One Sunday recently, I was praising God in worship and a scene came to me from my past. There I was in a small chapel in a wooden pew. The windows were open and a warm breeze wafted across my face. A clear tenor voice sang out and I was carried away to a Heavenly place as I thrilled to being back in my zone, the place where I thought of only my Beloved and He was with me. This memory came so strong that tears came to my eyes. No matter how large the conference, or deep the retreat, I have never been as taken away as the few years I spent in Alma Mi., Chapel during our CFO weeks.
For about eight years, my children and I were blessed to be a part of Camp Farthest Out, Mi. This is a place where for an entire week, families live in dorms on a campus and have a full day with the Lord. You strart with breakfast, then morning praise at chapel, hear an anointed speaker, go out on the lawn for rhythms, and then lunch. Afternoon is an intense prayer time in very small groups. Then swimming in a pool, dinner, evening praise, another sermon and fellowship.
Since parents are pesent, the kids are free to play together on all "off" times. Every age, from babies to young adult has a special place and proper programs. My children got so much from every year and their friendships have been such good ones.
I want to return to the chapel and my evening. We sang CFO songs I didn't know at first and every year I longed to sing them again. They were full of passion, and inspiration and love for my Savior. My favorite was called "And I will not turn back." I think it was in a minor key. I thnk a lot of them were, for they held me, gripped me, made me want to give my all.
At the end of the week, we had to literally "re-enter" life like the astronauts did when coming back from space, for we were coming back to the world and we had been in heavenly places.
I want to go back there, but I cannot go back because I'm not the same. I was much younger,much more innocent of heartache. Still, the Lord said He would help me find a place like that, not a locale, but a heart destination. Till then, I'm undone. I'm not in my place and I yearn for His great breath to carry me away to the place where He dwells.
Thank you for your continued prayers. I plan to post more about the wedding. It was a large event and we are still trying to get things back to normal. I am totally exhausted. GOD was truly amazing through it all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, andrea
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteThis was a beautiful post. God will give you another place just like that one until we get to go to heaven:))
Great post! I know exactly what you mean. I often remember being at camp on a mountain having a devotional. God's presence was so strong there. I have always wanted to go back there.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a touching post! I really related to the last part, not the first since I've never gone to one of those, but the last since I know I'm not the passion-filled innocent who first gave her life to Jesus. But I remember those days, like you, and trust that God will bring me to Himself even if it's only in my heart. :-)
ReplyDeleteNancy:
ReplyDeleteI long for these innocent, "only Jesus and me" times as well.
What fun! I went to a church camp when I was in junior high. I remember little snippets from it...but I definitely remember sleeping in bunks and having a lot of fun. For some reason, though, I get that trip mixed up with my Girl Scout trip...because back then at least the Girl Scouts incorporated a lot of Christian stuff into the things we did.
ReplyDeleteThe great truth is that He is not far from any of us, but closer than our breathing. He is God Almighty from all eternity, and He didn't think equality with God a thing He had to greedly hang onto, but He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant.
ReplyDeleteI love to think about the fact that He has a real body, as real as anybody I'll see today. It's different because it's a glorified body, but it's still real, and He's really here. He will never leave us. He wants these special times with us as much as we want the times with Him. Ain't He cool?
These comments greatly encouraged me.
ReplyDelete