Made by Someone Else — Laura Huebel Ready to Pitch In —Katrina Pennington Gideon & Me —Dolores Westerlund Update on Haiti —Corbyn Small A Lesson on Surrender —Steve Oglesbee Deeper Faith Through Grief —Jo Lynn Anderson 3 4 5 6 7 8 Do you have a story to share? Email mystory@clpc.org.
H ave you ever experienced eating a sandwich prepared by a friend in their home and thought “Oh my, this tastes so much better than the sandwiches I prepare?” I love being asked to have lunch at a friend’s house, away from my refrigerator. The turkey, mayo, lettuce, and tomato sandwich made lovingly by a friend tastes like a gourmet delicacy, rather than the same old same old sandwich that I make! I think that going on a retreat is much like eating a sandwich made by someone else. There is something about being away from home or work…away from the phone, TV, carpool, and the routine. Away at a retreat, there is a freshness and a richness to the day that isn’t the same old same old. A retreat setting allows us to open up space for God to make His presence known to us. I am a huge supporter of retreats because there I have experienced the rich awakenings of God’s presence, the awakenings that come from my willingness to “set aside” my routine, my busyness, and my agenda, and in so doing, giving God space to show up in my life. On a typical day, I’m pretty good at squeezing God in here and there, but I am sure God desires more of me. He desires for me to “Be still and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10). Retreats provide those opportunities for me, opportunities to linger in His presence. By opening my eyes and ears to the surroundings, retreats also heighten my awareness of God’s creation, bringing me great joy. When I reflect on my retreat experiences, I lovingly recall the picturesque landscape of nature and beauty-- the delicacy of creation that I typically don’t see on routine days. I cherish hearing the wind caress the leaves, seeing the majestic serenity of a sunrise, and smelling the hypnotic aroma of pine. In addition to the gifts of God’s sweet presence and my heightened awareness of His creation, I have been blessed with lifelong relationships with God’s people that I have met on retreats. Deep, rich friendships have been birthed that lasted 30+ years, even if distance has separated us. These friends continue to be present during both the good times and the challenging times of my life. I simply can’t imagine life without these relationships! I am definitely planning to attend our All Church Retreat on September 16-18 at Trinity Pines Conference Center on Lake Livingston. I anticipate God’s presence will show up in each of our lives…. no matter our age….bringing a fresh and rich experience that isn’t the same old same old. We will have time to share stories and build relationships. Actually, I have one story of a retreat event that was transformational in my life, but I don’t have space to include it here. I hope to meet up with you at our upcoming retreat and tell you all about it! —Laura Huebel CLPC member since 1994 Interested? Register for the All Church Retreat by visiting clpc.org/churchretreat. 3
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