CLARITY...

Well, hello everyone! I just got up from taking a nap. :) It was a sweet one! Let me just tell you...I was exhausted after this weekend, but, oh, what a blast it was!

It was a blast, yet bittersweet at the same time! This weekend, I had senior girls. I love them so much! They make my heart so filled with joy. The reason it was so bittersweet is because I have had this same group of girls since they were freshmen! What in the world am I gonna do next year?! I'm gonna miss them, but they are so ready for college, and I am so excited for them! It is just such a neat thing watching the same girls for 4 years, to watch them grow in their faith, to watch them worship, to watch them encourage each other! How exciting!! The Lord is so good to us!

The theme of the retreat was Clarity. I wish I could go on and on to tell you all the things I learned, but I would probably run out of room. It was just amazing. One thing I will share with all of you is one passage that struck my heart, and so many more hearts, it is powerful.

Nehemiah 8 says:

1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

He simply opened THE BOOK (the bible) and all the people STOOD UP! How powerful is that? Just imagine if every time we opened up the word of God and stood up, they had that much reverence for the Lord! Oh, if only we would. So many times, we automatically stand up to applaud someone. We stand up automatically when worship starts. But, do we stand up when we open the book? It just taught me how much reverence and respect we really should have for the one and only Jesus Christ, and his God-breathed book. The only TRUTH of the world. That verse made me think so much, just thought I would share it with you!

If you have never heard of Dr. David Platt, I would encourage you to search for him and see what he has to say. I can't even describe the knowledge and the desire he has to give God ALL the Glory. He has such wise and amazing things to say!

That's about all, folks. (Actually, there's tons more I could tell you, but I will refrain!) Thank you to all who prayed for the weekend! :) It was amazing and it couldn't have happened without prayer!