Comments Off on Tauranga, New Zealand: October 29-31, 2026
Satisfied in God
God created us so that He could generously care for us! Every one of us has a tenacious desire for satisfaction, whether we know He’s the real treasure or not. Our desires can get us into trouble but shutting them down doesn’t free us either.
God’s answer is the gift of His Son. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the end of all our hunger. By His cross He saves us from the hopeless struggle to survive on our own and brings us home to our Father where we can grow secure in His love.
In the beginning, God spoke beauty, order, and life out of nothing. He continues to speak the healing word today, enabling us to:
• Receive the Bread of Life rather than sweating for unsatisfying food.
• Know His goodness in areas where we’ve been deprived.
• Embrace our creative desires and leave despair behind.
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who have hit roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles will be equipped to help others live in the fullness of God’s life.
We need help from Christ’s Body to come into the overflowing well-being He means to give. Through worship, teaching, and prayer this retreat will offer that help, and equip us to help others find fullness of life in Him.
Retreat Location
Faith Bible College 749 Welcome Bay Road, Tauranga, BOP, NZ
Accommodations
Faith Bible offers simple, clean accommodations, including rooms with ensuite bathrooms and others set up as two-bedroom apartments with shared living spaces and bathrooms. Linens and towels are provided. A limited number of rooms are available for the retreat, and lodging includes two nights, linens, and breakfast. The cost is $106 USD per person. You may register for accommodations when you complete your event registration, as long as space remains.
If you prefer to stay in a local hotel, we have reserved a block of rooms at The Tauranga on the Waterfront. To secure a room, please call +64 7 578 7079 and request the “Ministries of Pastoral Care” rate: Queen Bed, $220.00 per night. Please note that reservations must be made by August 15 to receive this special rate.
Registration Schedule
Thursday, October 29: 7pm Worship
Friday – Saturday, October 30-31: 9am – 6pm (both days include lunch)
Registration Fee
$132 (USD) – The retreat fee covers all sessions, materials, and three meals. Need-based scholarships can be requested at registration.
$106 (USD) – Lodging at the retreat center, optional ($238 USD total for retreat fees and lodging)
Registration will be received through October 22, 2026
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Comments Off on Gold Coast, Australia Retreat: October 23-24, 2026
Satisfied in God
God created us so that He could generously care for us! Every one of us has a tenacious desire for satisfaction, whether we know He’s the real treasure or not. Our desires can get us into trouble but shutting them down doesn’t free us either.
God’s answer is the gift of His Son. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the end of all our hunger. By His cross He saves us from the hopeless struggle to survive on our own and brings us home to our Father where we can grow secure in His love.
In the beginning, God spoke beauty, order, and life out of nothing. He continues to speak the healing word today, enabling us to:
• Receive the Bread of Life rather than sweating for unsatisfying food.
• Know His goodness in areas where we’ve been deprived.
• Embrace our creative desires and leave despair behind.
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who have hit roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles will be equipped to help others live in the fullness of God’s life.
We need help from Christ’s Body to come into the overflowing well-being He means to give. Through worship, teaching, and prayer this retreat will offer that help, and equip us to help others find fullness of life in Him.
Retreat Location
Paradise Point Uniting Church 126 Paradise Parade, Paradise Point Gold Coast, Queensland
Retreat Schedule
October 23-24, 2026
Friday & Saturday: 9am – 6pm (both days include lunch)
Registration Fee
$132 (USD) – The retreat fee covers all sessions, materials, and three meals.
Registration will be received through October 16, 2026
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Thank you for your interest in attending an MPC Retreat or School. We are grateful for your desire to grow in ministry and to connect with what God is doing through MPC gatherings around the world.
If you are an international ministry leader who needs a Letter of Invitation to attend, please review the information below carefully. Following these steps will help ensure there is enough time for your application to be processed and for us to prepare the necessary documentation.
How to Request a Letter of Invitation
Complete the online Letter of Invitation Request Form. All Letter of Invitation requests must be submitted at least 6 months before the event date. This timeframe allows you to complete your embassy or consulate application and gives MPC sufficient time to verify your information and prepare your invitation documents.
We look forward to welcoming you to an MPC Retreat or School.
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Comments Off on Live Audio Recordings: Living in Union with Christ
This five-day school walks through all the key topics from Leanne Payne’s Healing Presence and Restoring the Christian Soul through Healing Prayer. These live audio recordings include lectures, testimonies and prayers from July, 2025 at Cedar Springs Christian retreat center.
As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. — I Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
The Holy One is With Us
To know God at all is to know Him as holy, and He imparts this knowledge through His incarnational presence with and within us. This session lays the foundation for the rest of the school and begins exploring our call to abide in Christ.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, for the first 5 minutes. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
The Story of Salvation
We’re created to participate in God’s eternal life, and must choose either to abide in Him or to rebel so that our image-bearing gift becomes miscreative. By His Cross Christ frees us from our bondage to the fallen world our sin brings about, and restores our freedom to become mature members of His Body.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Receiving & Responding as Sons & Daughters
It is our privilege to listen to God’s voice. Although we are prone to tune in to other voices, He is merciful and ready to revive the damaged will and restore us to an upright posture of responsive dependence on Him.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
The Disease of Introspection vs. the Power to Be
Compulsively turning attention inward on the self misuses our rational abilities and makes the heart sick. This session facilitates repentance from diseased self-analysis and engages with Love to restore the capacity to be. Readings: The Healing Presence, Chapter 12, by Leanne Payne.
Presenter: Sarah Lim
Healing of Memories Lecture and Testimony
In the healing of our memories, the Holy Spirit finds and touches the root issues underlying our lack of freedom: rejections, trespasses, and deficits of the past that yet await the ministry of forgiveness of sin.
Readings: Restoring the Christian Soul, Chapter 6, by Leanne Payne
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn & Gay Barretta
The Virtue of Self-Acceptance
Following Jesus into maturity means accepting ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind, and trusting in Christ’s righteousness as our own. Knowing God as Father and receiving His personal affirmation enables us to develop this essential Christian virtue. Readings: Restoring the Christian Soul, Part 1, by Leanne Payne.
