the crucifixion of Jesus, and intentionally wanting to know the agony He endured. He was trying to let himself receive the truth of what Jesus did on the Cross. At one point he heard the cry of Jesus' wounds: "This isn't a joke. It is not a laughing matter to me that I have loved you." Brennan said it was then that he realized that no one had ever loved him like that. No one else ever could love him like that.

Jesus paid everything that we might live in peace with God. It was no laughing matter to Him. We continually need to be receiving that gift and opening ourselves to the magnitude of it because it is beyond understanding. As Isaiah says, "By His stripes we are healed" -- not partially healed, but fully healed. Completely set free.

May you receive the love of Jesus today - and experience the inner peace His sacrifice provides. May you know the depths to which you are loved by God.

Psalm 84 was the focus of our Chapel meditations

2011-04-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Click on the photos to enlarge them

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young--

a place near your altar,

O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere...

O Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Such a Sweet Time

2011-04-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

"This retreat was such a sweet time with my Savior. So refreshing and encouraging. So nice to get answers and find some clarity, and be encouraged. I was so excited to come here and get away from all of the noise and distractions and just be loved on by my Abba. I can't wait until I can come back again."

--Springs North participant

"The Springs was an amazing time to be refreshed and renewed....and have the time to spend with God."

"I needed this! I was able to truly evaluate a lot of guilt and pain I have been going through. Pain and guilt that has lated my happiness and kept me from moving forward. I realize where all of my bad decisions are coming from. It was very healing." -- Springs North participant

A Pathway to Heaven

2011-04-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

"The Springs Retreat gives us opportunity for lots of solitude and time to be with God -- the schedule has a perfect balance between alone time and time in community with others. The Lord used this time to help me begin the grieving process for the loss of my son. To feel safe in His loving arms. To feel the loving support of the women here. To banish some thoughts from Satan about the why's of my son's death. I had time to read more and practice silence, solitude and prayer. Just being with God without having it be full of labor."

--Springs North

"How would I describe The Springs for someone? It is an undescribable walk with the Lord - a pathway to heaven." -- Springs North participant

What a great time we had

2011-04-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Springs North - April 2011

"The Springs is a beautiful place to come rest, be refreshed, retreat with some structure that allows you to have time alone. You don't have to go to workshops. You don't have to go from class to class and be busy-busy. You have freedom to do and be with the Lord at your pace." - Springs North

Women came from Arizona and California to retreat together

2011-04-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

"The Springs is great! A great time alone to make real progress with God."

"He has met with me here, again!"

He has spoken to me through His Word and my devotional time."

- Springs North

"I found a different way of journaling; taking the garbge that fills my mind and writing about it. As I write God reveals his perspective and the garbage loses its power over me. I need a journal that is for God and me alone. I have a new vision for quiet time that is focused on being with God rather than focused on Bible education, ministry to others, problems and decisions." -- Springs North

Too much fun!

2011-04-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

"I thought the idea of a silent retreat was crazy. But oh, how wonderful it is to be with our Father in his beautiful nature, listening and journaling and meditating on His Word." - Springs North

Several of us decided to walk down the road to the river and the waterfall. With 13 feet of snow in the Sierras, the rivers were very full. It was beautiful walk...as I walked I pondered what questions I was living. It was a good conversation to have with the Lord.

I found Gina sitting by the river, journaling. The falls and the Red Bud trees were lovely.

I also found Lindsay swinging. It is such a joy to experience God's love in such tangible ways.

The trails at St. Anthony's were spectacular

2011-04-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

It takes a while to leave behind all of our responsibilities at home and settle into the retreat. Taking a walk, listening to the birds, noticing the wild flowers, helps us to begin to relax and become more intentionally aware that God is with us.

"I enjoyed the outdoors without having to do something other than enjoy His beauty and the blessing of health to walk and hike. That is rest, relaxation, down time for me. He used me to pray for a woman who has suffered a terrible loss -- not with her specificaly, but on my walk during my waterfalls time."

