Growing Slow
Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” (NLT)
On April 1-3, I attended a women’s retreat in Okoboji. I received the Facebook invite from an old friend and college roommate from Iowa Central about this retreat. I looked at the information and found out that Jennifer Dukes Lee was the speaker for the weekend.
Let me give you some background information about Jennifer Dukes Lee from my point of view. Several months ago a small group of us (Joy, Megan and myself) decided that we wanted to do a small Bible study together. With the wonderful magic of Google, I typed in “Bible studies for women”. The first Bible study book that popped up was “It’s All Under Control”. As I continued to read the description of the Bible study, I thought to myself that this was something that all three of us could probably use in our life right now. The girls agreed and we started it. As I was reading the book, I noticed that Jennifer stated that she grew up in a small town in Iowa called Marathon. Ironically, that’s about 25 minutes away from my hometown AND the same town that my dad grew up in. I was blown away at this. (That’s who I am as a person). I decided to reach out to Jennifer on Instagram, tell her how much I’m enjoying the Bible study and her book and I mentioned that my dad grew up in Marathon. Messages were exchanged and she told me a couple of stories about my family, my heart was full. I loved having that connection and it was such a small world.
So, once I found out that she was going to be the speaker for the weekend, I knew that I HAD to go, meet her, continue my growth with Christ and be around women who love Jesus for the weekend.
I went by myself and wanted to make a great weekend out of it. I knew one person going into this retreat which was my old friend and college roommate. I stayed with my sister, brother in law, and my two nephews and just drove about 20 minutes everyday to the campsite.
When I got to registration, there were a couple groups of women who were deciding on a place to eat supper and then we would all come back and start the weekend sessions. One group was going to go and get pizza. I thought pizza sounded good and I asked to tag along. I chuckle because I told Kane that I was going out to dinner with a group of 7 women that I’ve only known for 5 minutes. Well, once we all go to know each other, it felt like I knew those women for months! Very welcoming, fun, energetic, extroverted (because, I’m huge introvert so this was PERFECT).
During dinner, I sat next to a girl named Emily and once we started to talk and ask each other questions, I found out that she graduated with my best friend’s husband and knows them both very well. That there, felt like another piece of home and comfort! Again, small world.
After dinner, we went back to the campsite to start the retreat with ice breakers, worship, prayer, and a message from our speaker, Jennifer. Before everything started, I went up to Jennifer and introduced myself as Ron Wipperling’s daughter. When she heard this, she just hugged me, we exchanged much conversation and how excited we both were for the weekend. I met her sister that same night and her mother the next day, who knew my grandparents very well and it was nice hearing a couple of things about them from her.
On Saturday, we broke out into small groups on which season we were in. Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. I counted myself as in the Spring Season. I sat in a circle of, I would say…15 women who I didn’t know, and we all told our stories and how we were in the Spring season. After I told my story, I started connecting with women who understood, who could relate, who sympathized with me, who grieved with me.
After, I got up and started heading back upstairs and a lady pulled me aside and just connected with me and my story. She gave me great advice and told me what I NEEDED to hear about what I was going through.
ooooooohhhhh, LORD, HE was working in my life that weekend, hardcore. HE was hitting all the feels and I was feeling so overwhelmed by his love and power but in such a beautiful way.
What we are telling ourselves, the stories told to us and what we do are all the burdens we carry.
All the stone burdens we carry.
(I had a picture of all my burdens on the stone but I thought it was just appropriate to have that between God and myself)
Saturday was a really good day. I discovered “Goodies” and of course, I had to get some chocolate covered raisins, almonds and Jelly Bellys, grabbed a coffee (I had so much coffee that weekend…so much coffee!), had my quiet time with God, it was a beautiful, yet a little breezy, tears were shed as we did more sessions throughout the day, pictures were taken, connections were being made and God was working…oh, was He working!
Sunday ended quietly and I headed back to Estherville for some more family time. Many and loud giggles filled the house, my cheeks were hurting from smiling to much and the feeling of not wanting the weekend to end came.
After a wonderful weekend with visiting family (which was much needed), spending time with God and women who love Jesus as much as I do, learning how to grow slow, I was ready to be back home with Kane, Eli and Rev.
I can’t hurry and connect at the same time.
Don’t rush the life that God has given me.
I don’t get the life that I want by chasing that life down. I get the life I want by slowing that life down.
I should dwell in every season that I’m in and look for God.
Jesus was never in a hurry. He made time for ordinary people.
It may seem like God is running slow or showing up late in my seasons.
EMBRACE THE SEASON THAT YOU ARE IN!
Praise God in all the good
Trust Him in the hard times
The most important things in life take the longest to grow.
Beautiful can grow anywhere.
I will bend, but I will not break.
I’m going to grow slow because when I grow slow I grow deep.
