This past weekend I went on a retreat with the leadership team from my bible study to South Carolina. We stayed in a condo (I thought it was going to be a cabin, but it wasn't) on the lake. I guess it's called a condo. It's like an apartment, but fancier. It was 3 floors, with three balconies facing the lake. We had 11 people - 5 girls and 6 guys.
During the weekend we played games (I played cards), went to the pool, some swam in the lake and some went fishing, just hung out and talked, and had meetings. Some of the meetings were logistical things like planning events. But some were about making sure everybody in the group feels connected and who was reaching out to who and discipling people. We talked about our purpose for the group, ideas to make small groups better, and more. There were beautiful sunsets, a double rainbow, good food, and lots of laughing. I was tired some because I didn't get enough sleep, and cups of coffee don't give me as much energy as 3 shots of espresso in my iced peppermint white mocha. But despite being a little sleep deprived, it was such a great weekend.
One thing that was done throughout the whole weekend was that we prayed for each other, encouraged each other, and gave each other advice / suggestions not just for things related to bible study, but in life too. It was so encouraging to hear people say nice things about me and pray specifically for me. The whole weekend, from relaxing and from the encouraging words, really filled me up. Sometimes the negative words people say at work or the high tensions or high stress at work slowly...or quickly... pull me down until I almost forget the kind words that other people have said. But the love from this weekend was so great and much needed.
I went back to work yesterday and prayed that God would give me the awareness to speak kind and encouraging words to people, to point out where others have done good things or had good ideas, and to build them up. Not just yesterday, but always. I want that to be the main thing that comes out of my mouth - positive things. Nothing good comes from speaking negative things. While I have been blessed with friends and family to pour love and kind words into me, maybe some of them don't have that. Maybe the only words they hear are from people at work. So of course if they aren't the best, or if they're just neutral, then they will be sad and hurting and empty. They might realize why, or they might not. Not only do I want them to feel the love and fullness that I do, but I also want them to know Jesus, and He is what fills us up more than anything else...so even if they feel love coming from me, I hope they one day realize it comes from Jesus.
Of course words are powerful - God SPOKE and the world came to be!! It doesn't say he pointed or that he did some hocus pocus hand motion, or nodded and blinked like on "I love Genie." James is a great book about how powerful words are, that they can be used to do great things or terrible things.
"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Another thing that was a great thing to see on the trip was the different personalities and strengths coming together. Some people are louder or talk more. They are not worse or better than anyone else. Some people are quieter and talk less. They are neither worse nor better. Some people are better at making food and cleaning up and that's the way they serve and that it their strength which is great because that's not the way I like to serve as much! Some people have a lot of bible knowledge and study the depths of all things it seems like, and it's great that they can discuss and dissect things. Some people are very detail oriented, get tasks done, and keep things on schedule. We could all look at each other and think, "I wish I was more detail oriented and smarter about the bible and...." But we can't be everything. I'm thankful that we can all work together to use our strengths, gifts, talents, and personalities to not only balance each other out, but also work and live together!
"If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.... Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!" - 1 Corinthians 12:26-27, 29-30
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