Walking the race

My retreat in the Lakes was refreshing and encouraging. Once a year seven of us go away for four days and walk and pray. Each person reports on their year and is then open to ANY questions about any area of their lives. I suppose, in the simplest terms we have a covenant of grace with each other to get us all to the end of the race still in marriages, in ministry, still active in church, in work and in kingdom life and using our gifts.

As ever this year we laughed a lot. Alan and his smart new metallic blue 'Safira' VXR was our transport and we were treated to the music of Steve Winwood and Lou Fellingham. The food highlight was in the Britannia. The steak and ale pie was a winner. There was some debate, as ever, about sandwiches and Mark our one conscientious objector refused pickle. There's always one. As always, Will's trail mix prompted some of us to pick out the wine gums and leave the nuts in the bag. Some minor aches and pains with Simon having to get up at 3am to get down the stairs in time for breakfast but otherwise fitness levels were impressive this year.

Personally, I feel renewed. The time in the 'hot-seat' is always good and challenging at the same time. The two most testing questions for me were "Where have you felt most pain?" and "Where have you failed?". I am still working through and thinking about these two questions. A recommendation from Simon for good questions to ask others was the Arrow mentoring email which you can sign up for HERE.. Andy works for Release International and told us of this story of a Nigerian Christian-HERE

I was also pointed to this little gem which is called Cake or Death and Darth Vader. I am sure I am the last to hear of this. How could I have ever missed this? Enjoy!