First, I will state the condition of my soul going into this week. Frankly, it/I was depleted. I had been working overtime to complete one of my classes two weeks early so that I could attend SOULfeast and another week for Hearts on Fire. Beyond school responsibilities, there were other life things.
This photo was where my heart, mind, and soul were going into SOULfeast:
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Though it is two days away and I have a final exam to finish prior, my soul longs for the nourishment it will receive at SOULfeast. Like the leaf that was ready and open to pool the water droplet here, I plan to be a vessel to capture what the Lord offers.
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Through the worship, the speaker (Roberta Bondi), the music, the prayer, the communion, the fellowship, seeing "old" friends (some I had met in years past and some I knew from home, friends from the Academy, etc), spending time walking around the lake, spending time in silence and solitude, meeting new friends, etc., God restored and strengthened my soul.
I felt refreshed, refilled, and refueled by the end of the week.
It may seem a little crazy that I am doing back to back weeks of retreats/conferences. When I saw Johnny Sears (Academy for Spiritual Formation) at SOULfeast, he said he didn't expect to see me there because of the Hearts on Fire in Minnesota. I told him that God must have lots of work to do in me, because God is the one who worked it all out. ☺
I am grateful for the refreshment and filling that SOULfeast offered last week!
If you're interested in learning more about SOULfeast, an offering of the Upper Room, you can check them out on their website.
Next year's dates are: July 12-16, 2015. The main speaker is Elaine Heath and Jacob Armstrong will bring the Word/preaching. The theme is "Renew Your People". You can pre-register here.
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
P.S. Later (hopefully) I will post more pictures and thoughts from the workshops, etc.
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