Presenter: Tom Wright
Receiving Forgiveness
God gives forgiveness freely, but our hearts can be blocked from receiving His gift. This session addresses the common blocks to living as forgiven people so we can walk in the Spirit.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Image and Healing of Woman
Whole women image the true feminine while also participating in and completing the masculine. This session honors God’s image in woman and ministers to the hatred of the feminine that is part of the spiritual attack against God’s kingdom.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn & Deb Lazetti
The Sacrament of Marriage
Marriage imagery runs through all of scripture from the creation story to the wedding supper of the Lamb. The good and true symbols of marital love enable us to see and know God and how He brings us into His life. All are called to the spiritual self-giving and parenthood that are symbolized by marriage.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Receiving the Gift of Life: Being and Well-being
By taking Jesus as our model of what we are meant to be, we see that we are made to be accepted and sustained in God’s love from the womb to eternity. This session looks at developmental threats to being and well-being and how personal wholeness is restored through Christ’s death-defeating, life-giving cross.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn & Doug Carrington
God Within Us: True Self
Every person who has accepted Christ has a home within, a place of quiet rest and strength. This is the true self, and as we grow into the truth of who we are in Christ, we simultaneously die to the illusions that the old man embraced.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn & Ana deMiguel
Healing of Memories Prayer, part 1
Healing of memories is the heart’s experience of forgiveness of sin at the precise sore spot where it is needed. Recommended Readings: Restoring the Christian Soul, Chapter 6, by Leanne Payne
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
The Virtue of Hope
This supernatural virtue is a God-given grace that must be pursued and cultivated. Hope protects against despair and energizes us as pilgrims-on-the-way to fulfillment in God’s heavenly presence. This recording includes the “treasure chest” prayer to illuminate the desires of the heart.
Presenter: Jean Holt
Freedom in Christ: Renouncing Sexual Idolatry
A right understanding of the sexual union of husband and wife shows the nature of God’s love and His plan to make us one with Him. This session calls all of us – married, single, or celibate – out of idolatrous and enslaving distortions of sex and into the dignity of personal integration.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Healing of Memories Prayer, part 2
The Holy Spirit guides this extended prayer, ministering to the rejections, trespasses, and deficits of the past that yet await the ministry of forgiveness of sin.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Forgiving Others
Forgiving those who’ve sinned against us is essential to living in union with Christ. In this session we look at how forgiveness fits in the process of reconciliation, and work through some of the most challenging types of unforgiveness that can burden our hearts and relationships.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Teaching-testimony
Sillimon Davis imparts hope as he shares his personal journey of finding wholeness in Christ.
Presenter: Sill Davis
Sacramental knowing, eucharistic living
Our lives and all creation are God’s gift, given so that we might participate in His life. We find ourselves in finding Him, and can offer every moment and situation back to Him with gratitude.
The barren season: When pain meets the presence of God
1 Samuel 1
by Sarah Lim, MPC’s Korea Director
At some point, every person walks through a barren season. There comes a time when our needs go unmet, when our prayers seem unanswered, and when pain becomes a persistent companion.
The pain is real
Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none (v 2,5). It is painful when what we long for remains out of reach. And that pain deepens when we compare ourselves with others who seem to have what we lack. Our comparing breeds jealousy, inferiority, and shame, and steals our sense of worth.
The comfort of a lover is not enough
Elkanah, her loving husband, says, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” (v 8). Hannah’s need is deeper than what love, or even double portions, can fill. In a barren season, you may have a dear one to be loved by and to love. But still, God doesn’t answer, and no one knows this pain but you.
The enemy accuses
Hannah was provoked and mocked by her rival (v 6-7). This voice is may be inside you. We tend to respond in two ways. When the enemy seems weaker than you, you might pretend to be strong — “At least I’m more loved.” When the enemy seems stronger than you, you might pretend to be meek — “I’ll bear it; I’m the bigger person.” Neither posture brings healing—only isolation. Relationships break down.
When the answer is delayed
When God’s answer is slow, our successes feel invisible and our failures feel exaggerated. You become afraid of being exposed, afraid that others will see how small you are. We cover, and pretend to be good. “I am okay.”
Even the wise misunderstand
Even the most respected leaders can misread us. Eli saw Hannah praying and assumed she was drunk: “Put away your wine,” he said (v 14). Sometimes, people who want to help us end up hurting us, because they don’t see our pain. Maybe they don’t know the pain in their own heart. We all do this: We all criticize, we all defend ourselves. There is no one without guilt.
She wept and wept
Hannah wept bitterly (v.10). Pain brings us to the bottom of our lives. The real question is not, ”Did you hit rock bottom?” or “Did you cry hard enough?” The real question is, Did you meet God in your pain?
It is in the valley that we meet the Lord. In His presence, we face the poverty of our hearts. Before Him, we see the truth about ourselves—our sin, our brokenness, our unrighteousness. If we don’t see our poverty, we become prideful. If we only see our misery and forget God, we fall into despair.
We all want to manage our guilt, shame, and anxiety. We all carry heavy burdens. They don’t bring us to God—unless we surrender. We must lay down the impulse to fix ourselves and simply come before Him.
God remembers
God brings His promises back to our minds. Even when we feel unheard, He is the God who remembers. In His remembering, we are comforted.
God does not waste pain. He uses it to strip us, to awaken us, to draw us into His presence. In that sacred space, when we stop pretending and stop defending, we look up. We see the God who sees us, the God who hears us, and the God who remembers. And there, even in the barren season, He brings us to life.
Woodcut: Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1860, Hannah praying for a child, for “Die Bibel in Bildern,” via Wikimedia Commons.
God’s love can reach our hungry places, nourishing our capacity to share His Life with others. Bring your hidden hunger and receive the eternal food Jesus so freely gives!
We are pleased to share these live recordings from our retreat in Edmonds, WA, USA 2025.
Comments Off on Living in Union with Christ, July 19-24, Washington state
Encounter the living Christ, be filled with His wholeness, and sent in His love.
Five life-transforming days with God and His people
Anointed and relatable teaching that exudes the love of Jesus. Ministry team available to connect one-on-one with compassion and truth. Powerful corporate worship led by a skilled music team. Breathing room for personal reflection, debriefing, resting and enjoying creation. Genuine fellowship around family-style meals, hiking trails, the evening fire pit, even a just-for-fun square dance.
What’s the location like?
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center is in a beautiful, natural setting in the Cascade foothills. The lodges are set within eight acres of gardens, ponds, and hiking trails. For a video tour of the retreat center, click here. The retreat center is located 110 miles north of Seattle.
Cedar Springs accommodations offer comfortable beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and free Wi-Fi. Linens and towels are provided. Each room has a view of the beautiful gardens and forested hillsides nearby and easy access to the dining room where delicious family style-meals are served.
What is the teaching like?
A sample of the teaching at Cedar Springs, from Sarah Colyn — “My God, in His steadfast love, will meet me.”
Who should participate?
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend.
Those who are struggling with the wounds and compulsions that are common in our world today will find real help.