-- Springs North

"He reminded me that He alone is my perfect comfort when I am not comforted by people. The Springs is a time to become acquainted, or reacquainted, with how to hear God through Scriptures and live the spirutal life God created us to live." -- Springs North

"For those who have never been to The Springs, it is a place to relax and be alone with God, and take in God's beauty. During our retreat, He helped me to see what needs to be done in my life as well as He encouraged me." -- Springs North

The Wildflowers!

2011-04-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

"At the Springs, you learn how to have, and the importance of having, time alone with God. Silence and solitude was so refreshing! I got to rest. I met some great ladies that God put in my small group. I did some journaling which I haven't done in a while. I spent a lot of time reflecting on my relationship with God and others. He revealed several things to me during those times and in chapels. I LOVED THE CHAPEL! The music during our worship times was wonderful."

- Springs North

"I would describe The Springs as a place to go and detox from the pace, noise, pressure and people that fill our lives and yet limits the space and availability to hear myself, hear God, and unite what has been seperate conversations into a conversation of prayer." -- Springs North

"I had the space to cry out my burdens to the Lord & hear Him comfort, teach, correct and guide me as I dialogued in active listening, prayers, Scriptures, journaling and times of silence. Prescious time!

"He also gave me a fresh glimpse into my what I had be believing about God versus what the great "I AM" says of himself in Scripture. This helped settle my mind and open my heart to trust Him with what's on my mind and heart. I desire to follow and love Him with my mind, heart, soul, strength fully engaged. My trust in Him, and of Him, anchors-down as I got a glimpse of Him. The truth that He has always existed and will always exist: no beginning or end. So He is not dependent on anything/anyone to exist. WOWZER! I can trust that kind of Source.

"I also enjoyed our group time as Luann sparked our discussions towards stimulating and honest dialogue, like, "What quesion am I living with?"

- Springs North, Women Ministries Director

What a special Springs!

2011-04-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Time to be alone with the Lord. Experiencing His incredible love for us. Beautiful surroundings. Precious new friends. Peace. Quiet.

Like a little taste of heaven here on earth!

Psalm 63

2011-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek you."

I wish I could pray this with authenticity. If I am honest, my prayer would have to be "O God, You are my God, distractedly I seek you."

It's funny how we can be serving others and preparing to teach a Bible study, and not really feel like we are seeking God.

David continues, "My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you."

I can pray these verses. I know that it is only in a deeply experienced friendship with the Lord that I will find what my soul longs for.

How would you describe The Springs?

2011-02-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

We asked the women who came to The Springs in November how they would descirbe the retreat. Here's what they said:

"It is a time of rest and refreshment for body, mind and soul. It simply focuses on Christ and allows time for meditating on who He is and who we are in Him." -- Kim Bagato

"A time to refocus and center. An opportunity to HEAR God. Refreshing. Rehydrating." --Chrystal Strum

"The Springs is a guided personal retreat with the Lord. It will provide you with the tools to deepen your love relationship with Jesus and refresh you in a way that only God can do." -- Beckie Fanous

"A safe place where God will find you. No pressure or expectations set by those around you." -- Rachel Miller

An Invitation - Come in April

2011-02-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

AW Tozer writes: "The facts are that God is not silent, has never been silent. It is the nature of God to speak.

"The second Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Word. If you would follow on to know the Lord, come at once to the open Bible expecting it to speak to you. Do not come with the notion that it is a thing which you may push around at your convenience. It's more than a thing; it is a voice, a word, the very Word of the living God." (from The Pursuit of God)

Statues at St.Anthony's Retreat Center

Come to The Springs Retreat for prayer and reflection and let the Living Word strengthen you as you contemplate the mystery of Good Friday and the Wonder of Easter Sunday.

Let Jesus enfold you in His love (God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us).

It is the experiential knowledge of the Savior's love that will quiet your anxieties and fears, give you deep physical rest, and restore your soul as you enjoy the beauty of His creation.

