This weekend we had a long anticipated women's retreat, and it was truely a blessed time. When I think of the word "retreat" I see a picture of a medieval army, responding to the sound of their commander from a fierce battle scene, to "retreat!" Once they off the battle field, they have a time to renew, to eat and drink and sleep and maybe even take a bath to wash the battle off them. It's also a time they take to restore, to mend their weapons and shields, and I love the image of God restoring what has been lost or taken away from us, during the battle of life. And this is what we came to do this weekend away.
Our theme came from Hosea 2:14 "Therefore I am now going to lead her into the desert, and speak tenderly to her" - it's a call of God to return to Him, out of the busyness and turmoil of life. The entire weekend was also a reminder that when God leads us into the desert, it's not to harm us in any way, but to bring us into a renewed and restored relationship with Him.
So Friday afternoon upon arriving in the desert at the Al Sahra Resort in Dubai, we had fun and laugther as we pitched our tents before the evening started. As we were a bunch of women, I must say we weren't helpless, but the pitching of tents did cause a lot of laugther among us for various reasons. But they stood, and though we slept a little bit cold, we had a roof over our heads and warm blankets, which made it all worth it in the end.
After a fantastic dinner of spaghetti bolognaise, and salad we tickled the creative side of our brains with a scrap booking exercise. We printed different desert scenes on photo paper before the camp, and each woman got a photo, which they had to use to describe their present state and position in that scene, and especially how God fitted into that whole picture.
I must say it was a difficult task to begin with, and I spent more time at the scrap book table looking for the right paper, than at my station making my picture.
It started out as fun and games, but as we progressed and really started thinking about our current postition in the wilderness and out position in relation to God, we became quiet, and you had a real sense that there was a gentle whisper in each of our ears, leading us to grateful conclusions of our present positions.
After this reflective time, we had a time around the campfire. I think we often forget God, and try to replace Him with all sorts of other things, though it was amazing to see that when Israel recalled their time in the desert, they only recall how He provided for them and from Duetoronomy 8 how He never abandoned them in the desert, how He guided them with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. How He did not let their feet become swollen, or their sandals wear through, instead they had everything, they lacked nothing and God sustained them. So we met this realisation with some songs of worship around the campfire. And by this time it was late, so some of the ladies went to bed, while others of us watched a movie.
As the sun rose that morning, we went horse riding, and what struck me most was the beauty of the desert, and God blessed us with the most beautiful sunrise.
The rest of the day was also a blessing, the weather was perfect, and as Jeri came, she led us in a day of close and intimate reflection with our Saviour. By the end of the day, we all had an encounter with God, and personally I left there feeling reminded of the love and passion God has for me, a passion that lead Him to the cross to give everything for me, and a passion that keeps on pursuing and leading me to deeper intimacy with Him. I now end off this report the same way we ended the weekend, with a script from Exodus 19, may it be an encouragement to everyone reading this.
Exodus 19:4-6 "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured posession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
