Pre-licensing retreat #4

The second day started early after a fabulous 10 hours of well rested sleep including my first nice dreams in weeks.  I watched the sun change the sky, had breakfast and was out in the sunshine for a walk by 7.30.

After wondering to the church and around the village and I came back and sat in the wooded area. Look who joined me:


I listened to the wind in the trees


Explored the cob-nuts - they're really furry inside the casings and just relaxed with nature and my camera





Neil arrived for the day at 10 and a more formal aspect of the retreat kicked off. We decided our agenda for the day, the things to think and pray about. We focussed on three things:
1. my calling and the process to now
2. my fears about licensing
3. coming as I am on the day

I'm not sure that I could explain what happened within me, but suffice to say it was healing and nurturing and reassuring. I have come away from retreat changed from how I arrived. I understand and feel my calling deeply, my fears have been reduced and I am actually looking forward to the licensing now.

What I do know is that Neil was moved to read these verses of Luke 8 to me:

Luke 8:40-49
[40] Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. [41] Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house [42] because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. [43] And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. [44] She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
[45] "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."
[46] But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
[47] Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. [48] Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

These words and the associated prayers healed me, deeply.