Hear Jesus, the Living Word of God, inviting you to come away from the demands of your life so that you can spend a few days with Him.

I love you, too

2011-01-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

"Remember: You belong to God from eternity to eternity. You were loved by God before you were born; you will be loved by God long after you die. Your human lifetime--long or short--is only a part of your total life in God. The length of time doesn't matter. Life is just a little opportunity for you during a few years to say to God: "I love you, too." (from Nouwen, Spiritual Direction, pg 49)

Contemplative Prayer

2011-01-31T07:28:00.000-08:00

"Contemplative prayer is above all else looking at the person of Jesus.

The prayer of simple awareness means we don't have to get anywhere because we are already there. We are simply coming into consciousness that we possess what we seek. Contemplation, defined as looking at Jesus while loving Him, leads not only to intimacy but to the transformation of the person contemplating."
from Brennan Mannings, Abba's Child

Come Just as You Are

2011-01-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

Lately I've become aware of how my life often mirrors people in the Bible. Seeing myself in those scenes often brings the reality of Jesus' presence even closer...

Sometimes I come to Him as the woman desperately needing His healing touch in my heart, knowing that just touching the hem of His garment will change my life.

Sometimes I come to Him as the woman with the alabaster box, so deeply in love with Him, so grateful for what He's done for me, that I simply want to pour out my love and worship at His feet.

Sometimes I come with a prodigal heart, though not outwardly running away, inwardly needing to return again to the experience of my Father's perfect, merciful love.

Sometimes I come to Him as Peter did, having dared to step out of the boat and walk on the water at His invitation, but now finding myself fearful and sinking as I see the waves.

Sometimes I come as Mary, longing to sit at the feet of Jesus, listening intently to what He says.
More often, though, I come as Martha, rushing around, worried about the many things that need to be done.
But always I can come to Him, just as I am.

Regardless of my condition, all He asks is that I come. In every place, in every need, with every circumstance, coming to Jesus is the answer.

That's why my times at the Springs are so important. It's a very unigue opportunity to simply come to Jesus, for an extended and focused time, and trusting that He will meet me in whatever way I need.

Choose a photo for the front of our brochure

2011-01-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

What if I hadn't said yes?

2010-12-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

Thinking back on that struggle I had about going to the Springs last April. Trying to tell Luann no, then reconsidering. What if I hadn’t said yes then? In those days at that Springs, I saw the birth of a beautiful sacred companionship on my spiritual journey. That time began the process of bringing out into the light things that had been in darkness. My feet were literally set on a new path to freedom and a deepening intimacy with the Lord.

What if I hadn’t said yes?

I’m seeing right now that every yes opens a door, every yes is a new opportunity, every yes is a step forward on the path the Lord has planned. I think I’ve tended to see them as isolated experiences, but now I’m understanding that in reality, they are stepping stones, one yes leading to the next opportunity.

My part is to say yes, to offer everything back to Him, and to follow His direction.

So what does this mean in practical application? I think it’s mainly a heart attitude. Ready, willing, available. And an ongoing attentiveness to His voice, to His Spirit. A heart set on practicing the presence of God, being in tune with His heart. Because if I’m living like that, I will know His faithfulness in guiding my every step.

--sent to Luann by a person at The Springs

What a great time we had!

2010-11-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

Over 20 women got together for a contemplative retreat - like Karen said, "this is not a "slumber party" type of women's retreat...This retreat is designed for you to be alone with the Lord."

In the postings below are some of the comments you shared, and photos from our time together.

Thank you for coming and sharing your hearts with us!

Silence isn't as scary as it first seems

2010-11-23T00:15:00.000-08:00

The Springs Retreat is a time of solitude, a personal retreat to reconnect with God who is our best friend and the lover of our souls! It is so much easier than I thought.

