Strengthening the Soul retreats -

 

Strengthening the Soul - a package of seasonal day retreats to empower, anchor and enrichen your daily living     "Who wants to live a shallow, hollow existence on the surface of things? We downsize our souls to achieve a safer bottom line of religious acceptability... to open up our souls and discover the fullness of who we are in the stream of God's love has not ever been an option for many Christians." ~Jeff Imbach     And it is an option now!   Introducing Strengthening the Soul - a series of 4 day retreats over the period of a year designed to open your soul to discover the fullness of who you are in the stream of God's love.   Over the last 3 1/2 years of facilitating people toward God's love I've noticed there is something about pulling away with an intentional focus on God in a “spacious and unhurried place” that unsticks and empowers people in a way “normal” spiritual habits cannot... I've witnessed it over and over again in profound, whether subtle or overtly miraculous, ways. I've heard many speak of longing to participate in such a time, but because of either cost, time, or our all too commonly overstuffed lives, it continues to be something "I'll get to one of these days.” Well, one of these days is now here. How about investing in yourself by committing to 4 Saturdays over the period of a year where you might build a regular rhythm of caring for and strengthening the "you" that longs to live a full, rich, gutsy, and perhaps even messy but meaningful, life?   These four Strengthening the Soul day retreats (1 per season over the year) meet a need for something in between an occasional day retreat and the more intensive 2 year commitment to the ACT Journey Strengthening the Soul - That's right - it's a quad of day retreats - a package deal - a "let's intentionally pursue soul care and soul strength this year with other people who long to do the same" type of thing. The dates: Once every 3 months over a year. Sept 27th,  Dec 3, 2011 & March 17, June 23, 2012 Each retreat will run from 9am-3:30p on a Saturday.   The Cost: Only $149 for all four retreats - this includes lunch! That's only $37.25/retreat!   To put this in perspective: a "normal" day reFresh is $65. Though steep for some people, many of us still find the time and money to pay for a gym membership at $40+/month, and counseling...and massage...and sports tickets...and cable/satellite TV... Bottom line: we will invest in the things we think are important! What are you investing in your soul?   The Place:The Table Community Church campus out in the beautiful rolling hills of Stafford, OR (Wilsonville). The church is an historic, white-steepled sanctuary with room to roam or cozy up in a corner.   For more info and to register go click here.   If you are a member of the Table, GracePoint Fellowship, or Cru and want to participate, please email me Special Offer   The first five people to register and pay in full will receive a $25 refund. That amounts to $31 per retreat! What a deal!   These five spots are likely to go fast... there are only 15-20 spots available. Please feel free to forward this to friends!   The next day reFresh is around the corner!   Sept. 17th at the exquisite DreamGiver's Inn (only 2 spots left)   Fall dates for a day reFresh @ the wonderful DreamGiver's Inn    Oct 12th Nov 19th (Sat) Nov 30th (Advent)   ACT Journey III Want to discover, recover or deepen your intimacy with Christ? Consider the 2012-2014 2-year ACT Journey. More info here.   Next weekend reFresh Nov 11-13, 2011 Consider coming together as a small group to enter the holidays with God's guidance! More info here.       I'd love to journey with you in this upcoming year of day retreats designed to Strengthen Your Soul...   ~paula Soul Artisan   creating unhurried spaces to help others discover the art of living courageously and authentically in the stream of God's love

Trust me...

(This is a part of my "loaves and fishes" offerings - click here to see the original post.)

 

Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 

he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. 

He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 

Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.  

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next 

to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. 

Saving is all his idea, and all his work. 

All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. 

It's God's gift from start to finish! (Eph 2 MSG)

This morning as I settled into Mt. Sinai - my big recliner chair where I go to still my soul in God's presence - I centered my heart with the word, "Embraced." Each time my wandered to my to-do list, pick music, do my reimbursement, groceries to add to the list, etc. - I would breathe deeply, utter "embraced" and come back to a place of peace. I'm not sure how many times I had to utter my word...but I remember that each time I do so, I am "consenting" to open my heart to the One who has immense love and showers grace and kindnesses on me (Eph 2: 1-7 MSG)

Finally my heart settled. And I sensed deep call to my deep: "Trust me."

Immediately my body tensed. "Uh-oh," I worried, "what's gonna happen?" immediately followed by "You don't think I trust you?" with a whimpering sense of self-pity.

I am a tad disturbed by my reactions. Why do I immediately fear difficulties and impending deficits upon hearing God invite me to trust Him? What are the things I am not trusting Him with? Which relationships? What aspect of reFresh? Provision of finances? His forming me and this ministry entrusted to me? And, my defensiveness wanted to tout to God all the ways I have trusted him...for multiple decades now, thank you very much!

No answers.

No specific applications.

No hint of anything on the horizon...but a plea to the depths of my soul to "Trust Me."

Today, I do not know what that will look like. In reality, I don't know what it looks like tomorrow either. But each moment, I will remember that I am in His embrace...He is trustworthy.

Breathe, Paula, breathe. 

My greatest calling in life is to believe He is good. He is for me. He can be trusted with ALL of me.

Imagine hearing God say to you: "Trust me."

• How do you react?
• Pay attention to your physical, embodied reactions.
• Do you get excited or fearful when you hear these words?
• What aspect of God helps you return to peace - i.e. what does He want to reveal to you about who He is so as to deepen your intimacy with and trust in Him?

On your journey of "trusting God" - consider having your spiritual journey "companioned" by  a trained spiritual director. Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice in the church – where a "soul friend" travels alongside and lends you courage to pay attention to all that your life – your true life – is voicing and longing to voice and contribute to a world in need. A Spiritual Director helps you engage with spiritual techniques that help you discover, recover or deepen your intimacy and enjoyment of the real God - not who you imagine, fear or want God to be. In Spiritual direction, the director does not direct or coach your life – but (s)he will help you overhear the nuances of your own soul in tandem with the True Director, the Holy Spirit. For more info or questions on how to find a Spiritual Director and/or ask what Spiritual Direction is all about, click here or on the links below.

 

• creating unhurried space for the soul 
• soul care retreats, resources and coaching

For more info about reFresh - go to www.mysoulrefresh.com