Archive for the 'Retreat07' category
Two
August 20, 2007 7:22 am
Three
August 19, 2007 7:21 am
Four
August 18, 2007 7:21 am
Where We’re Going
August 17, 2007 8:30 pm
It occurs to me that I haven’t properly introduced you to our new retreat center. We’re headed to Massanetta Springs Conference Center, about four miles east of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Nestled in the wide basin of the Shenandoah Valley, Massanetta Springs is a Presbyterian retreat center that has been operating for about 100 years.
There is a map if you want to get a feel for what it will look like. All the ladies will be staying in a building called Richardson, which are little two-bed rooms, each connected to another room by a bathroom. Half the guys will be in Richardson and the other half will be in the Virginia Cottage and the Wilson Cottage.
We’ll be meeting in the Stewart Room, a huge improvement over the meeting room at Concord. Meals are in the Old Hotel, and fun and games will be all over the grounds.
I couldn’t help notice that there is a golf course just over a mile from Massanetta Springs, but I swear that isn’t why I chose this conference center.
Five
7:21 am
Six
August 16, 2007 9:16 am
A Week From Today
August 15, 2007 2:13 pm
There are 168 hours in a week. So in about 173.5 hours, the five15 Retreat begins. Please pray.
It is possible that each of us could arrive at the retreat unprepared. We might hastily pack and leave our Northern Virginia homes full of excitement for the retreat, but not really ready to benefit from all we will hear and experience. I think prayer is the key. It bends our hearts toward the Lord, and postures us to hear fro Him, to submit our wills to Him, and the receive from Him. Here are some key ways you can be praying for the retreat:
- Pray that God will reveal himself to you. I like the prayer Eli gives Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:9, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.”
- Pray that God will reveal himself to your friends. Pray along the lines of Ezekiel 40:4, that your friends would “look with their eyes, hear with their ears, and set their hearts on all that God shows them.”
- Pray for Seita, Vince, and me as we prepare to speak. Ask God that he would grant the words of Isaiah 50:4, that he would give us “the tongue of those who are taught, that we may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.”
- Pray that God would visit us powerfully by His Spirit. Pray with Ephesians 5:18-21 that everyone person there would “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
I’m sure we could go on. How are you praying for the retreat?
Retreat Packing List
August 14, 2007 11:10 amIf you’re like me, you won’t start packing until next Wednesday morning. But if you like to plan ahead, here is a suggested packing list for the retreat.
- Bible, notebook, pen
- Flip-flops or sandals for the shower
- Bug repellent
- Sleeping bag or bed linens, and a pillow (some rooms provide them, but be safe: bring your own)
- Towel, soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste/brush, dental floss, etc.
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
- Modest clothing (please plan on serving)
- Grungy clothes & sneakers (for outdoor fun & games)
- Flashlight + fresh batteries
- Alarm Clock (don’t be late!)
- Small bills/change for the snack bar
- Breath mints
- Snipe bait
What NOT to bring:
- iPods, MP3 Players, CD players, etc… YES, I AM SERIOUS. Sort of. You can bring them, just don’t bring them out. I know that some people will want to listen to their iPod during their quiet time or as they fall asleep (to drown out the snoring). That is fine. But our retreat is a unique time to reach out and serve others. Remember the five15 Challenge. So other than your quiet time and falling asleep, leave your iPod in your suitcase. If I see it out, I will ask you to put it away.
- Immodest clothes, or anything with a logo or graphic that wouldn’t reflect well on the Savior or on our church.
Directions To The Retreat
August 8, 2007 8:13 pmTwo weeks from today we leave for the retreat. You’ll be getting a letter from me soon with directions, a packing list, and some other stuff, but there’s no reason I can’t give you that stuff here right now. Here are directions directly to Massanetta Springs Conference Center in Harrisonburg:
And here is another set of directions, with a small diversion into downtown Harrisonburg for a stop at Kline’s Dairy Bar:
21 Days
August 1, 2007 7:30 pmThree weeks from right this moment, the five15 Retreat begins. I hope you’re half as excited as I am.
We have some great stuff planned; details to follow.
For now, please keep praying for our planning and preparation.
