There is nothing about the word “retreat” matching what I did this past weekend!
I mean, sure, I joined the ladies from Temple Baptist Church out in the wilderness (so to speak) of southern Alberta: fifteen of us (and four nursing infants) settled into a great lodge built in the western tradition of sturdy peeled-log posts and beams, with giant stone fireplaces and comfy leather furniture; we ate hearty oatmeal and succulent chicken and homemade cinnamon buns that we didn’t prepare ourselves; we walked around a small lake and gloried in the sunny skies and didn’t hear any traffic; we napped in the afternoon and stayed up till 3:00 AM (well, some of us); we played games that had us all howling with laughter. So I suppose there was a sense of “retreating” involved in all that, but I would call it more of an “advance.” I sure advanced in my friendships this weekend.
I was so honoured to be the speaker at this event–only the second time I’ve presented a series of talks at a multi-day function (although, of course, I’ve been speaking with Stonecroft Ministries for about a decade). The organizers asked me to prepare a four-part series on the theme of friendship (the bones of which you can read here) that I titled “A Cord of Three Strands: The Bond of Friendship.” The biblical research it necessitated was very enriching for me, and I came up with the following chiastic outline:
1a. Friendship in Eternity Past
1b. Friendship in the Garden
1c. Alienation from God and Others
X. God’s Overtures and the Cross
2c. Reconciliation with God and Others
2b. Friendship in Church and World: Message and Ministry
2a. Friendship in Eternity Future
I talked those women’s ears right off–and my throat feels it today! What a delightful time and opportunity for me to share what I studied–which is always a sure-fire way for me to learn it better myself.
In the fall, I will again speak at a women’s retreat, this time in Saskatchewan. I think I’m getting the hang of this.
(Photos by Jasmine Stoesz)