Pastors and lay leaders from all Christian traditions, and those in caregiving roles such as counseling, medicine, and prayer ministry will be refreshed and equipped to help others.
The school is designed for ages 18 and up, and young adults are especially encouraged to take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
If it isn’t just for pastors, why is it called pastoral care?
Jesus is the buon pastore, the Good Shepherd, and pastoral care is His work. He announced what He came to accomplish in us when He read from the scroll of Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19a
Come and let Jesus do this work in your life, and you’ll end up growing in your capacity to share His wholeness with others. In these five life-transforming days, we’ll deal with common barriers to knowing that God’s is with you and within you, and you’ll be equipped to more fully collaborate with Him in every part of life.
Schedule
Our opening session begins at 4:00 PM, Sunday, July 19, and the final session concludes Thursday evening, July 23.
Meals begin with dinner Sunday evening and conclude with breakfast Friday morning Lodging is included Sunday through Thursday nights.
The daily schedule includes space for rest, reflection, and enjoyment of the gardens, boating on the ponds, and forested hiking trails.
Music
Musical worship opens our hearts and moves us into our most authentic, wholesome posture as human beings.
Our music team members serve with deep reverence, humbly offering their professional musicianship to lead us into adoration and awe of our holy God.
Enjoy this playlist Emily has created if you’d like to get familiar with some of the songs we’ll sing together or revisit the music once you’re back home.
Travel
Plan to arrive at Cedar Springs between 12:00–3:30 PM on Sunday, July 19 for check-in.
Air Travel: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the nearest major airport, a 3-hour drive from Cedar Springs.
A round-trip private bus is available from SEA airport for $125. If you need transportation to and from the retreat center, please register by Friday, July 3 to secure a space on the shuttle.
The shuttle departs at 9:00 AM on Sunday, July 19, and returns by 12:00 PM on Friday, July 24.
We strongly recommend arriving in Seattle on Saturday, July 18, and booking return flights after 2:00 PM on July 24.
Registration
The registration fee covers full participation in the school, materials, meals, and accommodations.
$1125 per person, double occupancy $1525 per person, single occupancy plusstate and local tax
Registration closes July 10, 2026.
What’s the best way to prepare?
We encourage all attendees to read The Healing Presence and Restoring the Christian Soul by Leanne Payne as preparation for the school. The books are published by Baker Book House and are available from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and BakerPublishingGroup.com and the audio books are available from audible.com and audiobooks.com.
What topics are addressed?
We bring the Good News to bear on the challenges that believers face today. Key issues we address include:
• Practicing God’s presence and listening prayer in Christian maturity
• Removing barriers to wholeness in Christ: the need to forgive, receive forgiveness, and accept ourselves in Him
• Healing attachment wounds, finding personhood and wellbeing in Christ
• Affirming wholesome sexuality, gender identity, and relationships
• Enriching Christian symbol, liturgy, and the language of the heart
• Renouncing common manifestations of idolatry and becoming truer worshippers of God
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Scholarships are funded by donor gifts. Partner with us in opening the way for those who want to build up Christ’s church!
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
Comments Off on Videos: Living the Miracle, Australia Feb 2025
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Queensland, Australia, February 2025. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
Comments Off on Videos: Living the Miracle, Feb 2025
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Tauranga, New Zealand, February 2025. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Fresno, March 2025. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
Day 1, Session 1 – Accepted by the Holy One
Day 1, Session 2 – Practicing God’s Presence
Day 1, Session 3 – Virtue of Self-Acceptance
Day 1, Session 4 – Securing the Gift
Day 2, Session 1 – God, the Master Affirmer
Day 2, Session 2 – Healing the disease of Introspection
Day 2, Session 3 – True imagination & the power to be
Comments Off on Videos: Satisfied in God, Nov 2024
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Virginia Beach, Virginia, November 2024. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
The Holy One at the Center
Receiving the Gift of Life: Dynamic Cycle of Being
Practicing God’s Presence
Responding as Sons and Daughters: The Vertical Position
There is great potential in your life right now, in your neighbor’s life, and in mine too. Whether things are sweet or bitter, we know God is ready to work for our good. The trick is that we have to show up in order to receive the good He wants to work. Whatever the Lord may be doing in our lives, He’s doing it in the place where “Another lives in me.” To have what we need to cooperate with Him, we need to be in that place within ourselves where His Spirit is. I think of it like old-fashioned milking stool — a sturdy spot where I can, as Tommy Briggs would say, “set down inside myself.” Three legs brace this abiding place, and when I get wobbly I check on these practices:
1. Practicing God’s presence —
Am I nudging my attention toward my Helper throughout the day, or doing my own thing? Am I thanking and praising Him as I go?
2. Daily listening prayer —
Am I sharing my heart as I actually am right now, and taking time to receive what He wants to impart?
3. Confessional community —
Do my people know where I am and what I’m working through? Am I exposing my sin and vulnerability so they can stand with me in receiving God’s mercy and aid?
These aren’t moralistic “shoulds,” but fundamental human needs, like drinking water and getting to bed at a reasonable time. When we recognize them as needs, this does much to show us the way forward. Rather than making these behaviors a burden of Christian performance, we can ask our Father for daily bread. Know this: it is His desire to open the way and provide every resource it will take to make your abiding place steady and strong. I’ll challenge you to begin by humbly owning these needs – confess to the Lord that He created you to see Him, to receive His Word, and to be a known and cherished member of His Body without shame. Once we remember He created us for this glorious destiny, and that these are the actions of a fully-alive human person created in His image, we’re better able to trust that He is invested in bringing us there. This clarity enables us to take the next step: asking Him to meet these needs.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
God is steadfastly, tenaciously committed to the becoming of every person He has created. It kindles our trust, hope, and courage to remember that He has both the will and the power to accomplish our spiritual flourishing, in every season and circumstance. From this view of His character, we can simply ask for what we need, whatever that may be – “Catch my attention with Your presence while I’m at work today.” “Show me the right window in my day for listening prayer.” “Direct me to the men in my church I can invite to form a prayer group.”
From this foundation of trusting dependence, we can collaborate with God in seeing our needs met. The discipline of practicing God’s presence really does require practice, which means it takes kindness with ourselves, and persistence. It can be challenging to find time and establish a functional daily rhythm for listening prayer. Developing genuine spiritual friendship with a prayer partner and small group may seem like it will require a bona fide miracle. No doubt, building these practices into the structure of our lives is an ongoing project that needs refreshing as we grow and as seasons change. It could be that you find yourself quite unable to consistently do any of these things right now. Wherever you are in relation to these practices, it is a perfectly acceptable starting place. The Good Shepherd is coming for you, because you are an infinitely valued and irreplaceable member of His flock. You are reachable by God’s mercy where you are right now.
