True Story

In May I traveled to California to attend an equine therapy retreat at The Oaks (think Bob Goff, the author/ speaker, style, faith with abundance and humor). Thank goodness I arrived a day early because I would need every bit of that time to process the spiritually enhancing weekend.

This is how my mind works in choosing a retreat…

California (beautiful).

Bob Goff style (my language).

Retreat yes please.

Horses oh heck yay!  I’m know where to buy my boots for riding and I’ll pack my sparkling beach cowboy hat.

Been to this place before so I know the rhythm and the uber driver to use.

Sounded perfect! So, I signed up.

What I did not know was…

How depleted I would be when I arrived

That we weren’t riding horses 

That I would miss the birth of my son’s first baby, our first grandson

That I would attend a retreat where there would be no prayer time and not much stress of scripture 

That at the end of the retreat I would not remember the names of most of my fellow retreat friends.

This was a little of what I expected but way more than I could have ever planned for. Just the way God likes to show off, and I love it when He does! Like when He reminds us over and over that his ways are far greater than ours!

We didn’t need prayer because we were walking in a reality where God was everywhere. We didn’t need to address Him because He was walking with us, like an invisible participant.

There is so much to share but I’m going to focus on my most crazy moment. The one that makes me laugh out loud. It tickles me in my core.

You’ll need a little more context to understand.

If you know me you know that I love the tv series The Chosen! I have watched every episode at least twice and every single day as a part of my prayer space I watch a YouTube clip from The Chosen. Seriously addicted. The show reveals Jesus choosing his disciples. The character development is like non other, a deep dive into the ones who carry forth the message of why Jesus became human. They are chosen to live life with Christ and then after the Resurrection they will be the messengers to go forth and spread the good news. I do love every one of the apostles even Judas! which feels weird to say but it’s true.

Honestly, I can see a part of my messy self in their weaknesses. 

The disciple who annoys me the most is Peter. Still love him. He’s very nice to look at, but seriously he is so hardheaded. That part of him reminds me of someone I know. Me!

So, whenever I am frustrated by his actions, I just look in the mirror and say to myself. That needs to stop! What do I need to learn from his annoying behavior?

Ok let’s return to the retreat. I’m in the pen with the horse Boots. We have just had our therapy session. Boots was great! He listened to everything I needed to say! He didn’t shame or blame me. He didn’t try to fix me or one up me. He just listened. 

When my tears were easing and my coach had completed our interactive verbal exercise and my breath was returning to a natural rhythm something from another area of the ranch, interrupted our therapy session.

I promise this is true! Did I mention it was midafternoon?

A rooster crowed not 3 but 4 times!

Seriously when he crowed the 3rd time I was bending over from laughter thinking of the irony of Peter’s experience.

And then there was a fourth one.

I’m not exactly sure what it all means and maybe I’ll never find out but, in that moment, I wholeheartedly felt the pure presence of a holy encounter. I felt God laughing with me at the thought of moving out of my Peter phase and moving into the next season, whatever that may be. 

I have not been the same since!!!

Stay Blessed ya’all!