This week I had a special blessing. I got to get away to the mountains for a personal spiritual retreat.
Here is the little cottage I stayed in:
My room had a "The Lord is my Shepherd" theme and had a real feather bed. The kitchen cottage had this neat window with blue bottles:
I spent most of my days sitting by the fireplace in the big lodge with my Bible and journal. I also consumed quite a bit of chocolate.
The Lord's presence was all over this place. The owners have built it as a special ministry for those who need to get away and rest. I came away very refreshed and with a strong sense of what the Lord is teaching me. One of my prayers for the weekend was this one by St. Anselm (who was the Archbishop of Canterbury over 1000 years ago):
Holy Comforter - do enter by Your mighty power into the innermost sanctuary of my heart, and of your goodness dwell within, making glad with the brightness of your glorious light the neglected corners inside and make fruitful by the visitation of Your abundant dew the fields that are parched and barren with a long continued drought.
Pierce with the arrows of Your love the secret chambers of the inner man. Let the entrance of Your healthful flames set the sluggish heart alight, and the burning fire of Your sacred inspiration enlighten it and consume all that is within me, both of mind and body. Give me drink of Your pleasures as out of a river so that I take no pleasure hereafter in the poisonous sweetness of worldly delights . . .
Graciously grant me that my littleness may be pleasing to Your greatness, my weakness to Your strength, according to the multitudes of Your mercies, through Jesus Christ my Savior, who lives and reigns with the Father in the Unity that is of You, world without end. Amen. The sun came out the last day I was there and I wandered around and took a few more photos.
