Prayer Retreat

I just returned from a little trip to Colorado with some dear friends, for a prayer retreat.  For the past 4 years, I have been a part of a prayer group. At the start, I put in the church bulletin that we would be starting a prayer group, to meet weekly. A few women came and went, but we ended up with 6 women meeting almost every week for a time of prayer. We have prayed for our families, for the church, our community, every kind of ministry, personal needs, the government, just about everything. We have rejoiced together, and we have wept together. We share a very special bond. God has truly knitted our hearts together. And, He has answered many of our prayers.
This spring some friends, Bob and Delores Hooper, invited us to have a prayer retreat at their cabin in Colorado where they spend the summers. We planned then to leave August 1, and return home Aug. 6. So, we loaded up and set out early last Thursday morning, spent the night in Clayton, NM, and arrived in Pitkin, CO Friday evening. Traveling with 6 women meant making a lot of stops, but we agreed before hand that we would stop every time anyone needed to. Along the way, we visited, prayed, laughed a LOT, and just really had a great time.
This picture is from one stop we made along the way.

Here we are standing on the deck of the cabin. WOW! 

And, this is the unobstructed view from the deck. I could have sat and stared at that view for hours. 

Saturday morning, I took a walk...

This is the cabin from the path below. 

Saturday afternoon, we loaded up and went to an art show in Crested Butte. In the evening, we sat in the living room with a fire in the wood stove and talked. Oooh, heavenly! 

Sunday morning, I was up early with my friend MariLea, talking and looking our the window. We even made another fire in the stove. Yes, it was cold! We didn't have any phone service at the cabin, but when Bob turned on the generator and got on the internet, he had a message from his son for MariLea. When she skyped back, she found out that her mother was gravely ill. She has had emphysema for some time, but was in ICU and was very critical, near Seatle. We prayed for her, and quickly felt that the best plan was to get MariLea a plane ticket from Denver to Seatle. We bought the ticket for that evening, packed up and began the 4 hour drive to Denver. We still enjoyed our time together, and spent the 4 hours sharing and praying. We stopped in Fairplay for lunch at a very special little cafe, and posed for a picture. The funny thing was that we decided to take a picture, lined up on the bench, then realized we forgot to ask anyone to take the picture. I'm sure we looked ridiculous sitting like this. After we stopped laughing, we had a nice man take the picture. 

 We got MariLea to the airport, then headed toward home. We spent the night in Pueblo, and got back to Stephenville about 7:30 this evening.
MariLea sent a text at 4:48 this afternoon, "Mom left this world with her family surrounding her bed. I hear Shellies sweet voice; Fly to Jesus and live!"

What a special time we had. This was not the trip we had planned, but we all knew that this WAS the trip that God had planned for us. Early Sunday morning, I read out loud from a devotional book we all have, Jesus Calling:
Hold My hand, and walk joyously with Me through this day. Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings. Be on the lookout for everything I have  prepared for you: stunning scenery, bacing winds of adventure, cozy nooks for resting when you are weary, and much more. I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion. I know wevery step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven.

When the crisis came, we had the complete peace that this was previously planned, and we took delight in the journey He had ordained.