Learning to Love, Girls Retreat

Acts 10, "Cornelius, he was a devout man who feared the God of Israel... he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. ..Peter went up to the flat roof to pray... he fell into a trance... Then a voice said to him..." God does not need us. He can go and talk to anyone whom He chooses. It is for us that we go and speak to people. Many people could see me talking with the girls this past weekend as something that I was doing for the girls, but in reality, I needed it as well. He has designed us to need relationship. We need to feel needed and we need to learn how to see life through another's perspective.

What a treat this weekend was for me. We had 8 wonderful girls in Ouray. I could have missed a blessed time, by not going; I am so glad that I went. Honestly, I think I learned more than they did. Everything that came out of my mouth, was first directed toward myself. I still have so far to go. God did not need me in order to get His message out to these girls. He used our interaction and sharing to strengthen all of us.

The first night I shared my life story with the girls. I cannot tell you the pain that each time of sharing creates for me. It hurts to talk about your failures. It hurts to see yourself for who you truly are, a sinner. I pray that they could see through my life the pain that results from "one moment of fun," if they can see this, it is worth my pain. If they took just one lesson from this weekend, and that lesson was living for Christ and avoiding the deception that Satan tries to trick us with, it was worth it. But it was not just one lesson, it was many.

We talked a lot about letting go of our own selfish desires and looking at another person, through their eyes. We talked about love and how to truly begin loving others. We talked about how the choices that we make now, will affect us and our children's lives. We talked about health and how to take care of our self. We talked about how God does love us and how he has chosen us, out of a crowd. We talked about what it really means to be a leader, and we are in no one's shadow. We talked about learning what God has called us to become as individuals. We talked Christ and how much he does love us. We talked how truly important it is to hold on to purity and not fall into sexual sin.

I so hoped that these girls would understand how hurtful it is to not value your bodies. Our bodies are the temple of God, we are to cherish ourselves and keep ourselves pure. I was so thankful to learn that none of them have given themselves away, that is something that they can never take back again. I wanted them to see just how precious they were and to hold on to that purity, not only for themselves, not only for their husbands to come, but for Christ.

In sharing with these young, growing women, I heard God talking to me. I heard Him speaking to me through my mouth. How often we are telling someone something and they think it is us speaking to them, but in reality it is God talking to the person speaking, first. Does this make sense. I was not just called to talk to these girls, for these girls. But I was called because He wanted me to learn something. He does not ask us to share with others, just for the other person, but it helps us to grow when we share. It is so crazy. In stepping out and helping others, in not being selfish, in loving others, the one sharing benefit's more. Here is what I mean. It is always the one who teaches, that truly learns the lesson. The students are learning, but the teacher is one who has to dig deeper in order to teach. He does not need us in order for Him to talk. He can tell anyone anything He desires. He uses us to help us reach out to others. He wants us to learn something. He wants us to draw closer to Him. We love others, so that we can love God. It is all about relationship. He is the God of love, He calls us to love.

Thank you girls. Thank you for allowing me to share with you. Thank you for listening to me. Please learn from my life, so that you do not have the pain that I feel. Learn to love, so that you can feel more loved. Thank you...