So I went to this Christian ladies retreat at Camp Caroline....March 20, 21, 22nd. I received very little sleep but was amazingly refreshed in spirit, mind and even body. I consumed too much food but couldn't get enough of the spiritual food God was providing at the heavenly smorgasbord served by our guest speaker, musician, singer/songwriter Carolyn Arends. My eyes took in the the refreshing scenery in the incredible, inspirational setting of Camp Caroline, which includes that amazing chapel and the frozen moment in time as the setting was like that of a stress free Christmas as large, white flakes of snow fell gently on the evergreen cedars. The cozy fireplace inside the dining hall was always a popular place with its comfortable round sectional sofa. This was an unexpected pleasure and surprise for me a charismatic Christian to be joined with over 200 Baptist sisters at their annual provincial wide Baptist church retreat. It was very humbling experience to surrender myself to God and to experience a spiritually blessed and well organized ladies retreat. I was very impressed. My physical ears took in the awe inspiring music as it ministered to my heart both in my soul and body while my spiritual ears awakened to a freshness that I find I cannot yet explain. I bonded with my friends and acquaintances and made new ones as friendships began to blossom. I was in touch with God and He gave me insight and revelation even within the first seconds that I walked into the building. I knew I was going to grow this weekend in a new life experience with God and my sisters in Christ.
These are just some of the highlights from my weekend
Carolyn Arends. It was truly amazing!!! Check out her blog (angelwrestle.blogspot.com)and her website www.carolynarends.com!
Anyway, it was beautiful weekend and I'm going to write down my life lessons and tell you about it here.
2 comments:
While on our way to camp, Kathy and I were talking. I had been been telling her that I was tired of taking care of all my "stuff" and wanted this year to be the year that I would be completely free of bondage to stuff. I explained how I wanted to stop trying to save everything and to be so prepared "just in case". It seems the extra saving of paperwork or extra steps to be so well-prepared was really keeping me a slave to "just in case" and kept stealing my time -- for ever step forward I would take three steps backward when I had to bring so much stuff with me when I go on a trip including extra food. When I began to hear myself say the phrase "just in case" in nearly every sentence, I knew I had a problem. As soon as I walked through those camp doors, I heard God speak to my spirit and say, 'when you prepare everything perfectly and build a "just in case" net around yourself, you are not trusting me to be your provider and you are not walking by faith but in what you can do to be your own secure provider". That was very humbling and so began my stay at church camp.
continued study on JUST IN CASE....
Whenever I was packing for a trip I would justify why I was bringing so much extra stuff that I could hardly get the suitcase closed and I would say well its, you know, “just in case”. In fact, “Just In Case” became a phrase I found myself using all the time. I even felt safer or more secure in just speaking the phrase out loud. In fact, whenever we left the house if we were planning to be gone for the whole day or overnight, I always brought too much stuff “just in case”. I could not start packing to leave until I had written down every possible item we might need “just in case” and then and checked it off the list. It didn’t matter whether it was for a one or two week vacation; a weekend at the camper/cottage; an overnight stay with a friend; church camp weekend or even just a day trip to the mountains. Travel of any sort, at any given time I would leave the comfort and safety of my house I would do my best to be prepared with extra stuff ‘just in case’. Even going to work on a daily basis, I carry several satchels of bags: my purse, my lunch, my extra shoes, medication and vitamins, books, etc. I don’t know why I don’t just carry a backpack of carefully strategically planned equipment strapped to my back with all my army gear so whenever I am stranded I am ready to survive. At one time in my life I was impulsive and spontaneous ‘fly by the seat of my pants’ kind of person but somewhere in my life I became extremely efficient about providing for myself. I learned to prepare ahead and to use ‘just in case’ as my crutch. Although I didn’t realize that this left no room or opportunity to rely on God to meet my needs.
It was when I arrived at church camp to a ladies retreat in the spring of 2009 that God revealed something to me. It was so simple but something that I believe will stay with me and has truly changed my life. Due to recovery from an injured ankle I couldn’t unload all the stuff I brought with me, which put the extra burden on my friend, Kathy, who I was riding with. It certainly wasn’t fair to Kathy that my extra baggage became her burden to now carry. As Kathy, was unloading and carrying in both her load and my several loads of stuff as I stood comfortably inside the entrance of the facility, I suddenly had a revelation from God. It was as though the Lord said, “Charlotte, whenever you use the phrase ‘just in case’ it means you do not trust Me to provide for you’. I suddenly realized that every time I bring more than I really need, I am relying myself to meet my own needs. I am fearfully trusting in my own provision and not going in faith. Do I believe that God could and would meet any need that might arise. Yes, I believe that I do but my actions do not allow opportunity for a faithful God to provide. My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. When I’m packing for the future perhaps I’m just not confident in my choices or maybe I’m unable to make a decision on what to wear but most of the time it is simply a matter of “what if”. I don’t know what the future holds, what if the weather turns cold or rainy. Protecting my comfort became more of a burden and more discomforting to always consider ‘what if’ so I would be completely, perfectly prepared instead of trusting God.
