CQ Summer 2016

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.
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