Coming out of the Desert

2010-11-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

"How did the Lord use this time in my life...Oh my! How didn't he use this time! I have been in a desert for a long time. I have been feeling abandoned and while many say they are my friends, I felt like I had lost my two friends that I know are my friends. I have had 4 close friends move away in less than a year. The Lord reminded me not just that I am loved but that He is my friend -- all others must come out of my relationship with Him. I learned how wrong I have been and also I am seeing answers to struggles and choices regarding ministry and family. He showed me that I need to serve my family more than pleasing others."

Word-less prayers

2010-11-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

David Benner writes: "Only prayer can order a disordered inner life. While this may seem overly simplistic and possibly overly spiritual, it is absolutely true.

"Prayer sorts out our desires. Notice that I did not say that in prayer we are able to sort out our desires. No. The sorting work is God's, not ours. Our job is to sit in God's presence and allow God to purify our desires. If this does not seem practical enough, you have not spent enough time sitting in silence in God's presence. Words may be coming between you and God.

"Silence in the presence of God belongs to the core of prayer. It deepens our awareness of both ourselves and God. For it is in the stillness of silent prayer that we learn what our own desires most truly are. It is here that God reveals us to ourselves. "Examine me and know my heart, probe me and know my thoughts" (Psalm 139:23) is not, as it appears, a request that God would know me but that God would show that known self to me. And where God does this most dependably is in silent prayer where we center ourselves in God." (Desiring God's Will, Benner, p. 87)

Longings of the Soul

2010-11-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

From the thirteenth century Mechtchild of Magdeburg:

The soul speaks:
"God, you are my lover,
     My longing,
     My flowing stream,
     My sun,
     And I am your reflection."

God answers:
     "It is my nature that makes me love you often,
     For I am love itself.
     It is my longing that makes me love you intensely,
     For I yearn to be loved from the heart.
     It is my eternity that makes me love you long,
     For I have no end."

Surrender to His Love

2010-11-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

I've learned that openness to the Lord is our response to the longing that God places in our hearts. It is His gift to us. We come asking God to increase our awareness of Him. We let the truth of His love be our meditation. "See how great a love the Father has lavished on us...."

Our prayer becomes a prayer of communion and attentiveness to the Lord...often we don't need words...we just enjoy being together with Him, in love, in response to His love.
The statues on the grounds can bring new life to familiar passages of Scripture. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a beautiful example, "Be it done to me according to Thy Will." And at the end of the gospels, we read of her standing at the foot of her Son's Cross, undoubtedly brokenhearted.

Surrender can lead us through the valley of death...it can lead us to places we would rather not go...even Jesus prayed: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

When the love of the Father and the Son is our deepest longing, we are set free to experience God in the midst of our surrender to what He brings into our lives. We know there is a good purpose. We know He understands. We are not alone -- He is with us...even when we are confused and hurting. We can experience God in our grief and suffering if we open ourselves to Him.

Freedom!

2010-11-21T21:59:00.000-08:00

At The Springs, the Lord led me to release to Him all of the obligations and expectations of others that rule my life. He freed me from those! And he replaced those things/voices with His words of truth and love. He showed me how much He delights in me and gave me a beautiful image to hold onto of what it means to be His daughter. He helped me to begin my own "Dreams of a Lifetime" page. He filled me with peace and hope for the future."

Meditations and Stretching

2010-11-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

Christy thought she'd lead us in something new! She put together a wonderful set of worship music that helped us meditate on Ephesian 3 while we stretched out our muscles. It was a very powerful experience to be focused on the Lord and His Word while we stretched.

How did the Lord use The Springs retreat in your life?

2010-11-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Lord affirmed what he's been teaching me this year: that he is faithful, trustworthy and love in all his ways. I am precious, because I belong to him. He chose me! I am free to be who he is making me become. I do not have to be afraid of the unknown and unfamiliar."

God can be trusted because He is good and He loves us!

2010-11-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

From Psalm 84: "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those who strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;

We come away and enjoy reading His Word and letting it touch our innermost places.

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6)

I loved contemplating these words of Jesus as I listened to the birds singing in the trees. I watched them feast on the berries, singing to their hearts' delight for a long time. "Look at the birds of the air..." The Lord used these words of Jesus and the birds to deepen my confidence in the trustworthiness of His care for me.

