Retreat Day Two … My Heart is Full!

I'm not really a crier … I mean I cry, but I usually hold it together pretty well.  Today … not the case!  I guess my heart is just tender.  Tender because of all the amazing ways I've seen God work this past week and because of everything God has been teaching me this weekend and the past six weeks or so.  I've come to the end of my six week teaching/speaking run, and as I reflect on what GOD has done (not me), I cannot help but stand in awe of how very amazing He is. 

I guess that's why today as I shared the story of my precious daughter Leanna and the challenges we've been facing with her learning disabilities the past few years, I wept as I told about our struggles.  I don't know why.  I've shared many times over the past several months her story and the incredible ways we've seen God work - the heartaches, the triumphs, the setbacks, all of it.  But today as I shared her story once again with the ladies here in Sicily, it just hit me.  You see I've said time and time again that I know God is going to do big things in the life of that little girl.  I've said many times that He created her for His purpose, and that He would use her for His glory – struggles and all.  I've said over and over that at five years old she already has an amazing testimony.  But as I spoke the words of her life and testimony again today, it just hit me – God is already using her for His glory not just in Augusta, GA, not just with people I know and love but with people everywhere.  He's using her testimony and He's using mine to bring Himself glory.  He's showing people all over the world that yes, in this world we do have trouble (John 16:33) but that in HIM we can have peace and hope and JOY.  He's showing me and those around me that He desires to use us, struggles and all, to further His Kingdom.

Today the presence of God was so real in that small room in Zafferana.  I had the ladies write down attributes of God from A- Z (I know many of you have done that with me – I love reflecting on who God is!).  Then we took those attributes and had a time of praise.  We went through every letter of the alphabet lifting the name of Jesus up.  I was afraid that the ladies would hold back and not fully engage in this time of praise.  Boy was I wrong!  They were totally engaged.  Name after name and attribute after attribute was spoken.  I know God was pleased, honored and glorified.  He loves hearing the praises of His people.  I know it was a fragrant offering of love and devotion to Him.

After our time of prayer, the praise team led us in a time of worship.  Oh, it was sweet.  We sang How Great Is Our God, I Will Rise, The More I Seek You and As the Deer. As we sang the last verse of As the Deer, the tears began to flow (right before I had to speak, of course!!).  Here are the words …

Far more precious than gold or silver only you can satisfy.  You alone are the real joy-giver and the apple of my eye.  You alone are my strength my shield.  To you alone does my spirit yield.  You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you.

The words were just so timely and true … Far more precious than gold or silver only you can satisfy. You alone are the real joy-giver and the apple of my eye. I was to speak on joy in this my last session.  I was to speak on finding joy and glorifying God in the storms and in the struggles.  As I sang (or tried to sing) that phrase, it was as though God, Himself, was standing right in front of me, and I was having to sing those words directly to Him.  Were they true?  Did I really mean them?  Could I really sing those words and truly believe what I was singing?  As the tears began to flow, the answer in my heart was "yes."  Yes, I could sing the words and yes, I meant them.  God had answered the cry of my heart some 18 months ago when I asked Him to help me live out the essence of this quote … Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain.  I had learned to dance in the rain.  Will there be times that I forget?  Yes!  Will there be times when I face new struggles?  Absolutely!  WIll I have to discover this truth again and again?  You can count on it!  But this I know … I am learning.  This journey to becoming more like Jesus is a process, but He is with me … encouraging me, holding me up, carrying me when I need carrying and pushing me when I need pushing.  I just need to keep my eyes fixed on Him.

The verse I left these incredible women of Sicily with today was Habakkuk 3:17-19 …

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flocks be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD;  I will take joy in the God of my salvation.  God, the LORD, is my strength;  He makes my feet like the deer's; He makes me tread on high places …

What a blessing the Lord was to me this weekend.  What a blessing the women I met this weekend were, as well.  Lives and hearts were changed (mine in particular), commitments were made, life stories and experiences were shared and hearts were touched by God's presence and power. 

To Him be the glory …

Listen and watch this awesome song of praise to the Lord … Lord, You're Holy

The group …

Thank you for praying!  Home in a few days!  Until then …

Ciao!