The Enemy wants us to feel shame for being needy, when in reality knowing that we need, and knowing what we need, are hallmarks of maturity. I find it impressively elegant that any one of us seeking help with these practices ends up making the Church more what she’s meant to be. Have you thought about that? When you cry out to Him for prayer partners, you are throwing your personal energy into His will being done here on earth. You are directly seeking the answer of Jesus’s high priestly prayer,
“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23).
When you ask and knock, invite and reach out, perhaps most potently when you do so out of desperate need, God moves to call others forward, to know their corresponding need, and grow in their capacity to be His Body together with you. I rejoice over the ways you are agitating for what it takes to steadily abide in Jesus, because the more you do, the more radiant His Body becomes.
Comments Off on 5-Day School: Living in Union with Christ
July 20-25, 2025 in Sumas, Washington
What is a pastoral care school?
Pastoral care is the proclaiming, healing, and freeing work of the Spirit of God. Jesus announced His ministry by reading from the scroll of Isaiah, and He sends His Spirit into the Church today:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19a
You are invited to come and receive from the Lord, and in doing so you’ll grow in your capacity to offer this care to others. This school will address barriers to knowing God’s presence with us, equipping you to more fully collaborate with Him in every part of life.
Who should attend?
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who are struggling with the wounds and compulsions that are common in our world today will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in lay and professional caregiving roles such as counseling, medicine, and prayer ministry will be refreshed and equipped to help others. The school is designed for ages 18 and up, and young adults are especially encouraged to take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
What topics are covered?
We desire to see the full healing power of the gospel active in the Church, and so we bring the Good News to bear on the challenges that believers face today. Key issues we address include:
Practicing God’s presence and listening prayer in Christian obedience
Removing barriers to wholeness in Christ: the need to forgive, receive forgiveness, and accept ourselves in Him
Healing attachment wounds, finding personhood and wellbeing in Christ
Affirming wholesome sexuality, gender identity, and relationships
Enriching Christian symbol, liturgy, and the language of the heart
Renouncing common manifestations of idolatry and becoming truer worshippers of God
What’s the best way to prepare for the school?
We encourage all attendees to read The Healing Presence and Restoring the Christian Soul by Leanne Payne as preparation for the school. The Broken Image and Crisis in Masculinity by Leanne Payne are also recommended. The books are published by Baker Book House and are available from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and BakerPublishingGroup.com and the audio books are available from audible.com and audiobooks.com.
Where is the school being held?
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center in Sumas, Washington, USA. Cedar Springs is in a beautiful, natural setting in the Cascade foothills within eight acres of gardens, ponds, and hiking trails. For a video tour of the retreat center, clickhere. Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center is located 110 miles north of Seattle, WA in Sumas, WA.
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center
Cedar Springs accommodations offer comfortable beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and free Wi-Fi. Linens and towels are provided. Each room has a view of the beautiful gardens and forested hillsides nearby and easy access to the dining hall. A full meal service is provided for those attending the school.
Travel
Please check in at Cedar Springs between 12:00–3:30 PM on Sunday, July 20. The opening session begins at 4:00 PM. Meals start with Sunday dinner and end with Friday breakfast. The final session concludes at 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 24. Lodging is included Thursday night for those departing Friday morning.
Air Travel: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the nearest major airport, about 3 hours from Cedar Springs. A round-trip private bus is available from SEA for $125. It departs at 9:00 AM on Sunday, July 20, and returns by 12:00 PM on Friday, July 25. We strongly recommend arriving in Seattle on Saturday, July 19, and booking return flights after 2:00 PM on July 25. Detailed meeting instructions will be sent in early July. Reserve your seat by July 10, registration link is in your welcome email.
Registration Fee
The registration fee covers full participation in the school, including meals and accommodations. $1125 per person, double occupancy $1525 per person, double occupancy
Registration is now closed. Ministries of Pastoral Care reserves the right to decline any registration. Cancellations prior to May 16 will receive a full refund. If you must cancel after May 16, we’re not able to provide a refund due to our own non-refundable costs.
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Scholarships are funded by donor gifts. Partner with us in opening the way for those who want to build up Christ’s church! Donate on our site or contact the registrar.
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
God’s plan and desire is that His love would flow freely through our lives, completing us and overflowing to others.
As much as we strive to live in this flow, barriers to His love can build up in our hearts. We might sense that we’re being held back, but on our own we can’t clearly see what the barrier is or find a way to remove it. Praise God, He has not left us on our own.
Through His cross and shed blood, Jesus brought something purely divine and radically new into this world – forgiveness! His miraculous gift enables us to:
Accept ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind.
Embrace His forgiveness and gladly wear Christ’s righteousness as our own.
Forgive those whose sins have hurt, harmed, and hindered us.
Through worship, teaching, and prayer, this retreat will help us receive His gift, and equip us to share the miracle with others.
Who Should Attend?
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who struggle with roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles and professions will be equipped to help others live as forgiven and forgiving people.
About Ministries of Pastoral Care
We build up the Church through the cross of Christ by helping his followers reach maturity in him. Our work is inspired by the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne. Our team is led by Sarah Colyn, a seminary-trained psychologist with a passion for the gospel. This retreat will be staffed by a team of worshippers, speakers, and prayer ministers who are seasoned witnesses to Christ’s power to remove barriers and set His people free.
Retreat Location
Paradise Point Uniting Church 126 Paradise Parade, Paradise Point Gold Coast, Queensland
Registration Fee
$200 (AUD) – The retreat fee covers all sessions, materials, and three meals. Need-based scholarships can be requested at registration.
Retreat Schedule
Friday & Saturday: 9am – 6pm (both days include lunch)
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
God’s plan and desire is that His love would flow freely through our lives, completing us and overflowing to others.
As much as we strive to live in this flow, barriers to His love can build up in our hearts. We might sense that we’re being held back, but on our own we can’t clearly see what the barrier is or find a way to remove it. Praise God, He has not left us on our own.
Through His cross and shed blood, Jesus brought something purely divine and radically new into this world – forgiveness! His miraculous gift enables us to:
• Accept ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind.
• Embrace His forgiveness and gladly wear Christ’s righteousness as our own.
• Forgive those whose sins have hurt, harmed, and hindered us.
Through worship, teaching, and prayer, this retreat will help us receive His gift, and equip us to share the miracle with others.
Who should attend
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who struggle with roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles and professions, will be equipped to help others live as forgiven and forgiving people.
