Adullam

The first of the Adullam Retreats officially begins tonight - fifteen of us will head to Lake Williamson in Carlinville, IL, for the first four-retreat cycle on leadership, this one focusing on learning to trust God, His Word, and His Church.

Much of the content for this particular retreat is based on my friend Bill Thrall's TrueFaced stuff, but there's a fair amount of connecting content that I'm responsible for, both to prepare as well as to come up with on the fly. I love that, but there's certainly risk involved.

It's fun to see and feel my experiences converge here - the good and helpful mentoring from Thrall (as well as The Navigators); my own response/change personally in the midst of it; the practice of walking through much of it all with others (both formally and informally). It all feels right in a variety of ways, but as it's not about me, I don't know how much any of that really matters. I'm excited for those who are going, that God might use this not just to bless them, but to bless them so that they might be a blessing to others (Genesis 12).

May these retreats very much have the spirit of Adullam to them, God. May those who are coming come with the heart to cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose" for them" (Psalm 57:2). May the righteous suround them, "for you will deal bountifully" with them (Psalm 142:7b). Use these retreats, God, for the sake of these people, for those they would then influence, and for the good glory of your Kingdom.