A Family Reunion

Well, it wasn't really A Family Reunion.  It was a women's retreat.  But, for me, it was A Family Reunion.  

I had the last-minute privilege of spending Friday and Saturday at The Cove with a wonderful group of women from St. Giles Evangelical Presbyterian Church.   The Cove is a lovely setting in the mountains of North Carolina...Asheville, to be specific. But even lovelier are the ladies of St. Giles.  The retreat could have been anywhere and would have been just as refreshing and fun.

I was a member of St. Giles from approximately 1986 to 1994.  It was my first church as a young adult woman embarking on a new career in a new place far away from home.  St. Giles was my family away from home and as I was reminded this weekend, it will always be family for me.

I feel called to another wonderful church fellowship right now.  But every time I darken the door of anything St. Giles, I am welcomed with open arms and big hugs...with genuine excitement at my presence.  I sometimes wonder if they are going to bring out the fatted calf!  (although I never feel shamed for being away). I'm not a prodigal in that regard (right now, anyway), thank the Lord, I am just a family member whom they haven't seen in a awhile.

An even more interesting twist to this little reunion is the presence of Helen Atwood. She is the new Pastor's wife.  But she was also the Associate Pastor's wife during the majority of my years at St. Giles.  One strong marriage...same great Pastor...just two different seasons.  Nate and Helen have come full circle and are back.  Helen is beautiful and grace-filled.  She shines.

My sojourn to The Cove was a last-minute decision.  I was pushed over the edge by hearing via Facebook that Helen was going to talk about her Ebenezers.  I had just finished messaging Nate my Final Letter from Italy.  It fits well with the focus of St. Giles these days, as they are camping out in the 23rd Psalm.  I experienced the 23rd Psalm in Italy.  I told Nate that this trip was an Ebenezer in my life.  He responded, "Smile...Helen is teaching on Ebenezers at the St. Giles Women's Retreat this weekend."

Well, alrighty then!  I knew I had to go.

What is an Ebenezer?  In the Bible, in I Samuel 7:12, it is a literal place and it is a stone of remembrance.  It is an "exclamation point" in the midst of life that says...I once was defeated here but God has turned my place of defeat into a place of victory.  

In Italy, God healed my sorrow over my singleness.  He took that which I considered a curse and made it a blessing in my life.  No longer was I "forgotten" and no longer was it a mark of defeat.  It is a place of strength in my life...because I have learned to honestly say, "He is Enough."

Many years ago, Nate Atwood preached a sermon on Ebenezers which I have never forgotten.  I even have the casette tape somewhere in my home.  I have shared it with Bible studies at other churches.  And all who have heard it have been blessed.

So, yes, I had to get myself to this women's retreat.  And it was well-worth it.

As Helen shared her Ebenezers, she placed literal stones on the podium.  Her stones represented Foundation (her parents and her upbringing), Faith (when God became her personal God), Family (God has gifted Nate and Helen with 7 children here and 1 in Heaven), Surrender (out of hurts, the devil wants you hard, stay soft.  Don't put a wall up..."If I am surrendered, I can be at peace."), The book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Helen has her own book of her list of gifts and it is approaching 500), and a stone with a big question mark (what is next? This is the mystery of the new season ahead).

Pay tribute to God by paying attention.  Rushing through God is not the way to live.  Life is not an emergency.

If you watch the video at the end of my post Rethinking Priorities, you will see that this is a message I am hearing from many angles.

Wow...I am humbled because God continues to get my attention from many avenues.  He seems to be pursuing me.  I want to be pursuing Him, too.

The weekend was rich and full.  Worship is a strength of St. Giles, and the worship time was beautiful and sweet (Thank you, Worship Team!).  We had tons of laughter.  We had the opportunity to share in small groups: 1. Our fears about walking into God's presence, 2. Recalling a time in life which appeard to be a demise and turned out to be a restoration, 3. God delights in me: What are my thoughts about this?, and 4. How has God kept my light burning?  Thanks Rachel Dunning!

The retreat ended in the sweetest way...the speakers and prayer leaders formed a line around the front of the meeting room.  Each participant was invited to walk down the line and hear a word of blessing or encouragement from each (as they believed they heard God saying).

My favorite one for myself was, "You are whole."  Yes, I receive that and believe it to be true.  I am living it!

I'll leave you with this...the song which seemed to set the tone for our time together (and as Kathy Davis sensed was the one that we should drive down the mountain remembering) is sung by Casting Crowns:

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see our sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am

But because what of You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours

© 2003 SWECS MUSIC; CLUB ZOO MUSIC; MY REFUGE MUSIC;