new series, summer of prayer--week two

Thank you so much for your prayers last week! The process of walking through the car accident has been very smooth. The bible study is nearing completion. And the weekend of ministry at UPBC was an absolute delight!

For this week I would appreciate your prayers for the following:

1. Today a publishing house meets to consider a proposal from one of their departments that would like for me to write a devotional for an organization. Please pray for favor in accordance with God's will.

2. This week the anonymous: Jesus' hidden years and yours bible study text and design will be finalized. Please pray for eagle eyes for editing Also, I will begin working with JoelT Media on editing for the anonymous dvd accompaniment! We were blessed to have an excellent team (The Broadcast Group) video-taping the ministry time at UPBC so I came home with all their tapes.

3. Please pray for our dear Jonathan this Thursday. He is enrolled in a "kid's college" class on animation. He's so thrilled but he has really been struggling in group contexts recently. Please pray for peace to rest on him and that he would be able to hear and learn. Listening in a group is truly a challenge for him.

taking a 24-hour prayer retreat, part seven

7. retreat flow continued: variations and closure

This flow of worship, repentance, rest, listening, and intercession normally takes me to the end of my 24 hours. Occasionally, there is space for another nap, a long bath, or a few chapters of a favorite book.

Several times a year I take longer retreats:

• One 48-hour retreat is devoted to reviewing my previous year's personal inventory (a collection of prayerful goals spiritually, physically, relationally...for that year) and preparing the new year's inventory.
  
• Another 48-hour retreat is devoted to reviewing the year's journals and daytimer and gathering together words of wisdom, correction, stories for the kid's journals, and ideas for writing.
• Once a year I head out to a desert in Arizona for a 5-6 day retreat that's simply devoted to loving Jesus.
  

The final hour of a retreat is very precious to me. I try to savor it with quietness and a posture of love toward Jesus. I may take a walk with him or kneel at a favorite place of prayer.

Even as I pack and transition, I try to keep the retreat-mindset. I am not leaving the retreat, the retreat is coming with me! The quietness, the trust, the forgiveness, the re-centered peace...it does not stay behind in the B&B.

Like a good perfume, the retreat lingers. Barry always notices increased patience and joy in me when I return. I see the fruit in clarity of thought and a decrease in worry. Not too long ago, my dear 4 year old Keona asked me when she can begin taking prayer retreats!

14 years ago when I first started taking regular prayer retreats, I thought of them as a luxury. Now I know they are a necessity for me. My hope is that these thoughts on taking a retreat have been helpful for you.

Next week we'll start a new series! Feel free to email me with any ideas you have for topics: contact@truthportraits.com.