Refreshed in the arms of Jesus

2010-11-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

"The Lord used The Springs retreat to refresh and heal my soul and wrap me in the arms of Jesus."

"Of course, I had my plan and brought lots of books and materials, but He had His perfect plan for me-- After I spent a while on my own plan and a brief nap, He sent me outside to view His creation. I walked on the grounds for several hours and sat and visited with Him while the warm sun shone upon me, but best of all--there was a gentle, cool breeze that gently touched my face and it was as if the Savior Himself was gently caressing my cheeks. What a gift! He shows me daily how much He loves me, but it take me slowing down and waiting on Him! Thank you for this special time with the Lord!"

A few more spots available for Nov. 10-12, 2010

2010-10-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking about coming to The Springs this fall -- Now's the time to register.

Please go to http://www.newim.com/ to register and send an email to Darlene Derby.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Time to Draw Near to God

2010-09-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

"In my nearly fifty years of living as a Christian, I have never seen the soul's thirst for God more talked about, more recognized as a vital motivation in the human personality or more strongly experienced as a consuming passion. Perhaps a revolution is underway, a revolution of the Spirit that is about to shift our core energies away from arranging life to make it as satisfying as possible to drawing near to God." (Larry Crabb, in Sacred Companions.)

The Springs Retreat is designed to give each woman time to draw near to God. We have found that if we get away from the stuff of our lives and intentionally open ourselves to the Lord, His Spirit refreshes our soul, and we are changed.

If your soul is thirsting for God -- join us at The Springs! Our prayer is that by the time we go home, we "will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11). As Jesus told the woman at the well, her soul's thirst could be quenched by Him - she just had to ask (John 4).

Respond to the Invitation of God

2010-09-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

Its seems that we all long for a deep, personal encounter with Perfect Love. Talking about it is easy. Actually coming to develop this kind of a relationship with the invisible God doesn't happen automatically for anyone. It demands sufficient basking in His Presence so that being deeply loved becomes the foundation of our identity in Christ.

Photo by Luann - Hume Lake, August 2010

Come with other evangelical Christian women who serve as leaders in a wide variety of ministries to a retreat specifically designed to lead us into the Presence of God where we can bask in His Love. At The Springs retreat our focus will be to experientially come to know the Love of God for us in a deeply transformational way.

If you sense a deep desire within to come, but then "What Ifs?" and fears take over, capture your worries and concerns in an email and send it to Luann or Marty. LuannBudd@sbcglobal.net or marty.russell@biola.edu. We'd be glad to discuss them with you. But if as you are reading this, you recognize that your spirit is responding to the call of God's Spirit to lay aside all of your external work for a few days so that your heart can fall more deeply in love with Jesus, don't wait. Come.

Our souls find rest in God alone

2010-09-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed at how the words of this old hymn express so completely the truths that are as alive today as they were centuries ago. Part of what is so wonderful about getting away for an extended time with God is the opportunity that we receive to still our souls before the Lord. It's like having a chance to go to the ocean to contemplate how the Lord has its vast expanse in the palm of His hand -- Everything is under His control:

Photo by Luann from Baker's Beach, San Francisco, CA

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change God faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: your God will undertake
To guide the future, as in ages past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
The Christ who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Horse Camps for Girls

2010-06-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

A note sent to Luann: Coming away from The Springs in April, I found freedom to follow a vision that God has laid on my husband and my hearts this year. We want to use horses to share the Word of God and just minister to everyone through horses and ranching. That's a very simple way of putting all we feel He's leading us to.

I've always wanted to do something like this, but last year we came to the conclusion that maybe we needed to get rid of our horses. We wanted to be in His service and felt that the horses were keeping us from connecting with people and sharing Him with those around us.

This spring I felt a strong desire to have horse campus for girls. I prayed about it myself and asked 7 other ladies to pray with me for 40 days. God gave my husband a vision to expand this into marriages and ministering to men -- his passion. I was never expecting this, but that's how God works! So this summer we will be leading horse campus to teach girls who they are in Christ and how He sees them. The first camp is for girls going into 5th grade through 8th grade. The second will be for high school girls and up.

Thoughts from someone who came to The Springs

2010-06-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

There have been so many God moments in the last few months, it's amazing! One of them was my time at The Springs.

A friend of mine encouraged me to attend The Springs. She told me to come expecting nothing and just see what God did. Well, I kind of did that. Prior to going, I really felt like God was preparing my heart to have some wounds of mine healed that I've been struggling with. God has grown me immeasurably over the last few years, in finding that I have value, worth, meaning, acceptance, and a purpose in Him. While He has healed me and taught me about myself in many ways, there was a new "layer" of me to work on.

I was struggling with comparing myself to others in one of my areas of weakness and feeling very inferior. It was also causing much resentment and bitterness to spring up in me as a result. I really didn't want this to take hold in me. While at The Springs, He confirmed to me that I was His Beloved whom He'd chosen and had a plan for. That yes, He'd made me with these weaknesses, but He loved me even with them. He showed me that I was His perfect and wonderful creation. (Yes, I still do need to work on my flaws, but they do note need to define my value, worth, acceptance, or me.) He told me that I was just as He'd made me. This released me to be me, and oddly emough, it released me from the bitterness and resentment that was forming. When I went home and felt that I was being judged by that weakness, I could say, Lord, you told me I was your beloved and you care about me, and You have made me according to your plan.

The Springs was nothing like I'd ever experienced before, and better than anything that I had experienced.

Grateful Beyond Words

2010-06-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Springs retreat is simply a tool, a powerful tool that the Lord uses to draw us into His heart of love.

The Springs is a time to come away and spend time with Him, in a safe place with trusted women, with everything focused on the Lord. The Springs creates an environment for God's transforming love. There have been times that I've gone to the Springs, and simply needed physical rest, and a refocusing on the Lord through worship and His word. He knows us so intimately, knows our needs better than we do, and He alone is able to truly meet those needs.

And although the Springs is an actual event, the principles it has taught me go far beyond the time spent there. I now know that I must be intentional in setting aside times to completely focus on the Lord, to come before Him just as I am, to love Him and experience His love for me. Aside from daily devotional times, Bible studies, and prayer, there is something unique in making a time to completely and simply be in His presence.

As I write this, I'm taking a day to simply rest and be refreshed by the Lord. The past weeks have been a whirlwind of busyness, and I knew He was calling me to a day of rest. Once again, He has met me in a way that I don't think is possible without coming apart for a time alone.

I am grateful beyond words for the ministry of the Springs. Thank You, Lord.

(sent to Luann by a retreat past retreat participant)

From a woman who attended the Springs North in April

2010-06-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

How grateful I am for my time at the Springs.

To be honest, I went this time without any great expectations. I was at one of my lowest points, and could see no way out of some circumstances. No one knew what I was going through; I was actively serving in ministry, very busy and involved. But the Lord knew my deepest needs and what I experienced was a truly life-changing encounter with Him. A series of events that I never could have orchestrated. He had called me to come away with Him, and my simple Yes of obedience opened the door to transformation. During those 3 days, He would answer a heart's cry that had almost grown hopeless.

With all the distractions of life removed for a moment, and embraced by His loving presence, I was finally able to stop and honestly look at my life, in all of its mess and need. Step by step He broke through my calloused heart, brought incredible healing, gently led me to a place of acknowledging my sins, in all their ugliness, and receiving the cleansing that only He could do. He started me on a path of discovering true and complete freedom, a freedom that has only come from experiencing His incredible, infinite, intimate love for me.

