Lake Tahoe Retreat - Good for the Soul

Okay, so I have been at a loss for how to write this post. 1st lets start with the pictures and the "appealing to the ears/eyes" stuff. This trip was something I want documented in my online diary (because lets face it, this is seriously what blogging is).  I recenetly went to Lake Tahoe about 2 weekends ago, and it was like healing for the soul! So let's begin...

It was with a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group through Jenni's church & since I have hung out with these ladies before and loved them, it just seemed right. Plus, hello... we were being whisked away to Lake Tahoe in a cabin, sans kids & hubbies & a Beth Moore study was on the agenda. BOOM -  I am sold. 

THE Lake Tahoe

The most amazing cabin

Yes...it was THAT nice. This cabin was in the Zephyer Cove area of Tahoe and was about a 1 mile walk to the lake. The accomidations were more than nice. And see that master suite to the bottom right? That was the room Jenni, Ryan, and Angela got to bunk in. It was so SO nice with the most slippery/fun soaking tub in the world. 

During the days we filled our days up with Bible Study with a Beth Moore series called, "Loving Well". It focused on letting God love you. That you have to let God love YOU before you can love others well. She walks through how to deal with the Joys to love in your life, the Testy people in your life, the Foes in your life, and the far's in your life. 

The Joys to love: obvious - the people you love to love

Testy: The/those testy people in your life that you really have to control your temper around and grit your teeth and continually pray to God to shine love through your eyes even if it kills you!

The Foes: The people you really don't like/love whatsoever. Dare I say, you even hate these people. It baffled me, how quickly I could picture my foe. Never did I ever want to admit I hated this person. Beth Moore explains it that your Foe is someone who there is a fine line between love and hate. 

The Far: The stranger you can love and possibly witness to. Her example was the hairbrush story, and if you haven't heard that, click here NOW. I promise you will laugh even if you may not be a Christian. 

In between the 4 sessions of the 1 hour Bible Studies, I filled my days with: soaking in the glorious soaking tub, eating a ridiculous amount of junk (I purposely bought my "no no" foods so I could stuff myself), went on a walk to the lake, soaked in the jacuzzi, indulged in homemade facials, girl talk which means sharing funny stories and sad ones. Every night I went to bed exhausted NOT because I finally got rest from my T Rex and hubbinator, but because of laughing and crying basically all day. Some of the things us women go through as moms or even things us women have gone through growing up, it just sucks. There is no other way to say it. So being able to empathize with these girls, just drained me...in a good way I guess. 

This trip very much was something I needed for the soul. Without exposing my entire life, I have had issues with a certain person in my family since I was young. When I grew up and got married to my amazing, prince charming of a husband, I still carried those issues. I developed more issues that were in conjunction to my adolescent issues. Am I confusing you yet? haha. Anyways, I have gotten self help books in the past, tried to talk to my girlfriends, to Nick, and nothing seemed to be that "magic potion for my heart" if you will. At the retreat, a couple of Mentor Moms from Jenni's church attended. Mentor moms are basically very wise older women who know The Bible & how to give spiritual guidance and sorta give you that "Christian Counseling" you may be looking for. Well, during out free time, the 2 Mentor Moms were available to all 10 of us ladies and all of our problems (God bless them, seriously! 10 women needing guidance/a prayer/wisdom, etc.). So, I of course, went first. I was in there for almost 45 minutes delving into my past, my present, and my worries for the future if I continued to carry this issue. It was amazing. They prayed over me and for me, and talked with me, and made me look at things that I have never looked at. I think I can psychoanalysis myself pretty well & I thought I had, but nope- they did it better. I walked out of that room with such a weight off my shoulders & about 5 used tissues in my hand. It was as if something they said/they prayed just clicked with me. I was able to get the tools I needed to stop hanging onto my past and present issues and just give it to God. It is that easy - I gave it to The Lord, The Father, The Creator, The Protector, The Almighty, God! My soul felt brand new!

I came home on Sunday, and loved on my boys. I feel/felt like a whole new woman! Even the day after, Nick made a comment about how I looked and seemed so happy. I am and I was. I am always a happy person, but my soul is happy. Does this even make sense? I know some of you ladies are out there with issues you feel weighed down with, and I cant tell you enough, that y'all need you some Jesus. I know that sounds so Evangelical, but it's true. He makes it all better. His words were the magic potion for my soul. I just needed someone else to tell me them.