Good byes are hard. They are so hard. But we know that though our time together is done, God will bring another gift, another person, and another opportunity for each of the women to feel loved. We gave all that we had left to give, confidently knowing that it is all You will ever ask of us.

Now that the business of the retreat has come to an end, we now have an opportunity to remain still, and simply reflect. What a beautiful thing it is to be allowed time to let what God did sink deep into our souls.

Stillness is a rare, but highly valuable commodity. Far too often, the business of our lives consume and even suck out every opportunity we have to be still, and simply rest. Stillness is a necessity to cultivating a spirit of worship and prayer, and should never take second place to anything in our lives. It’s amazing how much we can hear God when we allow everything else around us to stop. You are harming no one putting your life on pause for one hour each day. Life goes on. But you are harming yourself—as well as others—when you put your stillness before God on pause.

Intimacy with the Father decreases as life busies if you do not keep your stillness as first priority. As our desires to be more like Him grow more and more every day, we must feed our souls well, bathing ourselves in prayer, and practicing what is holy and worthy of praise.

To do less is to do more. To acknowledge the sovereignty of our Father before all things propels us further than we could ever take ourselves. Where did we ever get off thinking we were the ones that were going to take ourselves anywhere? Never has it ever been about our own efforts. The less we try to do ourselves, the more He can do through us. Do less worrying to gain more time. Do less busywork to gain more rest. Do less stressing to gain more trust. And do less doubting to gain more miracles. Less of me, and more of him.

©2016 Thrive