See the Themes and Fun from Recent Retreats

Resilience applies to every aspect of our daily lives.  Rose Folsom, who led our reflections suggested these thoughts to ponder:

It means that when we get knocked down, we get up. 

Resilience means that when we face disappointment, we do the next right thing. When we face rejection, we go forward with confidence in God's love for us. When we face loss, we realize that loss is temporary, while glory is eternal.

The ultimate model for resilience is Our Lord, who, when he was killed in his manhood, rose glorified in his divine humanity as a sign of what we have to look forward to -- if we stick closely to him.

The theme of Resilience is perfect for this jubilee year of Hope. Hope is a supernatural virtue given by God telling us that God has the power to draw us to himself forever in heaven and that his dearest desire is to do that.

In the ups and downs of daily life, Hope means that there is something more real and more lasting than any pain we could be experiencing now. The secret of Resilience is Hope -- an awareness of God's promise of lasting glory and peace that is promised to all who love him and persevere to the end.

I look forward to sharing stories from scripture and the saints to show what Resilience looks like in the ordinary lives of people just like you and me -- and how we can build a stronger habit of Resilience, starting now.

Rose Folsom, who led our reflections, suggested a scripture verse and some questions to ponder to help us get started:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). 

· What is the first image that comes to your imagination when you think of a doorway? 

· Is the door open or closed? 

· Is what’s on the other side welcome or unwelcome? 

· What have been some metaphorical “doorways” in our life?

· How do we view “doorways” such as change, loss, or the arrival of unexpected grace?

· Can we come to believe that Jesus waits for us behind every closed doorway we encounter in our lives, waiting patiently for us to invite him in?

Rose Folsom, who led our reflections, offered this to help us get started:

“Each of us is created to pursue closer union with God in a unique way. Who we think we should be, combined with others’ expectations, can obscure the unique gifts that God has given us to use in building up his kingdom. We are grateful to take this quiet time together to explore who we are in God’s loving eyes in a peaceful, reflective atmosphere. Slowing down and letting go of distractions, we can begin to discern our unique place in God’s plan and rediscover our authentic selves, created in God’s image. In prayer and silence, we allow God to help us discover the ways in which his loving hand has been guiding us at every step of our journey and what he is calling us to in this season of life. We allow Him to love and nurture us as we open ourselves in trust to the path that lies
ahead as our authentic selves.”

We had a wonderful time at our Faithbooking Retreat!  What fun it was to be together IN PERSON again.  It was Mardi Gras Tuesday and Ash Wednesday during our retreat so we ate our King Cake, found the Baby Jesus, and many of us were wearing our ashes - the sign that: "from dust you came and to dust you shall return!" 

Rose Folsom, who led our reflections, offered this to help us get started:

“Each of us is on a unique journey to a closer union with God. Our path can feel rushed and chaotic at times, leading us to wonder whether God is really acting in our lives. We are grateful to take this quiet time together to retrace our footsteps in a peaceful, reflective atmosphere.

Slowing down and letting go of distractions, we can begin to see how the footprints we have made connect with each other in a pattern of grace that we did not notice before. We discover the surprise of God’s hidden action. In prayer and silence, we allow God to help us discover the ways in which his loving hand was guiding us at every step of our journey. We allow Him to love and nurture us as we open ourselves in trust to the path that lies ahead.”

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