He knows our Hearts {Delight Retreat 2013}

KRISTIN’S PERSPECTIVE:
Have you ever had a time in your life when you thought “I really thought that God has told me. . .” and then it didn’t happen? When the retreat website was being put together, I was having my quiet time with Jesus one morning and I truly felt him give me certain names of girls who were meant to come to the retreat. Not all of them, but some names specifically.

Well, every single girl I had written down signed up except one. And the retreat filled up quickly, but I still couldn’t get this young lady off my mind. And every time I envisioned the retreat, I saw her face being there. I know that sounds crazy as all I know is her profile picture on our facebook group! I even mentioned it to my mom a few times saying that I just feel that so & so is supposed to be at the retreat. But the airfare, cost of the retreat, the distance of travel, school, the retreat being full, etc. made it feel like an impossibility.

Last week, I woke up to a message from a friend saying “I feel like God is telling me that I need to give money towards airfare for a girl to come to the retreat”. When I read this message I knew who I wanted to ask! I knew that the retreat was “full”, but also knew that I was willing to sleep on the floor if it meant that she could come! I prayed about it for a few days before approaching her. . .I even looked up airfare, how to get from North Carolina to Wenatchee, etc.

Long story short, I had the wonderful opportunity to skype with this amazing young lady and her family on Friday night and I received the message last night that “YES, she is coming!!!”. I can’t even express how excited that I am that she is able to be apart of the retreat this coming April. It has truly been orchestrated by our amazing Heavenly Father who delights in us, loves us and cares about the intimate details of our lives.

I sometimes wonder why God’s answers seem delayed to us and sometimes I question if I’m really “hearing” him. I am so thankful for these amazing learning lessons because it is teaching me to trust and teaching me to know that HE has a reason even when we may not see it! I know that when we are all sitting together worshipping, eating ice cream late into the night, taking pictures, etc. that I will look and see Emily there and know without a shadow of a doubt that God truly brought her there. . .I can’t wait to see Emily’s face in person and give her the biggest hug ever on April 25th!!

EMILY’S PERSPECTIVE:
First off, I just have to say that we serve an awesome God and with Him ANYTHING is possible. You just have to trust Him. It’s kind of a long story, but I’m going to try my hardest to condense it down a little bit for this post. Here goes~~

It all started one normal school night last year when I saw some of my blogging/ photography friends on Facebook talking about going to this retreat for girls who love photography, etc. They kept saying how much they wanted to go and how awesome it looked, etc, etc. I clicked on the website link they had shared under their post (like every other curious person who read their posts that night) and then I began to look over the website; that’s when I started dreaming. I then scrolled down only to find out that it was in Washington state! I immediately thought. “Well, okay then. I guess that’s never going to happen. It’s on the whole other side of the country! There is no way that I would be able to first of all, convince my dad to let me go that far for a photography girls retreat and secondly, how in the world would I come up with that amount of money for the trip and registration??”

I remember going to bed that night thinking about how on earth I could make it happen. That’s when I prayed. “God, if it’s meant to be, please make a way for me to go to this retreat this year, find another similar one closer to home to go to, or at least help me to find other ways to be encouraged in my photography.” I continued to pray for Him to make a way, if it was meant to be. April 2012 came and went, I saw pictures posted about the retreat on Facebook and posts about how much the girls had learned, made new friends, and were encouraged. Before I knew it, a whole year had gone by and it was time to start registering for this year’s Delight retreat.

I remember that day too–just like it was yesterday. I read about it, glanced over the website again, and then I said a prayer. “God, if you truly do want me there. Just make a way. Reveal a way for me to get there if it’s your will.” I waited, I prayed, I caught myself dreaming about how awesome it would be to go and meet such amazing Christian ladies…

I started emailing with Mrs. Kristin at the first of this year and a few times she mentioned that she would love for me to come be at the retreat this year. I continued to pray about it, talked with my dad, and then I got sick in February and during that time the spots filled up. I told her that I really didn’t think it was going to happen with school, me being sick, the distance, etc. We emailed back and forth a few more times and she would occasionally mention that she really felt like God was telling her that I was supposed to be there. I continued to pray that God would make a way.

That’s when I had accepted the fact that God had bigger plans and must have something else in store for me. Maybe, something bigger, better, something closer to North Carolina. I just felt like He was telling me “Just trust me, Emily. I have it under control. Be patient.” I know it’s crazy, but even up to last Monday, I was still praying that if this was actually meant to happen that He would reveal a way, even though the spots were filled up already…

That’s when I got a message out of the blue on Facebook last Wednesday night from Mrs. Kristin. She mentioned that “someone that she knew had felt like God was telling her to donate money towards airfare for a girl to come to the retreat and that I had a spot in April if I still wanted to come.” I was completely stunned; blown away and so utterly excited about this opportunity “that might actually happen after all.” –I talked about it with my dad some more over the weekend, got to Skype with Mrs. Kristin, and prayed about it some more just to make sure I was making the right decision.

Well, I can now officially tell you all that I’m actually going to the Washington state for the Delight Retreat in April!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s absolutely incredible how God has worked out all of the details for me to go. I’m still in shock and completely and utterly overwhelmed at how it’s all worked out, I still get chills when I think about it!!! I am so excited about being able to travel somewhere new and see another part of God’s beautiful country, meet other photographers and learn more, and just to have the chance to encourage others and enjoy the fellowship of other Christian ladies.

All the glory to God!! He knows our hopes and our dreams and He always has much bigger plans ahead for us then we could EVER imagine. Promise me that you will always put your trust in Him. He knows what He’s doing. :)