Berea is...

A gift from God. A camp-type experience, but so much more. This was my 4th year going there. Let me start out with how nice it is to just get away. I love my family so much. I love to be an at home mom, homeschooling, and my husband more than I can say. But I also enjoy time, 2 days, away each year with my friends, family and , of course, My God. This first picture is the group of ladies I went up with. Including my wonderful mother-in-law, who blesses me with this trip each year as my birthday present.

This picture was the view from my lake front cabin! How blessed was I to wake up to this each morning. I wasn't with the other ladies from church (whose cabin was at the top of an unnaturally steep hill! LOL). I opted instead to bunk w/ some friends I made in years past. That's me with them further down in the post.

We expected a weekend full of rain , because that is what the forecast said. Instead, we were blessed with beautiful

morning, crisp and refreshing; and afternoon showers. But it was sofitting, since the theme of the weekend was "Living Water".

I went up to Bereawith no expectations, like I had in years past. I just wanted to be filled with whatever it was God wanted to show me. And He showed me so much.

Two of the teachings I went to focused on the woman at the well; the Samaritan Woman. And looking into that story, understanding that woman, and grasping what Jesus did for her just filled my heart to overflowing. Because what He did for her, he did for me. He has filled me with a living water, so that I never need to thirst again. I never need to go to

the well, to search , for water. Because the One who sustains me is with me, always.

I brought a smooth stone home with me. A stone made smooth by the gentle, yet continuous flow of water over it, over a long period of time. This stone is to remind me that I have been washed. That I am covered, always by that cleansing water, cleansing blood. And just as my little stone is smooth with it's jagged edges gone, so am I made smooth. Those things which were my rough edges, are no longer. And as my little stone was most assuredly ,

at one time, filthy; it is now clean, actually a white stone. And that is me. No edges hanging around to hinder me. No dirt left behind.

How hard it's been to leave the past in the past. How easy to believe the lies the enemy throws at us all. Yet now, I have let go (literally-those that were there know what I mean) of the lies that were holding me back. I know when salvation was given to me. And now I also know that God's forgiveness has washed me clean , not just from my sin, but from my shame. Sin is so ugly, so dirty. I am not proud of who I used to be. But I am proud of my God who loved me enough to change me, and who loved me enough, to show me this weekend, that I don't need to live any longer with my past as a constant

cloud over my head. I went away thirsty, I am now quenched. Living Water, indeed!

***And I did have to add the picture of me climbing the rock wall- did I mention how much fun I had? Rock walls, challenge courses, midnight volleyball, great food and fun, laughter... God provided so much.***