smelling roses

retreat thoughts 1

NEWS ALERT:

I sneezed in Aldi last night, not once but twice. I did the appropriate thing of shooting it into my clothing (gross) but nevertheless a woman moved her trolley and herself to one side and gave me a Paddington hard stare.

I have been on retreat for the last few days, less social media, less contact with humanity and more trusting in God. That was the name of the retreat: Trusting in God with the sessions broken down into five topics. The first was the invitation to leave desperation behind and embrace abundance.

God invites us to abundant life no matter what is going on in our individual situations. It is possible to live this abundant life as your spouse leaves, children give out, family turns backs, illness hits, the black dog roams around. Equally when your spouse is all that a person can be, children respect, family loves, healing occurs and depression leaves your life. Some people live a good life and have a good faith, others a bad life and a desperate faith. But God invites us to more.

Though I walk shaking and trembling through the aisles of Aldi and the valley of Covid-19 I trust in God. I sit on my garden bench and I talk to Jesus.

It is more of joy and less about failure.

It is more peace and less anxiety.

It is life and not death.

It is living in the Kingdom of God here and now.

Trusting in God.

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14