{"id":785507,"date":"2012-02-21T03:45:09","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T03:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.centerdeep2.com\/riverbendprep\/?p=785507"},"modified":"2013-08-30T22:03:18","modified_gmt":"2013-08-30T22:03:18","slug":"bev-bradley-nevada-city-retreat-2012-falling-in-love-with-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centerdeep2.com\/riverbendprep\/2012\/02\/21\/bev-bradley-nevada-city-retreat-2012-falling-in-love-with-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Bev Bradley Nevada City Retreat 2012 – Falling in Love with God"},"content":{"rendered":"

I serve as the retreat coordinator for a wonderful ministry and family, Reb and Bev Bradley, of Family Ministries<\/a>. \u00a0We recently had a Women’s Retreat, titled, ‘Falling in Love with God’. \u00a0About 50 women spent a weekend immersed in singing the hymns, and either being reminded of, or learning for the first time, God’s love for them.<\/p>\n

The retreat team leadership is comprised of twelve women who exhibit different skill sets and talents. \u00a0Michelle is the decor queen. \u00a0She always transforms the rooms into something beautiful and special. \u00a0This year, she used birds, branches, and music sheets to tie in the focus on Worship and song…
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This is Linda, managing the registration table. \u00a0The branches contains prayer tags. \u00a0On each tag is the name of a women attending the retreat. \u00a0Each woman picks a name and that is the woman she will pray for over the year…
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Bev had these little Victorian style ceramic boxes that she gifted to everyone, along with a personal note from her.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A few of the teens that attended the retreat made these stars out of song sheets. \u00a0Each woman took one home with her.
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Setting up the main room. \u00a0Each chair had a blank tote bag. \u00a0Inside the bag was a folder with a welcome letter, shcedule, and a pen. \u00a0There was also a Family Ministries catalog, and a bottle of water…
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A craft table was to be set up with items to decorate the tote bag with. \u00a0I just took a stencil and pen and did this on mine…
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My friend, Stacy, is in charge of the icebreaker and Friday night Karaoke!
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I love this picture…united in sisterhood and friendship in Christ.
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There was a lot of sharing. \u00a0Marci, our hike leader, shared this heart rock she found, as well as sharing breaking free from a stronghold she had for a long time. \u00a0God is amazing!
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As the retreat coordinator, I tend to all the logistics. \u00a0This makes it a different experience for me as it does the typical attendee. \u00a0Regardless, God worked out some mighty things in me during this weekend. \u00a0The process just extended a little longer into the week.<\/p>\n

Here are some the points of impact from Bev’s sessions…<\/em><\/p>\n

-Trusting in Jesus, recognize that it’s going to get dark. \u00a0<\/strong>How can we trust if we are never placed in a situation that requires us to trust in Him? \u00a0God is God. \u00a0It’s going to be hard. \u00a0He will provide.<\/p>\n

-What do you have to lose not saying ‘yes’ to Him?<\/strong><\/p>\n

-You were created to be amazed by Him. \u00a0<\/strong>I believe this 100%. \u00a0We were made for Him, to adore Him, to be amazed by Him.<\/p>\n

-Don’t seek answers; seek Him. \u00a0<\/strong>I recently read a quote by Graham Cooke that was similar, like ‘Don’t seek God’s will; just seek God.” \u00a0This is so true! \u00a0If we stop worrying and stressing over what His will is for us or seeking specific answers, and we focus on Him and our relationship with Him, we can trust the He will provide and guide on His terms, in His timing.<\/p>\n

-You can’t (fully) love someone you don’t trust. \u00a0You can’t (fully) love someone who isn’t safe. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

-The greatest enemy of love is self.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John 10:4<\/strong> “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.\u00a0<\/em>But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger\u2019s voice.\u201d<\/em> \u00a0(I think if I were to pick the one verse that Bev would want to make sure everyone knew and applied, it would be this one. \u00a0We need to know our Shepherd’s voice. \u00a0We need to know Jesus’s voice. \u00a0 Then, we would know if what we hear is not from Him, but from a stranger, and flee…)<\/span><\/p>\n

John 4:10\u00a0<\/strong>Jesus answered her,\u00a0\u201cIf you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.\u201d \u00a0(<\/em>This is when Jesus met the woman at the well. \u00a0There is such richness in this whole conversation with her. \u00a0It is a whole sermon in and of itself.)<\/p>\n

Ephesians 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 34<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 42:1-2 <\/strong>“As the deer pants for streams of water,\u00a0so my soul pants for you, my God.\u00a0My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. \u00a0When can I go and meet with God?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Song of Solomon 1:8 “If you do not know, most beautiful of women,\u00a0\u00a0follow the tracks of the sheep\u00a0and graze your young goats\u00a0by the tents of the shepherds.” <\/em>(We need to follow the tracks of those who have walked with the Lord; in trial and in triumph.)<\/p>\n

Martin Luther: “When I cannot pray, I always sing”<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Chronicles 16:34 <\/strong>“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;\u00a0<\/em>his love endures forever.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Lamentations 3:22<\/strong> “Because of the LORD\u2019s great love we are not consumed,\u00a0for his compassions never fail.” <\/em>(Bev said that the Hebrew word for ‘compassion’ is a verb. \u00a0It means ‘to touch with mercy’.)<\/p>\n

Psalm 143:8<\/strong>\u00a0“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,\u00a0for I have put my trust in you.\u00a0Show me the way I should go,\u00a0for to you I entrust my life.”<\/em><\/p>\n

DO NOT CLAIM YOUR WEAKNESS AS YOUR IDENTITY! \u00a0<\/strong>Do not walk one more day crippled by a bad identity. \u00a0God is worthy of your trust. \u00a0Weakness came to you so His strength is to be manifest.<\/p>\n

Psalm 32:8-9\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;\u00a0I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Psalm 139 <\/strong>\u00a0Read the whole Psalm. \u00a0Note: \u00a0There needs to be dark.<\/p>\n

Pray for faith to trust Him more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do not consider them trials. \u00a0Consider them bridges.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 149:1<\/strong>\u00a0“Praise the LORD.\u00a0Sing to the LORD a new song,\u00a0his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Ephesians 3:16<\/strong>\u00a0“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”<\/em><\/p>\n

Only God has both<\/em> power and<\/em> authority.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love is something that can be taught. \u00a0We can learn through the Holy Spirit to be affectionate toward others.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love suffers. \u00a0When we love, we take down our protection and become vulnerable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 95:6-7\u00a0<\/strong>Come, let us bow down in worship,\u00a0let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;\u00a0for he is our God \u00a0and we are the people of his pasture,\u00a0the flock under his care.\u00a0Today, if only you would hear his voice,<\/em><\/p>\n

Psalm 63<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ephesians 1:18<\/strong>\u00a0 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,”<\/em><\/p>\n

Psalm 59:16<\/strong>\u00a0“But I will sing of your strength,\u00a0\u00a0in the morning I will sing of your love;\u00a0for you are my fortress,\u00a0my refuge in times of trouble.”<\/em><\/p>\n

John 16<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 31:9<\/strong>\u00a0“Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;\u00a0\u00a0my eyes grow weak with sorrow,\u00a0my soul and body with grief.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The first step in recognizing the gospel is the dependency on Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The area where the Holy Spirit worked with me….<\/em><\/p>\n