Retreat schedule
9:00 am – 8:00 pm Friday, February 14 & 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday, February 15.
Retreat Location
Bethlehem Baptist Church 90 Bethlehem Road Bethlehem, Tauranga 3110 Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
The retreat fee covers all retreat sessions, materials, and meals.
Early Bird Prices through November 15: $160 NZD, $130 for pastors & students | $100 USD, $80 USD for pastors & students
Standard (Nov 16-Jan 31): $200 NZD, $170 for pastors & students | $125 USD, $105 USD for pastors & students.
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Scholarships are funded by donor gifts. Partner with us in opening the way for those who want to build up Christ’s church! Donate on our site, or contact the registrar to give directly to the New Zealand charitable trust.
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
By Leanne Payne from her newsletter archives, March, 1987
There are a few things in life more comforting than Christian friends who understand what ministry on a fallen planet is all about. Through the years, Carol Kraft (Professor of German, Wheaton College) has sent cards or cartoons that ever after find a place on the wall of my workspace for ready referral when needed. She is a treasured confidant, one in whom I can confide my deepest concerns, for she is not only a true friend, but one who has learned how to listen. She really hears whatever it is I’m struggling to put into words, then has the knack of finding a picture message that either exactly expresses it, or helps me to come to terms with the difficulty. One such card is reproduced below (marked as an original by Desclozeaux to give the proper credit), and it certainly illustrates the miraculous as we Christians so often experience it:
Isn’t that wonderful! It would be difficult to find a truer picture of the sheer grace God gives us to not only overcome, but survive the impossible; or one of how this grace is experienced: as we inch, a straight and steady line through a fallen, hostile world to our true home.
I’m sure there are many of you, who, like myself, are facing the impossible in terms of what God has called you to do and to be. Perhaps calamity, in the form of circumstances so irrational and dark that they could only have been engineered by the powers of darkness, is even now barreling towards you. The blow is calculated to maim or to crush, to stop you right in your tracks. But God’s message to His own is ever the same: “My power, and the strength that I give you, is sufficient. Call upon it, ask for it, see if I will not cause all grace to abound toward you!” Saint Paul knew and taught with all his might this great truth: “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (II Cor 9:8)
The word that Saint Paul uses to describe the grace of God is polupoikilos which means many-colored. William Barkley, commenting on Eph 3:8-13 says that, “The idea in this word is that the grace of God will match with any situation which life may bring us. There is nothing of light or dark, of sunshine or of shadow, for which it is not triumphantly adequate.” No matter what we are struggling with, as ministers, or as suffering persons who desperately need forgiveness and healing, God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus, with implicit faith in the Father, said it all, when He looked directly at his troubled disciples, and said: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26)
Comments Off on 2023 Cedar Springs School – Thursday
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Thursday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: Receiving the Gift of Life: Being & Well-being
By taking Jesus as our model of what we are meant to be, we see that we are made to be accepted and sustained in God’s love from the womb to eternity. This session looks at developmental threats to being and well-being and how personal wholeness is restored through Christ’s death-defeating, life-giving cross.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: Healing of Memories: Forgiving the Unforgivable
Anjonette shares about the profound healing she experienced in relation to her early relationship with her father. “Sometimes the memories that need healing go far back in time, back before conscious memory. But the heart knows; it does not forget.” (Payne, Restoring the Christian Soul)
Presenter: Anjonette Baum
#3: The Virtue of Hope
This supernatural virtue is a God-given grace that must be pursued and cultivated. Hope protects against despair and energizes us as pilgrims-on-the-way to fulfillment in God’s heavenly presence. This recording includes the “treasure chest” prayer to illuminate the desires of the heart.
Comments Off on 2023 Cedar Springs School – Wednesday
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Wednesday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: God Within Us: Becoming the True Self
Every person who has accepted Christ has a home within, a place of quiet rest and strength. This is the true self, and as we grow into the truth of who we are in Christ, we simultaneously die to the illusions that the old man embraced.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: The Disease of Introspection vs. Listening to God
Compulsively turning attention inward on the self misuses our rational abilities and makes the heart sick. This session facilitates repentance from diseased self-analysis and engages with Love to restore the capacity to be.
Presenter: Uwe Buß
#3: Forgiving Others
Forgiving those who’ve sinned against us is essential to living in union with Christ. In this session we look at how forgiveness fits in the process of reconciliation, and work through some of the most challenging types of unforgiveness that can burden our hearts and relationships.
Presenter: Cody Crichton
#4: Freedom in Christ: Renouncing Sexual Idolatry
A right understanding of the sexual union of husband and wife shows the nature of God’s love and His plan to make us one with Him. This session calls all of us – married, single, or celibate – out of idolatrous and enslaving distortions of sex and into the dignity of personal integration.
Comments Off on 2023 Cedar Springs School – Tuesday
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Tuesday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: Knowing God Rightly
God has provided good and true symbols in scripture and creation so we can know Him as He really is. In this session we invite Him to correct distortions and heal fears in our picture of what He is like, and consider how His image is reflected in a profoundly special way in the marriage of man and woman. This recording includes the “garden of the heart” prayer for healing of fears.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: The Journey of Self-Acceptance in Christ
Following Jesus into maturity means accepting ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind, and trusting in Christ’s righteousness as our own. Tommy Briggs shares his personal journey of coming to know God as Father and growing in this essential Christian virtue.
Presenter: Tommy Briggs
#3: The Image and Healing of Man
Whole men are creation’s best symbol of the masculine virtues. In this session we consider how men develop as unique saints, those who have the potential to be natural and spiritual fathers, and address the hatred of men and masculinity that can injure their becoming.
Presenter: Tom Wright
#4: The Image and Healing of Woman
Whole women image the true feminine while also participating in and completing the masculine. This session honors God’s image in woman and ministers to the hatred of the feminine that is part of the spiritual attack against God’s kingdom.
Comments Off on 2023 Cedar Springs School – Monday
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Monday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: The Holy One is With Us
To know God at all is to know Him as holy, and He imparts this knowledge through His incarnational presence with and within us. This session lays the foundation for the rest of the school and begins exploring our call to abide in Christ.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: Sacramental Participation, Eucharistic Living
Our lives and all creation are God’s gift, given so that we might participate in His life. We find ourselves in finding Him, and can offer every moment and situation back to Him with gratitude.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#3: Receiving God’s Forgiveness
God gives forgiveness freely, but our hearts can be blocked from receiving His gift. This session addresses the common blocks to living as forgiven people so we can walk in the Spirit.
