Battle.

Retreat: a period of seclusion, retirement, or solitude. The act or process of withdrawing, especially from something hazardous, formidable, or unpleasant. (example: college)


I think sometimes church retreats get a lot of crap; people consider them boring, or cliche. They don't want to spend more than 2 hours with some people, have to open up. I, on the other hand, love retreats. I love seclusion. And, as hard as it may be to believe, I love turning off my cell phone and not having a computer for days at a time. 


At the women's retreat I went to this weekend, we focused on the passage in Ephesians that talks about the armor of God. We put on and take up His armor. 


truth: agreement with final reality, His word IS our final reality. 
His truth redeems our past. [Isaiah 42:9]


righteousness: faultless in every situation
His righteousness ratifies our present. [Jeremiah 23:6]


peace: tranquility of the soul
His peace redefines our future.


and... faith.
The shield of faith is not just a defense, it can be an offensive weapon too. We can't always hide behind our shield, because Satan will use his arrows of insecurity, doubt, anxiety, nervousness, pride and arrogance and tear it to pieces. [Romans 10:17]


Another verse we focused on was 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "...for my power is made perfect in weakness..." When I'm weak, and I want to give up and throw the towel in - His power is perfected. Not when I'm strong, but when I'm weak. And for Him to be strong, I have to take my hands off of the situation - let go. 


Isaiah 49:4 has been on my heart a lot lately, "I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.”


Leave everything in His hands; the battles are the Lord's. 

Artsy God.

I love reading Scripture that references art, or talks about us in the aspect of art.


Exodus 31:3 -- "...and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts."

Ephesians 2:10 -- "For we are God's masterpiece."

Jeremiah 18:6 -- "As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand."