|
Private Retreats
My Half-Day With God
Preparation the Day Before
- Pick your spot
Think of a place that is quiet…away from buildings and people.
You may not want to choose a monastery (this takes more advance
panning!) but a short walk to a quiet glade of trees or even a
private park bench. Don’t be too ambitious…pick a place where
you can get still and relaxed quickly. It is funny how the mind
will try complicate things or postpone quiet mediation with
distractions.
- Get good nights
sleep – so you don’t fall asleep while you pray
- Prepare what to take:
Bible
Pen
and Highlighter
Notebook or journal
Fluids
Snack or picnic lunch
Pillow (for prayer not for sleep!)
Blanket (if cold or outdoors to sit/lay on
Optional – Guitar and almost any book by either Henri
Nouwen, John Ortberg or Gordon MacDonald (or Spiritual Life
for the Overbusy if you can find it)
Before you leave
Have a good healthy breakfast…or fast intentionally for the
purpose of growing your faith (no “Brownie” points earned
with God here), drinking only water until the retreat is done
The Retreat
- When you arrive -
Turn off your cellphone.
1. Get comfortable but not in a
position where you could fall asleep.
2. Thanksgiving – write a list of
twenty five things you are thankful to God for. Lift each one to
God in prayer, thanking Him!
3. Praise - read psalm 145 all of the
way through. Now read it again, but this time out loud.
Read it as an exclamation of worship to God…with enthusiasm!
Don’t be self conscious…it is only you and Him together!
4. Meditation - Read Psalms 139 one
verse at a time and then take notes/reflect on each verse
whenever anything seems important to you. This exercise
could/should take the better part of an hour or longer.
5. Repentance – this always will occur
and may happen after step 2 or 3 as well. When you stop the
craziness and be alone with God, He will bring things to mind
that He has wanted for you to see about your life. For many of
us humans, this is a subconscious reason why we may stay so
busy!
Memories may be triggered to let you know you need to confess
your attitude or actions as sin before Him. “If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).
The Father may even bring someone to mind that you will need to
go to in order to ask them to forgive you. Write that down along
with the things you confess to Him. We are told in the bible to
come “boldly before the throne of grace” to find mercy (Hebrews
4:15-16) and that there is no condemnation to those who are in
Christ (Romans 8:1)
5. Listening – be still now before
Him. Take 3-4 slow deep breaths, imagining God’s spirit coming
into you with his refreshing presence. Invite God to speak (He
uses quiet whispers) to your heart. “Practice” His presence for
20 minutes this time…maybe kneeling or even laying out on your
face before God. Have your notebook handy for two reasons;
a) Your meditations from Psalm 139 can inspire you
to think on Him
b) If you get a random thought (and you will)
don’t be discouraged. Simply write it down, and then return to
silent listening.
5. Change your body – invite your body
to a god stretch 9like in the gym) or get up, have a drink and
take a short walk, continuing in silence and meditative thought.
6. Return to reading, this time, try
reading any of the passages below, taking personal notes that
speak to your life:
Genesis 1-3; John 1-3; I Corinthians 13; Ephesians
6; Matthew 13
7. Re-enter into the stillness of
focusing on his presence. This time, only listen. Still your
mind to only think on Him and His presence around you. Then
imagine Him flowing into you.
Finally, imagine you flowing into Him and being lost in
His embrace and the being of His all accepting love. Ask God to
fill you and then imagine yourself being filled with the Holy
Spirit, abiding there for another 10 or 15 minutes…or longer if
you can
8. Sit or stand up and get relaxed
again. Stretch one more time and take 3-4 deep breaths.
9. Reflections – write down any notes
about what you felt or heard during this time. Are there some
things you’d like to change about your life or your practice of
prayer? Make an appointment to come back again...or to set aside
a full day (or even two days) to be alone with God again in your
calendar. Don’t let anything change your resolve to making that
appointment. Like it was with Jesus and his Father, there is
never a higher priority than to be alone with God.
Warning: Satan will do anything he can
to bring distractions into your life to try to have you make a
choice to do something good versus the great thing of staying
true to your time alone with God.
____________________________
Contemplative Books
In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian
Leadership,
by Henri Nouwen, Crossroad, 1992
Ordering Your
Private World, Gordon MacDonald
When Men Think Private
Thoughts, Gordon MacDonald
Spiritual Direction and Meditation,
by Thomas Merton, The Order of St. Benedict,
Inc., 1960
Spiritual Life for
the Overbusy, by David Baumann (out of print but possible to
find used...and a 76 page treasure!)
The Hole in Our
Gospel, by Richard Stearns, Thomas
Nelson 2009
The Life You've
Always Wanted, by John Ortberg
Private Retreat
Centers and Monasteries
The Immaculate
Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal,
(Transdenominational)888 San Ysidro Lane, Santa Barbara CA 93108
www.immaculateheartcenter.org
(805) 969-2474
St. Meinrad Archabbey, Illinois 800 581-6905
www.saintmeinrad.edu
Holy Trinity, St. David Arizona
(Charismatic Catholic) Benedictine,
(520) 720-4642
St. Augustine’s House, Oxford,
Michigan, (248) 628-5155
Assumption Abbey, Ava, MO Remote Ozark
Mountain Location, Trappist Monastery, (Thomas Merton Style)
(417) 683-5110
Little Portion Hermitage, The Brothers
and Sisters of Charity, Eureka Springs, AK John Michael Talbot
Leader, charismatic Catholic
www.john-michael-talbot.org (501) 253-7710
|
