Spiritual Retreat
I was encouraged by people at Giver of Life Church and my family to go to the 3-Days Spiritual Retreat Encounter hosted by Pastor Selena, coordinated by Sister
Florence, and the one who keeps the show running is Pastor Geno.
A spiritual retreat is a time set apart to be in quiet, rest,
and solitude with God. It will take you close to God and your soul. Retreats remove us from noise and distraction into a
spiritually refreshing and renewing place. It is a way of entering into the
presence of God and allowing him to nourish our souls.
At Encounter, we teach each other things when we come together in fellowship. We shared our testimony and personal spiritual experiences. God gives us a gift of learning and growing when we come together in fellowship. We show each other how to live as God wants us to live and how to walk in His footsteps. We have a place to fellowship at Encounter. According to the Bible, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Fellowship is an essential part of our faith. Coming together to support one another is an experience that allows us to learn, gain strength, and show the world precisely what God is. There was lots of teaching of the word of God. We listened to Pastor Selena's powerful teaching throughout the day. Pastor Selena teaches us about God's character and His will for our lives through scripture.
Worship is vital to us. Worship is not about emotion. It is more about a recognition of a God. Christian worship involves praising God in music. There was a lot was praying, singing, and dancing. Some of us were filled with The Holy Spirit that they burst out speaking in tongue. The Holy Spirit touched us in a particularly unique way when we received it spiritually.
At Encounter, we teach each other things when we come together in fellowship. We shared our testimony and personal spiritual experiences. God gives us a gift of learning and growing when we come together in fellowship. We show each other how to live as God wants us to live and how to walk in His footsteps. We have a place to fellowship at Encounter. According to the Bible, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Fellowship is an essential part of our faith. Coming together to support one another is an experience that allows us to learn, gain strength, and show the world precisely what God is. There was lots of teaching of the word of God. We listened to Pastor Selena's powerful teaching throughout the day. Pastor Selena teaches us about God's character and His will for our lives through scripture.
Worship is vital to us. Worship is not about emotion. It is more about a recognition of a God. Christian worship involves praising God in music. There was a lot was praying, singing, and dancing. Some of us were filled with The Holy Spirit that they burst out speaking in tongue. The Holy Spirit touched us in a particularly unique way when we received it spiritually.
According to Colossians 3:16
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
I have noticed that people physically fall onto the ground when they encounter God. I have seen this many times at Encounter — and then I experienced it myself. I can tell you. The experience was real. We watched the Passion of Christ, the part when Jesus was whipped to death. He was tortured and got nailed to the cross. Pastor Selena placed the nail into my palm. I felt a supernatural pain traveling from my hands to all over my body, it knocked me out, and I fell. I was lying on the ground until I woke up crying. I felt the power of God come on me.
During the three days at Encounter, I felt relaxed and renewed. I'm feeling stronger. I feel calmer. I feel relaxed. I have a quiet mind. It was fantastic. I slept well for two nights straight without medications only because I couldn't keep it down. My body seems to reject it, making me throw up. Coincidentally, Pastor Selena placed her hand on my head and prayed over me during the praying time. I started coughing and gagging in the bag. I wanted to vomit. The spiritual cause of vomiting is a physical expression of rejection, and I believe my medications are being rejected. I pray God keeps healing me every day and in every way. I don't want to pop pills. I know to be well is to keep sleeping every night, and I want to attempt this without medications when I return home. Jesus will help me get through detoxing my body from all the antipsychotic and mood stabilizer medications. I have to believe in Jesus to answer this specific prayer of mine. To be free from medications.
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
I have noticed that people physically fall onto the ground when they encounter God. I have seen this many times at Encounter — and then I experienced it myself. I can tell you. The experience was real. We watched the Passion of Christ, the part when Jesus was whipped to death. He was tortured and got nailed to the cross. Pastor Selena placed the nail into my palm. I felt a supernatural pain traveling from my hands to all over my body, it knocked me out, and I fell. I was lying on the ground until I woke up crying. I felt the power of God come on me.
During the three days at Encounter, I felt relaxed and renewed. I'm feeling stronger. I feel calmer. I feel relaxed. I have a quiet mind. It was fantastic. I slept well for two nights straight without medications only because I couldn't keep it down. My body seems to reject it, making me throw up. Coincidentally, Pastor Selena placed her hand on my head and prayed over me during the praying time. I started coughing and gagging in the bag. I wanted to vomit. The spiritual cause of vomiting is a physical expression of rejection, and I believe my medications are being rejected. I pray God keeps healing me every day and in every way. I don't want to pop pills. I know to be well is to keep sleeping every night, and I want to attempt this without medications when I return home. Jesus will help me get through detoxing my body from all the antipsychotic and mood stabilizer medications. I have to believe in Jesus to answer this specific prayer of mine. To be free from medications.
During the praying time, I was able to reflect on Jesus. He kept intervening when there were times I used to feel so insane in my head when I lost touch with reality. I doubt my faith. It was scary. However,
Jesus loves me so much even when I keep denying Him. The voices in my head messed up my belief and affected my thinking negatively. It's hard to love myself when my head is chaotic. I fearfully tell
myself I don't deserve His love because I have sinned. Whenever I see Jesus's light, I run the opposite way. But Jesus is relentless because the more I
refuse, the more He comes closer. He is calm. He is patient. He is AWESOME with his undying love.
When I struggle with myself, I repeat this verse whenever I feel self-hatred in John 15:12-13
"My command is this: Love yourself and each other as I have loved you."
According to the Bible, there very clearly is a universal love of God for all of mankind, both saved and unsaved. We are all made in His image, and He loves us. God also shows his love of beneficence to all creation, an expression of his goodness. I must remember this.
I hear God speak to my heart. The retreat is just the beginning of a journey with God and our soul and everlasting friendships with people who share the exact spiritual needs and interests. I left the retreat filled with love and joy.
I feel that the healing at Encounter was remarkable – I have been working toward healing some ancient mental health issues for a long time. Nonetheless, I believe I got set free from my mental illnesses. After three days, we left the retreat, and now I'm back home with new positive energy and a new mindset. I have received God by faith.
The Bible said, "The Word of God makes it clear that faith, or believing God's Word, brings results and that we receive from the Lord by faith."
Amen, Lord! I'm hungry to receive more of You, whatever that means and whatever that looks like in every situation!
The whole experience at Encounter was AMAZING!!!!!!
