This booklet is based on the most popular posts about spiritual retreats published on over the last few years and provides resources for taking a spiritual retreat either on your own or with a friend or spouse. Building a retreat into the rhythm of your life is a spiritual practice often lost in our helter-skelter, busyness-is-next-to-godliness world. An excellent way to do that? Take a personal retreat. Photo credit вЂ“ both Pentecost images by Gerd Altmann matter the time of year, itвЂ™s important to pause and take time to reset and restore. Hold it fast -so it can leak freely into your heart- beat strong, invincible, giving courage as your soulвЂ™s true North Star.Д®xhale slowly -a holy wisp of wind-let it blow wherever and however it wishes to a place of hopeful, faith-filled waiting.Д«egin again -gently inhale and exhale-until you find a releasing, an outpouring of joy and peace seeds in the mind. Let it flow -right through your lungs-like liquid gold, filling and spilling, unlimited and uncontainable. Pause -linger a while-with open hands, open heart, and open mind.Д¬atch your breath -inhale the fragrance of Spirit-an unseen, invisible, yet immensely real presence. As I speak, passages from Scripture resound in me with a deeper understanding than ever before. WeвЂ™re awestruck by these events but I somehow discover I have the courage, wisdom and words to speak to the gathering crowd and explain what is happening. Some are awed and amazed to hear us simple Galilean fishermen speaking their own native tongue, while others are convinced weвЂ™ve become drunk.

Our tongues loosen themselves into languages we are unfamiliar with, yet they appear to be understood by those listening outside. A warm glow develops inside, and euphoric joy rises in my heart and mind. Instead, they settle over our heads like a benediction kiss. However, as I anxiously search for the exit and check on those present, I realise these tongue-like flames are not burning anything. But wait a minuteвЂ¦ itвЂ™s in the room we are in! How can it be? And oh my goodness, the place is on fire. A strong wind or a violent storm seems to be developing.

WeвЂ™ve already lost Judas and appointed Matthias in his place as one of the twelve disciple witnesses of our beloved Teacher and friend.ДЄs I rub my beard and muse into my drink, thereвЂ™s a sudden rushing noise outside. It feels good to look back because looking forward is much scarier. Tears and laughter mingle as we share our stories. Meanwhile, we take comfort from one another as we reminisce about the good old days when He was still with us, and the great miracles we witnessed. Jesus has ascended to heaven, left us feeling bereft even though He promised us His Peace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. What will happen next? Will the authorities come after us? A frisson of anxiety haunts our days and nights. WeвЂ™ve gathered together for the feast of Pentecost, like bewildered sheep who have lost their shepherd.

Faith evans you gets no love blogspot