after a week on the mountain...

I've heard this quite a bit in the past few days: "So how was the FLOW and what did you learn?"

I usually answer this question with a big "Ummm..." until I've had about a week or so of processing time post-FLOW. One week of teaching, quiet times, worship, fellowship takes awhile to reflect on before I can actually give a solid answer beyond, "It went well". This year, things are a little less vague. Here's what stands out:

Number one was Refresh, which also happened to be this year's theme. Amazing how that works. I was refreshed by the teaching, the promises through God's Word, the completely quiet hour to talk to God and read His Word, the chat room (small group) times, stargazing chats with Emily, corporate prayer, free time, waaaay after midnight intercessory prayers with Taci... definitely came back refreshed spiritually. Unfortunately I was not refreshed physically in that I got very little sleep. Bed after midnight every night. Still catching up on sleep... quite tired. But I really was so refreshed spiritually and really just WANT God's Word. It's nice. Refreshing.

The number two thing was Surrender. Ouch, it hurts to even mention this which is why I didn't put it first... I hoped some people may have stopped reading after number one. I noticed that I have this awful tendency to not give things to God. The skit on the first night hit home more than I'd like to admit. I'm independant and I like to do things myself. I tend to think that I've pretty much got it covered and don't need to bother God. With the snake thing you'd have thought, or imagined, or at least hoped that I was doing better with the whole reliance on God thing... I'm sorry to disappoint. With nearly every lesson I saw areas in my life that weren't surrendered. It was embarrassing but I almost consider that to be a good thing. I needed to realize that not giving things to God is a sin and is detrimental in the long run.

{note:} Is it coincidental that on the first night I went to my cabin to grab my purse before dinner and my camera was NOT nestled comfortably inside where I'd placed it? I imagine that it was part of God's "Hey Lindsay, trust ME!" plan. I'm sad to say the camera didn't make it back with me - I have no idea what happened to it since it wasn't found on the bus... I don't want to believe someone stole it. I'm trusting Him with that whole situation... He's aware that I leave for Ukraine next Friday. I'm upset about my irresponsibility in losing the camera but I know that I need to rely on Him about it... either it will turn up or I'll have to buy a new camera, but I don't need to worry. And I'm glad it's not a snake this time :)

One little note: God definitely had me focused on people other than myself. One thing that is totally from Him is my small group. I'll be sharing about them in a later post because I could seriously go on and on - I know that the group of girls I got was from Him.

In summary, post-FLOW I'm: very tired, invigorated spiritually, missing my camera, missing the noises of the girls in the cabin below me, reading God's Word more, still pondering and praying over applications, praying hard for my small group girls, very glad I went.

{a note to the curious: photos are of #1- a massage line the first night (many of these occured throughout the week), #2- my rafting group, second day, and #3- Taci and I on a walk through the woods (I found it funny that our shirts match our eyes... are we good or what?) picture credits go to Taci and Becca... they were kind enough to give me their FLOW pictures -- thanks!}