Vast, Immeasurable, Boundless, Amazing

2010-04-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

"Regardless of what you have come to believe about God based on your life experience, the truth is that when God thinks of you, love swells in his heart and a smile comes to his face. God bursts with love for humans. He is far from being emotionally uninvolved with his creation. God's bias toward us is strong, persistent and positive. The Christian God chooses to be known as Love, and that love pervades every aspect of God's relationship with us."

(Surrender to Love, David Benner)

Journaling

2010-04-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

I read this in Surrender to Love by David Benner:

Imagine God thinking about you. What do you assume God feels when you come to mind?

I decided to journal for a while.

There's a lot of good information about journaling at www.journalkeeping.org

These books are helpful as well:
Journal Keeping -- Writing for Spiritual Growth by Luann Budd
Journaling as a Spiritual Practice -- Encountering God Through Attentive Writing by Helen Cepero

A gorgeous retreat at Three Rivers-photos by LouAnn Christie

2010-04-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

After quite a rain storm, the sun came out and what glorious weather we had for our retreat!

Some Photos by LouAnn Christie

2010-04-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Elaine -telling us about the Oasis dvd.
The Cross
Roses and journals
Darlene
Betsy - our worship leader

"I'm saving $20/month so I can come again"

2010-04-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

I would describe this retreat as a protected time in a quiet place so that we can meet with the Lord. I think the huge blessing of this retreat is that the agenda is to be quiet and there's not the pressure of socializing -- just because that can be a difficult thing to choose between for me (being quiet or socializing). I had a wonderful time.
Lake Godfrey ... along a walk I came upon Lake Godfrey which sad to say reminded me of me. Low (need to fill back up), stagnant (not moving forward) .. no movement. What a vivid word picture the Lord gave to me.

There's nothing like retreating with other women to fill you up with the Lord's love. It was fantastic. I can't wait for November.

What a Wonderful Time we had!

2010-04-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

"The Lord used this time to simply remove me - physically, emotionally and spiritually from the "crisis chaos" of my current life circumstances -- and in His perfect timing -- knowing all along this was the EXACT time I needed to be here and to be with the EXACT women who were here.

The Springs, twice a year, is a commitment I've made to the Lord and I will be here each time, unless an unforeseeable situation prevents me from coming. I put it on my calendar--and it is a priority for me -- to spend time with the Lord - here - in this way - with the precious women of NEWIM and the women who join us. My experience at The Springs has made me a better person--grown my FAITH and given me strength, comfort and peace in a way I did not know was possible. I am grateful beyond expression for the opportunity to be here - each and every time. To the NEWIM Springs Team -- ,my eternal and gracious thanks and love!"
This retreat has been an unexpected gift. A gift to be opened, to be used, to be treasured. A time of letting go of the world for 3 days and refreshing my spirit at the river of life -- in the arms of my Father.
"This retreat is a time for sweet worship, time for reflection and meditation and silence and solitude in the presence of the Lord. The environment is beautiful and peaceful with lovely walking paths. It's a time to let go of all the busyness and stresses of everyday life and dwell in the presence of the Lord. It was fabulous!"
"This retreat is an amazing time with the Lord. Come with an open mind, open heart, and no expectations. The Lord will lead you."

"What a blessing! My worship time alone on the hiking trail was so precious -- after I was back in my room I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror -- and was surprised (and amused to be surprised) that I looked the same -- I expected my face to be glowing!"

from Christy Wold

2010-04-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

After 30 years of following Christ, I finally understand the difference between belief that God exists and is the way, and experiencing God's presence and love for me. Over three lovely days set aside to be with God I discovered him to be beyond anything I can imagine or capture, and yet he had me put my head on his knee as I sat at his feet and he told me to stop all my questioning and seeking and doing for a moment so he could tell me that he loves me. I was able to see how beautiful it is in the present with my Abba. God did provide grace for each "thing" I had to do so I could live in the present and not worry about the future. I even enjoyed cleaning up and wasn't just hurrying to get to the next thing - how freeing.

Thank you God for Saturn, Sirius, star nurseries, and all your wonders - the wildflowers, clouds, and gentle breeze. I feel like I am still glowing after being in your presence. It is absolutely amazing what you can do when I give you the time. I can't wait for November Springs - what a gift Lord. Thank you......

