my retreat was nothing like I had expected

although I really did not know what to expect -

I was not sure why I was to be there
although absolutely sure this time was orchestrated by God

one of the biggest blessings for me always
is meeting others who have come
because of the wooing of the Spirit
and I did meet some very tender and beautiful people

those ministering were
to me
like broken bread and poured out wine ............

we all have our story and each story is precious -
it is tempting to write our own story
and I confess to have written many of my own chapters
but
it is ever so freeing to allow Almighty God to author all the moments of my life
to relinquish to Him my deepest pains
dashed dreams
deferred hopes
even my fears ...

I was
(and remain)
so moved by those
who sacrificed their personal time to invest in me
and I was determined to honor them and their sacrifice
by being completely open to whatever the Lord should reveal
or desire during the ministry times

one morning I woke up to see the sun rising over the iced lake
and noted the tracks of many vehicles
some tracks went in a perfectly straight line
some curved around
some jig jagged all over the place
but
at one point
they all intersected

I realized that only God
can write straight with the crooked lines of my life
and that He directs the ones whose paths are to intersect with mine -
and at each intersection point
my life is enriched
and my heart enlarged ...........

I love to write poetry
one time I shared a poem
that was very personal to me with a musician friend
who set it to music
causing it to become much more complete -

and I can only trust that by sharing my life
God will make it too more complete
and that He will be glorified and pleased
with the song of me
as He writes the next stanza