Presenters: Nicole Adams and Anjonette Baum
#4: Obedience and the Vertical Position
It is our privilege to listen to God’s voice. Although we are prone to tune in to other voices, He is merciful and ready to revive the damaged will and restore us to an upright posture of responsive dependence on Him.
Comments Off on 2023 Cedar Springs School Audio Recordings
We are pleased to share the live audio recordings from the 2023 Cedar Springs school. These plenary sessions can be listened to sequentially or individually. The audio can be found by selecting the day of the week below.
As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. — I Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
St. Thomas Aquinas was a man who longed for the harmonious and peaceful inner life that can be found only by clinging to God [1]. In pursuit of this life, he knelt every day before the image of Christ to ask for and receive the virtuous character that he knew God is ready and able to give. Countless saints have joined him in this prayer over the last 750 years – perhaps you’d like to join in too.
St. Thomas recited this daily before the image of Christ
O merciful God, grant that I may
desire ardently,
search prudently,
recognize truly,
and bring to perfect completion
whatever is pleasing to You
for the praise and glory of Your name.
Put my life in order, O my God.
Grant that I may know
what You require me to do.
Bestow upon me
the power to accomplish Your will,
as is necessary and fitting
for the salvation of my soul.
Grant that I may know
what You require me to do.
Bestow upon me
the power to accomplish Your will,
as is necessary and fitting
for the salvation of my soul.
Grant to me, O Lord my God,
that I may not falter in times
of prosperity or adversity,
so that I may not be exalted in the former,
nor dejected in the latter.
May I not rejoice in anything
unless it leads me to You;
may I not be saddened by anything
unless it turns me from You.
May I desire to please no one,
nor fear to displease anyone,
but You.
May all transitory things, O Lord,
be worthless to me
and may all things eternal
be ever cherished by me.
May any joy without You
be burdensome for me
and may I not desire anything else
besides You.
May all work, O Lord,
delight me when done for Your sake
and may all repose not centered in You
be ever wearisome for me.
Grant unto me, my God,
that I may direct my heart to You
and that in my failures
I may ever feel remorse for my sins
and never lose the resolve to change.
O Lord my God, make me
submissive without protest,
poor without discouragement,
chaste without regret,
patient without complaint,
humble without posturing,
cheerful without frivolity,
mature without gloom,
and quick-witted without flippancy.
O Lord my God, let me
fear You without losing hope,
be truthful without guile,
do good works without presumption,
rebuke my neighbor without haughtiness,
and—without hypocrisy—
strengthen him by word and example.
Give to me, O Lord God,
a watchful heart,
which no capricious thought
can lure away from You.
Give to me
a noble heart,
which no unworthy desire can debase.
Give to me
a resolute heart,
which no evil intention can divert.
Give to me
a stalwart heart,
which no tribulation can overcome.
Give to me
a temperate heart,
which no violent passion can enslave.
Give to me, O Lord my God,
understanding of You,
diligence in seeking You,
wisdom in finding You,
discourse ever pleasing to You,
perseverance in waiting for You,
and confidence in finally embracing You.
Grant
that with Your hardships
I may be burdened in reparation here,
that Your benefits
I may use in gratitude upon the way,
that in Your joys
I may delight by glorifying You
in the Kingdom of Heaven.
You Who live and reign,
God, world without end.
Amen[2].
1. Martin Grabmann, translated by Nicholas Ashenbrener, The Interior Life of St. Thomas Aquinas: Presented from His Works and the Acts of His Canonization Process (Bruce, Milwaukee, 1951), 63.
2. Aquinas, Thomas, The Aquinas prayer book: The prayers and hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas, edited by Robert Anderson and Johann Moser (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2000).
Comments Off on Continuing Education Video: On Leisure
To foster the spiritual and psychological maturity of pastoral caregivers through union with Christ.
June 30, 2023, 9:00-10:30 am PDT
Topic: On leisure, the basis of pastoral care
This webinar will continue asking what it takes for pastoral caregivers to be true “talking beasts” – those who hear the call to awake, love, think, and speak! As the northern hemisphere heads into vacation season, we’ll look at the essential role that leisure plays in a vibrant, in-Christ life. Pastors and counselors are often urged to practice good self-care in order to prevent burnout, but true leisure has an even higher purpose and value. We’ll apply Josef Pieper’s profound insights from On Leisure, the Basis of Culture to our lives. Paraphrasing Pieper, “The point and the justification of leisure are not that the pastoral caregiver should serve faultlessly and without a breakdown, but that the pastoral caregiver should continue to be a human being.” The serenity and celebration of real leisure flow from our participation in God’s own rest and joy. Let’s consider what we can do to cultivate the wonderfully creative state of true leisure.
Workshop fee $25 (scholarships available) PURCHASE VIDEO
Workshop Format Teaching with prayer and group discussion via live videoconference. The workshop will be recorded in its entirety for those who are not able to attend live.
Who Should Attend? For those who provide pastoral care in any setting – pastors and spiritual directors, professional psychotherapists, lay counselors, and healthcare providers.
Presenter Dr. Sarah Colyn is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of WA with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and an MA in Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. With over 25 years experience practicing psychotherapy and pastoral care, Sarah has taught and trained pastors, professional counselors and lay caregivers in academic, clinical, and church settings. She is ever-intrigued by the pastoral application of true Christian theological anthropology.
Learning Objectives
To recognize the essential role of leisure in the life of pastoral caregivers.
To distinguish true leisure from amusement, vacation, or self-care.
To identify attitudes and practices that increase our capacity for leisure.
Comments Off on Healing from the Disease of Introspection: A Testimony
Like all MPC prayer ministers, Jim Server can personally witness to the God who heals. He’s written his story for you here, and you can also listen to this recording of Him sharing at the Green Lake school in 2022 (recording begins with worship music).
Sarah asked if I would share about one way I fell into the disease of introspection and how I was healed of it. In a sense, I almost feel as if I were born into itand didn’t start to recover until I became a Christian in my late twenties.
Looking back, I can see how my entire family was made up of “introspectors,” beginning with my parents. In their own way, they were wounded, unaffirmed people who brooded over the hurts and disadvantages that had limited their lives.
My father, in particular, held on to an anger and self-hatred that he medicated with alcohol and often projected onto the family. He preferred spending time at the local tavern to being with his wife and children. A boy who questions, as I did, if he’s really loved or wanted isn’t likely to develop a very favorable self-image.
My mother, on the other hand, did what she could to make a home for us. But she was an emotionally frail person, a victim of severe misogyny with low self-esteem. Her own fragile sense of being made it difficult for her to nurture a healthy sense of being in her children.
