Retreat? Yes a retreat that is to be brought to the Philippines for the first time. This retreat is organized by one of the ministries of our denomination which is the Odyssey In Christ founded by Dr. Larry Hinkle. This retreat's theme is - "Experiencing The Trinity". With the theme itself, I just felt ecstatic!!! The retreat was held in Christian Development Centre, Tagaytay last February 19-22.
The international facilitators were Dr. Larry Hinkle (Founder and Director), Dr. Charles and Carmen Fleming, Gracie Johnson, Donna Rae and Bill Wells, and Lorilee Imee.
We arrived an hour early before the orientation starts. As the other participants arrived, reunion and fellowship with our brethen from Bicol,Manila,Laguna was enjoyed! We had the orientation and introduction of the retreat the whole morning and in the afternoon, the facilitators gave us time rest in preparation for the dinner meeting in the evening. It was a unique experience for all of use when they asked us to be silent (no conversations) until the 1st chapel service in the following morning - that was really hard! Haha! The reason behind this exercise was to learn how to develop a soliture and silence before God for us to hear His voice and see His revelations.
The chapel services was one of the highlights of this retreat experience. Chapel services are celebrated solemnly before an altar of the communion elements,cross and candles. We partook the broken body and blood of Jesus each day of the retreat. This was just memorable and sacred.
The retreat sessions are not just informational (left brain) but altogether transformational (right brain) working together. Their were "real plays" not "role plays". On the first day, we devoted it in knowing,experiencing and having a journey of knowing God the Father better. We just basked on His love and God being our dad,tatay,papa,dada and tang. It was in the first session that I got an "imagery" of God spending time with me in the shoreline - if I could just paint that imagery!
The second day is for our brother,Lord and Savior Jesus, knowing and reaffirming His passion and redemptive work for all humanity. We all just enjoyed the time to just listen and talk to Jesus. In one of the sessions, Lorilee assigned us to be with our small groups to ask Jesus about things that He would want us to tell or encourage our brothers and sisters in the group. This time was very encouraging for me because I got a lot of word of arrifmations from my groupmates and yes, those "words" spoken are really from Jesus.
In the last night of being together, in our room, we enjoyed hearing each other's personal experiences during the retreat day 3. I am grateful that I have older brothers to give advices and even speak blessings to my life that night.
Early in the morning of our last day in the retreat, I decided to wake up early and have my solitude and silence with the Lord before our chapel time. My prayer is that Jesus will let me feel his tangilble presence (all my senses - hearing,tasting,touching, seeing and smelling) during that last day. Surely, Jesus heared and answered my prayer! Upon entering the chapel and sitting down in silence, I began to smell something...something fragrant, lke the scent of different flowers. I just ignored it at first thinking that it was just a perfume of somebody in the room. I tried to ask my aunt (who is beside me) if she could also smell that scent and she said yes...but again we ignored it. The smell became stronger as we approached the Table of The Lord during communion. I just enjoyed smelling that scent...ohhh that scent! Before we ended the chapel service, Ptr. Larry said that they will be anointing us with oil,be praying for us and commissioning us. I think I felt like my heart stopped beating that time because of surprise...a surprise because I have been asking God to affirm His presence in me through laying of hands for a long time! My tears kept flowing as I received the impartation and anointing through Donna Rae. To my surprise, the scent I was smelling was the actual smell I have been smelling even from the beginning of the chapel service. The scent became even more fragrant and stronger. I savored the presence of God. This was an affirmation of God's tangible presence in my sense of smell. I will never ever forget this encounter.
We returned home overflowing and if I may describe it this way, it was "a mountain-top experience" with Abba,Jesus and Holy Spirit. Now that I am aware that His presence is always with me,in me,for me and working through me, I am very expectant and excited of more of God's manifestation and encounter with Him.
Let is enjoy the presence of Abba,Jesus and Holy Spirit in our lives!
