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

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!

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Time to Draw Near to God

"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).

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Respond to the Invitation of God

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.

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Our souls find rest in God alone

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.

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Horse Camps for Girls

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.

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Thoughts from someone who came to The Springs

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.

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Grateful Beyond Words

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)

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From a woman who attended the Springs North in April

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.

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Vast, Immeasurable, Boundless, Amazing

"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)

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Journaling

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

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A gorgeous retreat at Three Rivers-photos by LouAnn Christie

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

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Some Photos by LouAnn Christie

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

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

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.

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What a Wonderful Time we had!

"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!"

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from Christy Wold

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......

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Chapels focused on Trust from the Psalms

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

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A few testimonies from The Springs retreat in April

"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."

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

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."

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Our Retreat is finally here!

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

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Only six weeks before the next Springs!

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.

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