The best thing she did for us was to take us to a church where we heard the good news of the Lord’s love and forgiveness. Although I wasn’t ready to accept it at the time, perhaps partly because I had trouble relating to God as a loving Father, it remained dormant in my heart until I was open to receiving it at a moment of great need later in my life.
I wasn’t an orphan in the usual sense, and yet I believed I was on my own by the time I was ten, if not earlier. I somehow knew I couldn’t share my fears and struggles with my family. Generally speaking, my father didn’t want to hear it. My mother couldn’t handle it. And my older brother was in his own world. Siblings who grow up in a stressful family environment sometimes cling together for mutual support, but sadly, we tried to manage our lives mostly apart from each other. Children will model themselves on their parents in good ways and in not-so-good ways. We didn’t have much in common with that loving television family you may remember, the Waltons.
My tendency was to become more withdrawn as I got older. I didn’t have boundaries so much as fortress walls around me. After I became aware of my same-sex attractions, which were yet another source of shame and anxiety, I was even more guarded. I preferred to soothe myself with fantasies of idealized relationships. If anyone ridiculed or rejected me, I’d try to get back at him by belittling him in my imagination. I can remember replaying a scene over and over in my mind to exact the sort of punishment I thought he deserved. I’m afraid I had very little mercy for myself or for anyone else.
Incredibly, I came to believe that the only safe place I had was inside my own head. I was so lacking emotionally, socially, and spiritually that I was elated, at least at first, to discover I could excel academically. There was one part of me, anyway, that seemed to work. I began focusing all my energy on my studies. In high school and beyond, I was driven by anything but the joy of learning. It became, in fact, a grim daily exercise in which my sense of self-worth was constantly at stake. I was a highly competitive kid who displayed his knowledge to earn the praise of teachers and the envy of classmates I had sometimes envied. My overachiever lifestyle was a coping mechanism, a survival technique, to compensate for the chronic dysfunction at home and the unhealed trauma in my heart. At bottom, it was really an attempt to fend off a kind of despair, and I was running hard to stay ahead.
But after a while, the “life of the mind” wasn’t enough. By itself, it was a narrow, lonely type of existence which couldn’t possibly satisfy my other needs. So, I looked around and eventually decided to join the student anti-war movement going on at the time. My role as an activist drew me out of my isolation to a certain degree. Our operation provided the sort of camaraderie I could be comfortable with—relations that were based on our political goals, with no personal intimacy involved. All the drama and passion of those days could incline even a cautious introvert like myself to feel a little less inhibited and somehow more alive. When that era ended and the crowds dispersed, I had an empty space to fill and I was running out of options.
It was only a matter of time until my long-neglected issues would catch up with me. The hurts and deficits I hadn’t wanted to address, or hadn’t known how to, were showing up in some very troubling behaviors. I was subject to bouts of depression interspersed with anxiety attacks. I didn’t leave my apartment any more than I had to. It was all I could do to get through the long days and dark nights. In retrospect, I should probably have been under a doctor’s care. I was so accustomed to living inside a bubble that I can’t say it ever occurred to me to seek professional help and I wasn’t about to open up to some stranger in any case. I wasn’t tempted to medicate with drugs or alcohol, if only because altering the mind with substances was a risky proposition to someone who only felt safe inside the head he was familiar with. Suicide was never an option, regardless of the pain. In words from the song “Ol’ Man River,” I was “weary and sick of tryin’ … tired of livin’ and scared of dyin’.” I still preferred clinging to my pitiful little psyche to suddenly standing before a God who, for all I knew, was like my earthly father, distant and forbidding. I was filled with fear and confusion.
In the midst of my turmoil, though, I couldn’t shake the feeling that God was reaching out to me. I got a strong impression He was urging me to relax my grip and let Him take control. One very bleak winter’s day—to be exact, a Saturday, January 12, 1974, at about 3:00 in the afternoon—I was finally willing to say yes. I was at the campus library trying to work on a paper I couldn’t seem to finish when all at once I was overwhelmed by a sense of futility. It’s meaningless, I thought to myself. It’s ALL meaningless. The God who reads the heart saw that I’d forsaken any hope of saving myself. The next moment, a warm sensation settled on the top of my head and flowed throughout my body. As I was being enfolded in an indescribable sense of peace, I whispered my first prayer as a believer: “Put your arms around me, Jesus.” And He did. He had come to take me to my Father. I saw with perfect clarity that there was not only a God, but a God who loved me. Earlier that day, I had trudged out of my front door like a dead man walking. When I fell asleep that night, I was alive as never before and enveloped in a light the darkness can never overcome.
I seem to be one of those individuals who have to come to the end of themselves before they’re willing to surrender to the promptings of grace. I’ve often wondered if I would have ever turned to Christ but for the pain He allowed me to suffer. I’d been living in a prison of my own making for many long years. It was a “severe mercy” that brought me out of it and into an abundant life with Him and eventually with His other children as well.
As I began my new life in Christ, I felt a bit like the Israelites returning from exile—like “those who dream,” whose “mouths were filled with laughter” and “tongues with songs of joy.” (Ps. 126:1-2) I was hungry and thirsty for more. I couldn’t get enough of Scripture. Things I remembered from my boyhood church were falling into place. I started attending a nearby congregation which eventually became my spiritual home.
While I dearly wanted to be part of my Father’s family in every way, I had a longstanding practice of keeping others at a distance. I came to see I’d have to repent of my prideful aloofness and replace my make-believe friends with genuine relationships based on openness and trust. The Lord helped me get my feet wet in the warm, inviting waters of a charismatic prayer group. I’d never met Christians who expressed their love of God so joyfully or moved so freely in the gifts of the Spirit. I remember thinking, What right do these people have to be so happy? For someone who had been so painfully self-conscious all his life, it was wonderful simply to forget myself and to lift my heart and hands to God in praise. So very different from my old striving to justify myself in my own eyes or to elevate myself in the eyes of others.
To some extent, I was still struggling with my old fear of exposure, but I meant to obey a word the Lord had given me from Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the space of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back.” I’d heard of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a good way to connect with other believers and I developed lasting friendships with people I met there. A group of us lived together in a household for a while. I was impressed by how easily and naturally those young evangelicals spoke of their relationship with the Lord. It wasn’t unusual for someone to start a conversation by saying, “So what did the Lord show you in your quiet time this morning?” It was like a home where I could share my daily life with brothers without the strife and tension I’d grown up with.