Chapels focused on Trust from the Psalms

2010-04-21T22:15:00.001-07:00

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

excerpts from Psalm 61, 62, and 63

A few testimonies from The Springs retreat in April

2010-04-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

"The Lord used this time in my life to show me through the sessions, the conversations, the "sistership" that I am not a reject but someone who is loved, valued, and chosen. He also showed me, and taught me about Trust. I learned the truth (about what God wants and desires for my life), how to release (myself, my pain, my expectations, my pride), that it's OK to be uncomfortable and that safety can only be found in the arms of Abba. And finally that the Trinity--Father, Son and Holy Spirit are continuing their work in me."

How did the Lord use The Springs retreat in your life?

2010-04-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

The retreat was "awesome, amazing, freeing and healing. The Lord truly met me here and walked with me. This retreat is unlike any other retreat I've been on. This retreat has been one of those life defining times. I don't know that every time will be like this. Yet, I trust that everyone of them will be sweet with His presence."

"I received an opportunity to quiet myself and simply spend time with the Lord. I was able to simply refocus my thoughts and priorities on God alone. He has filled me with His peace and I feel like my relationship with Him has been strengthened. I feel refreshed and ready to go back into the world."

"The Springs is a place to go to meet with the Lord. To get away from all distractions and allow yourself to simply hear God's voice speak to you."

"I really appreciated the practical talk about journaling by Luann and I felt God was just putting His finger on the importance of this practice for me. In fact, I went back through my journal from the last year or so of a really intense growth period and major challenges in my life and realized I barely scribed anything in a year period. So, I feel like the tool of journaling to focus with the Lord is being downloaded to my heart, here. And, the importance of listening in prayer -- not just talking -- and making regular time to listen to His Holy Spirit speaking deep into my heart. What a warm group and a wonderful time to do and be just this -- quiet. That's so hard to find in the daily grind. I'd love to come for longer!"
"The Lord revealed to me that I need to stop filling up my calendar with so much activity and schedule time for silence and solitude -- time to spend with Him. He is working to heal my wounded heart and reveal to me how much He loves me. The worship time was sweet and seemed directed just for me. The silent time allowed me an opportunity to just be in His presence. God met me here in such a sweet, gentle and loving way."

"The Lord loved on me in the most amazing ways. He wooed me into falling into His loving arms. He showed me that I can instill my trust in Him."

Our Retreat is finally here!

2010-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

This week we'll be meeting at St. Anthony's near Three Rivers and at Prince of Peace Abbey in Orange County. We are all really looking forward to having lots of time to be with the Lord and to pursue our relationship with him.

In the North, we'll be using Psalm 61, 62, and 63 to focus our chapels --and spending time reflecting on the Lord's love for us, and our trust in Him.

"To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance." Jude 1:1

Only six weeks before the next Springs!

2010-03-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

Our next Springs Retreat is April 14 - 16, 2010. We are meeting in two locations-near Visalia and in Oceanside. We'd love to have you join us.

At St. Anthony's (near Visalia) our focus is going to be on Trusting the Lord -- our chapels will be centered in Psalm 62.

Brennan Manning writes that his spiritual director told him, "Brennan, you don't need more insights into the faith. You've got enough insights to last you three hundred years. The most urgent need in your life is to trust what you have received." I think that could be said to most of us -- but learning to trust what the Lord has given us is not as easy as it would seem. We spend our whole lives constructing ways to avoid being dependent on God. At this Springs, we'll talk about the challenges and be encouraged to let our roots grow deeper into the heart of God that we might be women who trust him.

Go to www.newim.com to sign up -- or email me, and I'll get you the information. luannbudd@sbcglobal.net

Hope to see you there. There are scholarships available. So if you'd love to come, or know of a friend that you think would really like to come but doesn't have the $255 -- let me know and we'll work out a scholarship.