We know that God doesn’t want us burdened down with excess baggage and our worries and cares as he speaks to us his word telling us to cast all our cares on him and to be not heavy burdened. We know he tries to convince us to let go of worries and past problems that weigh us down so we are not weighted down with addictions and sins that easily sidetrack and beset us from running the race to reach our destiny but many times we do not clearly see it as lack of trust in God. He wants us to let go of our self-sufficiency so we can learn to rely on him! Simple truth but many times we just don’t see where we are falling short. When you ask him to reveal truth and revelation to become what he has planned for your life then he will do it. I asked and he answered by giving me this revelation that I needed to see at a Baptist church camp ladies retreat. God revealed so much peace, simple truth and revelation of Himself to me that weekend and it also opened the door to closer relationships with two friends that we are now also praying for one another. I left that camp renewed and refreshed more than I have been in 15 years. God is faithful and knew exactly what I needed.
Burdens are something we carry or transport like cargo; something emotionally difficult to bear; a source of great worry or stress that has weight to it – a load or overload – weigh down or oppress.
Cares are burdened state of mind as that arising from heavy responsibilities; mental suffering; grief; an object or source of worry, attention, or solicitude; caution in avoiding harm or danger. The positive description is when it involves caring for others like as watchful attention and oversight, nurture assistance as in caring for someone that in a medical or professional manner, etc.
Worries...To feel uneasy or concerned about something; be troubled, focused attention on a subject persistently and moodily; brooded over the insult for several days, be depressed
To seize with the teeth and shake or tug at repeatedly, pull or tear at something with or as if with the teeth like a dog gnaws and worries a bone.
To proceed doggedly in the face of difficulty or hardship; struggle: worried along at the problem.
To cause feelings anxiety (anxious), distress, or trouble (agitate, stir up, afflict with pain or discomfort, emotional strain)
To bother or annoy, with petty complaints
To chase and try to bite, (like a dog or wolf chases and frightens (sheep or other animals)
To attack roughly and repeatedly; harass.
To touch, move, or handle idly; toy with: worrying the loose tooth with his tongue (should be left alone instead of picking at the wound trying to heal or repeatedly going back to the look at and worry over the future of it); worrying over the condition -- persistent mental uneasiness, nagging concern or uneasiness.
Worrying may shorten one's life, but not as quickly as it once did. Originally the old English word wyrgan, meant "to strangle.", then its Middle English descendant, worien, kept this sense and developed the new sense "to grasp by the throat with the teeth and lacerate" or "to kill or injure by biting and shaking." This is the way wolves or dogs might attack sheep, for example. In the 16th century worry began to be used in the sense "to harass, as by rough treatment or attack," or "to assault verbally," and in the 17th century the word took on the sense "to bother, distress, or persecute." It was a small step from this sense to the main modern senses "to cause to feel anxious or distressed" and "to feel troubled or uneasy," first recorded in the 19th century. (I think Christians were meant to worry the devil not allow him to worry us!)
I do believe we need to plan ahead and be prepared – that’s wisdom. However, there are times for some people like myself that it is more than just planning wisely. For me it became a heavy weight and a lack of trust in God. We need to have a healthy balance of trust and wisdom. I know that I’m not the only one out there using the phrase ‘just in case’.
For fun I am sharing a discovery about the phrase “Just in Case” to market some good products. So when you say “just in case”, please don’t think of it negatively but ask for His wisdom in helping you be prepared.
”Just In Case”, a book about How to be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens. The book provides ‘security in an increasingly insecure world’ an incredible sense of self-sufficiency and independence. I realize that this book provides wisdom so we can be prepared for serious emergencies. It is probably a very good book and something we should all read and have in our homes.
“JUST IN CASE” is an innovative supplier of safety and survival products and cases from Survival Kits, Emergency Kits to Roadside Assistance Programs.
Post a Comment