The Encounter

This weekend I had a life changing “encounter” with God. I had the opportunity to participate in a women’s retreat. I had no expectations and I wasn’t necessarily excited about it, I just knew that I was going. When we arrived to the camp ground I had no idea that those same grounds would be the place where God would come and speak directly to me. I was clueless that I would share quarters with 7 beautiful sistahs in Christ who would forever hold a special place in my heart. Nor did I realize that I would leave there a new woman headed to a new level in Christ.

For nearly a year I have been feeling weird for a lack of better words. I had verbally expressed my feelings to a few people, but I could not clearly explain it. I just knew I wasn’t feeling right. Although, I had this weird feeling I continued to send you weekly letters, I still prayed for people when they asked me to, I remained faithful to the two weekly LYLAS calls, I would minister through spoken word when requested, and I worked ministry here and there at my church. I basically continued to work for Jesus, but the passion and drive I once had was slowly fading away. Eventually I stopped serving at church all together. Still I could not explain my feelings. I prayed about it for a while and I thought I was listening to God for a response, but how could I be when I blocked him out with the internet, old habits, ungodly people, television, telephone, busy-ness, nothingness, and the chaos of the world? It was as if I was a deaf child with headphones on while playing a surround sound system on full blast in the background, there was no way I could hear my Daddy ‘God’ knocking at the door. Let alone His whispers in the late night hour.

This past weekend God sent me away to a place where I was required to shut off my phone the majority of the day, a place full of beautiful green grass. He sent me to a place where I could talk to him by the lake and see the leaves on the trees move to the rhythm of the wind. He sent me to a place where I gathered with a diverse group of women in a chapel where worship flowed freely and prophetic lessons were taught. A place where I would witness an abundance of women receive their breakthrough. Then to top it all off, he strategically placed me with 7 women, one of which was the group leader, who I was able to relate to and bond with so that we could experience this life changing event together. God is so good. At this place, God met me where I was at. We had an encounter and I was empowered to release resentments toward a few people who have hurt me through forgiveness. At this place God came and he gave me a word specific to my situation, some direction, new vision, more knowledge, better understanding, and much needed comfort. He came, He spoke, I heard, and I received. Thank you Jesus!

Friend, I know that the weird feeling I was having over the past year was not exclusive to me. There are others who understand how I was feeling. Ironically, the answer was always there, resting on the headboard of my bed. See I had been writing about a scripture a week through this ministry, but I was not reading His word and mediating on it as I should have been. I WAS OF THE WORLD IN A LOT OF WAYS AND NOT IN HIS WORD ALWAYS. Therefore, my passion and purpose was dwindling away as I drifted away from his word day by day! So God sent me away to hear him say “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” 1 John 2:17. While I was at this place He filled me back up and sent me back home brand new. I am no longer feeling weird but rather thirsty for his word again, with clearer vision, 7 new sisters, spiritually reconnected, and ready to be shifted from comfortable to uncomfortable all for his glory! Won’t He Do It!!!!