Restore My Soul, Part I

What a weekend! This will be a long recap and I have a few confessions to make, so bear with me...

I was hesitant before leaving on this trip and talked with Katherine before I left about how I was worried I might end up being the fifth wheel of the group.  Her parting words were reminding me that I may be pleasantly surprised.  I left work on Friday afternoon shortly before 5pm expecting to hit at least 3 hours of traffic up to the mountain.  Before I knew it I was a mere 45 miles away from the conference center in Twin Peaks. 

I said to the Lord that He must have been answering someone's prayer for no traffic because I was going to get there in an hour and a half.  I arrived with enough time to go to the room and get settled in before dinner at 7pm.  The girls who were going to drive up earlier in the day arrived after me.  God parted the sea of traffic - which can at times seem more miraculous to us southern Californians than parting the Red Sea.

Friday night Kate Merrick spoke on how the Lord is our Shepherd and leads and cares for us and the peace that He imparts to His sheep.  Sherri Youngward led the worship settings.  (Confession number one) For a few reasons I was "bummed" she was leading worship.  Within five minutes I was so grateful she was there leading the worship.  Her songs and her "style" are very mellow and peaceful - which we're perfectly in line with the weekend.  That night she shared her song, Restore My Soul.  I highly encourage everyone to go listen to this (and buy it!) on her website.

After my crazy roommates kept me up way past my bedtime and I only got about 6 hours of sleep, I crawled out of bed and eagerly feasted upon eggs, sausage, french toast and coffee for breakfast. It was delicious. The next session was on the sovereignty of God - even in the valleys.  Yea though I walk through the valley - we walk because He leads us. He doesn't leave us in the valley, we don't run, hop, skip and jump through the valley, we WALK.  We consistenly go through the valley. Our Shepherd guides us through the valleys.  The valley is the place where there is abundant fruit and growth and the place where the water flows to.

The speaker used to lead groups through the Grand Tetons and she shared that once you got up to the top of the mountain, you had a great view, but you couldn't stay there more than a little while. She shared that it wasn't safe up there and nothing grows up there and paralleled this to our Christian life. We experience the most growth in the valley.  The valley can be rough, rocky, dry and full of despair, or it can be lush, fruitful, watered and joyful - it depends on who is leading you through the valley. Our Shepherd is sovereign and places the valleys in our lives for our benefit and growth - we need to trust His goodness and His mercy in those times.

The first workshop I attended was the marriage panel. Most of the questions asked and answered didn't directly apply to me, but helped me realize how grateful I am for my husband. I walked out thanking God for placing Earl in my life and granting me such grace by giving me a husband that a. loves the Lord, b. loves me, and c. has a heart of mercy - because I need it!

After the workshop and a delicious lunch we had free time.  I opted to go on the hike through the mountains.  It was beautiful, but worked my butt and thighs and I am hurting today. The next workshop I attended was the parenting class (mainly because I already attended the Bible study workshop in a prior year). The main point she was trying to get across was how we should be raising our children in order to shoot them out and release them for the Lord.

At this point, I'll hit the pause button and finish up the rest tomorrow. Be sure to come back, because it gets better and better!!