I got home late, late Saturday night from 30 hours with 30 women, most of whom are students at UCLA. The ladies are part of the network of Passion Church and they were together all weekend for a retreat planned by Wonderful Wendy of 24-7prayer. She gathered a team and I was very honored to be on it.
Because Byron is away, I opted to come home last night as I felt my kids needed me at home today. Or maybe I needed them. Or maybe we needed each other :-)
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that God is really moving among women in this generation. I am SO happy about that!
In the last month I have been very privileged to be invited to attend two gatherings for college-aged women. The first one was in Santa Barbara and the second was where in LA. I was asked to be present as a mom-type.
( Am I a mom-type? I think so. I like this catagory and like my holy job of mothering. I like some other things I do too, but this is my favorite work.)
Both gatherings focused on healing and wholeness. Friday night we went straight into it first thing. We literally began by sharing our names and then went around the circle and spoke our memory of the coldest day of our lives. I told them about being molested by a neighbor when I was 8. Women shared things that might register as "less" traumatic, as well as things significantly more so. Not that we can measure trauma, but I think you know what I mean.
Saturday morning Angie Steinke led us through some thoughts about healing and the path through forgiveness that takes us there. Then we spent the whole afternoon in prayer. The six of us "leaders" broke into three pairs and each team spent 30-60 mins with individual girls until each one had been prayed with.
As you can imagine, it was an intense day.
Enter, the men!
The men of Passion Church surprised the women by cooking dinner and bringing it to the venue where we were gathered. The meal concluded with fresh strawberries and bananas and chocolate fondue to dip them in!
After time in worship, the men began praying wonderful prayers of release, wholeness, empowerment, fulfillment and fullness over the women. They prayed that these women would be CEO's and leaders all over the world, that they would be free from cultural bondages, that they would be released from strongholds and wounds, that they would be all that God dreams they can be.
Finally, the men produced a big box of individually wrapped white roses, each one labeled with a woman's name and signed with love.
(BTW, while the gathering in SB was just a one evening deal, it was also amazing and the men there were also incredibly supportive of the women. They didn't make an appearance but they gave their support in other ways.)
Honestly, I am still smiling about the time this weekend. Though I ducked out early and missed today's session teaching the women how to spread the healing, I gained so much by just getting to witness what God is doing and offer my prayers as some sort of partnering in that.
Once again I fall in love with this beautiful generation.
I am blessed to be allowed in to hear their stories of terrible pain.
I am rocked completely to watch the Lord move in healing among them.
2 comments:
I have four emerging little women. Prayer is the key, isn't it, Lisa! I want to be done thinking that by being an "amazing mommy" they will all be free from any of the cold moments that creep around any corner!!
As the Covells would say...prayer is where it is at! It is the key to great sex(they are so funny), the key to relationship - with the Father and any human in our face, it is the power behind believing, ...
Those UCLA women were so lucky to have YOU be the mommy they got. Hugs to you, sweet Lisa!
Dear Lisa:
I am breathing in as I take in the enormity of your words. What a very precious and sacred work you have and do. I truly believe, having known you before you ever left for Africa, that God consecrated you to this work long ago. Your ability to comprehend and empathize with these things is way beyond that of most therapists I know. It is a very blessed thing to be "allowed in". Thank you for having allowed me in so easily and freely, way back when.....you are truly a treasure, like the pearl of great price, for which I am very grateful to have "found" once again! May blessings continue to be heaped and heaped on you and your precious ones!
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