So I got back from my first ever program retreat. It was even better than I had expected it to be, which was lovely. It was really great relationally, and I'm beginning to feel like I know my community out here a little bit better now, and it was nice to get to know all of the 10s and 11s a little bit better. (10 and 11 are our cohort numbers. I'm an 11.) i had a fair amount of time with the group, but also a good bit by myself which was a blessing, as I think I needed a little time to process everything.
Spiritually speaking, it was a pretty good retreat as well. I got to talk to my community a bit about spirituality, which was good because I got more of a sense where they all are spiritually. It confirmed a few of my fears about the spiritual support this program will have, but I also was glad to here that community spirituality is something that we all want to work on. I'm just going to have to be very disciplined personally to make sure that I don't burn out completely.
The theme of the weekend was "Into Deeper Waters" based on the scripture where Jesus goes out in the boats at dawn with some of the men who will become apostles and tells them to put out into deeper waters. I feel like it was particularly appropriate for where I am right now. I feel like this is my moment to trust the wisdom of Christ and put out into deeper waters. Mary, the program director, read to us some excerpts from different spiritual writers about not looking back once you've made the decision to follow Christ, and that really resonated strongly with me right now. This last week has been rough, because I've had a lot of time to look at what I've left behind at home in New Jersey. But the disciples left their nets and their boats and followed without looking back. That's what I need to do right now. And the reward will be both spiritual and material- I'm going to come out of the next 27 months with a masters, amazing classroom experience, great friends, and a really strong professional identity. That's pretty amazing, I think.
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2 comments:
what's the people in your community like??
I think one of the things the apostles had that gave them strength in their decisions was that they weren't alone in it. They had jesus with them, they had god on their side. And that's something you have with you also. Of course you've got your community to help you stay strong in your faith as well as you being an anchor for theirs.
But when you walk alone thinking about your life and what is going on. You will never be walking alone, you've got jesus walking right next to you, and he's listening and loving you with every word you say. And as long as you remember that you can feel him and you will realize that you aren't walking this path alone.
Hopefully that'll help 8 )
so yeah...keep strong and take care of yourself. Please don't burn yourself out, if you do that won't do anybody any good.
good luck w/ it all,
- Gregg
Hey, you are part of a Cohort, which is inherently kind of cool.
Just thinking of you lots...
hang in there.
peace,
k
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