This weekend I went on my first women's retreat. Our group of about thirty women of all ages piled into YWAM vans and traveled on a road trip across the island to the city of North Kohala to Makapala Christian Retreat Center, an 1800's boarding school that hasn't been renovated much. It felt like we were staying in a historic site that should be preserved and open for tours rather than for retreat guests. Sure, it was old- very, very old- and more than a little dusty, but I liked it. I like old things.
After settling in and launching our weekend with getting to know each other and with focusing our purpose for being there, most of us chose to go hiking nearby. Nearby at Pololu Valley.
This place. Words can't describe it. I couldn't believe that I had lived over twenty years of my life already never knowing that such a place even existed on the face of this planet, tucked away like a hidden diamond on this small island in the Pacific. The minute that I saw it, I felt tears pushing forward. I was that awestruck by God's glory revealed in His creation. A wave of His presence came over me and surrounded me.
The past week or two, I admit, I was feeling more than ready to go home. Without transportation anywhere, all I ever see of the island day after day is the three mile stretch of downtown Kailua-Kona. I'm used to having my own car and having endless new places to visit and explore. My two legs can only take me so far. I was growing bored of Hawaii. Who knew that someone could live in a place where thousands of people dream of being able to live and she would be bored of the place? Kona's very beautiful and there are still a few things that I know Hawaii has to offer that I want to see, but I was starting to feel like mostly, it was more of the same. Was there anything new I could explore?
Then I saw Pololu Valley. Then I went hiking in the jungle. Then I walked on black sands. Then I held lava rocks washed up from the ocean.
And I knew I was wrong.
I felt the Lord whisper to my heart that He is like this island. Sometimes as believers when we've walked with God for some time, we can begin to feel like there's nothing more to discover about Him. Our relationship can grow stale. We become apathetic. Our spiritual disciplines can become mundane. But just as I was reminded that there is so much beauty here on this island of Hawaii that I haven't seen yet, there is so much about God and His character, who He is, that we can never entirely understand and see and experience until we get to Heaven and see Him face to face. There is always more to discover about Him. A wellspring of learning that will never run dry.
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1Corinthians 13:12
I began hiking on that steep trail down the mountain and a pencil sketch that I had drawn two years ago came to my mind as I looked out over Pololu Valley. This place. I had found the place that my mind had imagined two years ago before my coming.
Down on the beach, I kicked off my Chacos and sunk my feet deep into the black sand for the first time. So awesome. I waded out into the water and Bible verses began popping into my mind. The words "be brave" came to my mind. Be brave. I felt the Lord telling me to be brave in all that He has for my future. To be brave and trust Him in what's ahead for me in my next season of life back home in Georgia.
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2Timothy 1:7
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
"The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." Revelations 22:17
I felt the sand beneath my feet being washed away with every wave that crashed and pulled back out to sea. And every time, I had to shift my position and readjust my stance to stand firmly again. To my mind came Ephesians 6:13.
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13
I sat down on the rocks away from the group to write in my journal. I looked to my right and saw a big heart-shaped lava rock lying beside me and I was reminded of God's love for me.
Later I started alone on the trail back up. It was so steep! It was very dry there so some parts were sandy and difficult to get secure footing on. Other parts were rocky and I had to really stretch to step up. I had to pick my footing carefully. I was very thankful for my Chacos! Some areas of the trail posed me with a choice: a sandy way that was more flat or a rocky path that was more secure. In life, we have to choose our own paths, the Lord spoke to me. And the easiest path is the path that's unsure while the path that God calls us to walk may have more ups and downs but is ultimately more safe, more secure, and a solid foundation that cannot be shaken.
"'Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'" Matthew 7:24-27
We returned to our retreat house to a powerful time of praying freedom over each other, a restful night of a rain shower heavier than we've seen in our time here, and a morning of encouraging and uplifting one another. And when we returned to Kona, the truth is, I had missed our Hale Ola home that before I had been bored of. I'm very excited to go back to Georgia because I know that's where the next season of my life is for now but I also know that there's still much to be done first in the next two months. So I pray, I learn, I listen, I wait, and I watch in patient expectation to see all that my good Father has in store.
No comments:
Post a Comment