Ah, it has finally begun, wonderful, courageous, unique women from varied domains in God’s kingdom, all gathered right here, in Pensacola Beach, for a weekend of worship.
Not worship in the more traditional sense, going to church, singing songs, but worship indeed. We are gathered to know God more deeply in our stories and to recognize and remember the works He has done. We are gathered to name the hard places, to cry out to God as the Psalmists did as we recognize “this is not the way it ought to be.” To move toward thoughts on what it means to live a life of faith, hope, and love.
Last night we considered what it really means that we are created in the image of God with and for delight and dominion and differentiation. We shared stories of shalom, of a time when we enjoyed being enjoyed. I would love to dwell in this place (and perhaps that will be a different retreat), but today we will move quickly to the second part of the Story, the Fall. In doing so, may we see the acute tragedy of wrecked shalom. May we see why we do sit next to the other women in the room and compare ourselves either favorably or unfavorably. May we see why we want to live out little lives as Queens of our Universe.
And yet, as we study the story of the Fall, we see redemption intrude. There is no fallenness God has not, cannot, or will not touch. It is truly an amazing story. To be continued…
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