As I would hear Leanne Payne say later on, “We know who we are only in relation to others.” I would benefit greatly from numerous prayer partnerships over the years that would both affirm me and challenge me to keep growing in my newfound freedom as a child of God. When I joined a support group for men and women dealing with gender confusion, I could be open in an even deeper way with folks who understood what I was dealing with. I wasn’t at all concerned about being judged or rejected. I could let go of more of the remnants of shame, anxiety, and self-pity I had carried around for much of my life.
I’ve learned it’s important to be intentional about our healing but also to be patient with the process. If we’ve practiced a habit like toxic introspection for many years, we shouldn’t be surprised if we’re still prone to fall back into it, especially in the beginning. I was encouraged at my first PCM school when Leanne told us not berate ourselves if we regress periodically (which would be merely another form of introspecting) but simply to look up to the Lord for His objective truth and to practice His presence instead of our own. Like the bent, disabled woman who joyfully stands erect when Jesus heals her, we straighten upand praise the God who continually renews us. (Lk. 13:10-13) We are called to be recovering introspectors who keep choosing to love the Lord, ourselves, and others in the light of His truth and by the grace He gives us.
Knowing I’m boundlessly loved has enabled me to love more freely in return. I once read that learning to love is similar to learning to speak a foreign language. It’s best to begin when young because it comes to us more easily then. If we wait until we’re older, we’re more likely to talk with an accent. I expect that I will always love “with an accent,” but my Teacher, my Abba Father, is wonderfully patient and kind. He tells me to listen attentively to Him, to be compassionate with myself and others, and to persevere in my journey homeward.
From Psalm 40:1-3: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”
Artwork:
Bernard Vaillant, 1632–1698, Socrates Looking in a Mirror
Hans Holbein the Younger, 1526, Christ as the True Light (Christus vera lux)
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. Psalm 145:5-7
It is in loving God, other men, and all creatures for themselves that we begin to partake of their goodness and beauty. Looking at and loving that which is other than ourselves, we begin to “incarnate” it. This is vital to artistic growth, just as it is to spiritual and psychological growth. Alienation in the form of introspection, self-love, enclosure in the circle or sphere of subjectivity is not the way to know oneself; outer-directed interaction with the objectively real is. To know and love God is the beginning of all joy, and it can yield the gift of a divine self-forgetfulness which is the secret of great art. [1]
Beauty is gratuitous, but it is also necessary. By it, God draws us out of ourselves and into His life. Beauty and goodness attract us, and we naturally move into the self-giving dynamic of love. From the simplest act of breathing to the greatest works of our hands, we’re made to participate in God’s creative purposes. Moment by moment, day by day, we become more of what we love, offering the beauty and goodness He is making in us to the display of His splendor.
PRAYER
Holy God, Creator God, our Father, we praise Your majesty and beauty. We thank You for disclosing Yourself in all that You make and do. We thank you for this awesome and astonishing world, and for coloring our lives with Your multi-splendored grace. Kindle love in our hearts, great Lover of our souls, that Your holy creativity might flow freely through us. Amen.
[1] Leanne Payne, The Broken Image (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1981), 92. Etching: Wenceslas Hollar, 1607-1677, Creation of the Firmament State 2 [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Meditation prepared by Sarah Colyn, drawing on the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne.
Comments Off on What We’re Reading: Living Waters Guidebook
Living Waters: Restoring Relational Integrity through the Broken Body of Christ by Andrew Comiskey
Living Waters is a 20-session program for any Christian seeking healing for sexual and relational brokenness. Local churches all over the world host Living Waters groups, led by lay people helping others become whole gifts to each other through the body of Christ. For the first time, the Living Waters guidebook is available to the public, offering a map toward wholeness for those who don’t have access to a group in their local community. Andrew Comiskey and the Desert Stream staff have also created a professionally-produced series of teaching videos to accompany the workbook. They’re currently offering a free guidebook when you sign up for an annual video subscription. I share Andrew’s hope that folks will use this book on their own or with prayer partners and then be inspired to attend a Living Waters leadership training. Imagine how radiant the Church would be if there was a Living Waters program in every community!
When people reach out to MPC for help in finding someone who can pray with them in the ways they read about in Leanne Payne’s books, we always encourage them to check if there is a Living Waters group in their town. I personally have benefited greatly from the Living Waters program, and can sum up what I’ve gained by quoting from the guidebook: “Jesus urges us onward, always believing in us, always hoping for the best, never failing to fight for the fruit we can bear” [1]. This year I brought several MPC board members along to the special training session they held at the Theology of the Body institute, and we were blessed beyond expectation. I’m grateful that God has inspired them to make the guidebook widely available, for it offers divine sanity and real hope in the places where our world seems most lost today.
In addition to Leanne Payne’s teachings, the Living Waters materials are enriched by the theology of the body of St. John Paul II, and Karl Barth’s recognition that we are social and relational bearers of God’s image. Each chapter presents a key principle of brokenness-to-wholeness, suggests a specific prayer, and offers personal stories of redemption. This twenty-week progression builds a beautiful theological anthropology that speaks the healing word for our most imprisoning sexual and relational wounds. Those who are able to attend a Living Waters program in their community will also experience the healing power of Christ’s Body through the group. Andrew writes about how he needed to work out “real sexual and relational problems with other men and women who were also seeking to be true to God in the whole of their lives” [2]. Counteracting the crushing weight of shame, the wisely facilitated Living Waters small groups become a powerful channel of healing and freedom.
[1] Andrew Comiskey, Living Waters: Restoring Relational Integrity Through the Broken Body of Christ (Grandview, MO, Living Waters International, 2020), 2. [2] ibid, 3.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35b
There is Another who lives in our midst, and He has the Spirit without measure. With Him are all the gifts and all the fruits of the Spirit. Because Jesus, the Gift, lives in and with us, the gifts and the fruit of His life are present and can radiate through us. Thus are we empowered to preach, teach, and heal. [1]
The Father gave His Son, Jesus gave Himself, and the Holy Spirit is given to us, so that we might participate in God’s life of self-giving. Jesus points us to the mystery of love in proclaiming that giving, even more than receiving, grants supreme well-being. He has poured out His life, and the cup never runs dry. It’s an intriguing invitation – become a self by donating yourself, find fullness of life by offering your life. Do we dare to step into that flow?
PRAYER
Thank You, Jesus, for being our Gift. Thank You for imparting Your joy by enabling us to share Your life. Thank You for inviting us to add ourselves to Your offering. We say yes Lord and lift our hearts to You. Take us into Your mystery of inexhaustible outpouring – love Your world through us.
[1] Leanne Payne, The Healing Presence (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1995), 215. Mosaic: Helen McLean & Alessandra Caprara, 2010, Christ in Glory, Church of the Transfiguration, Community of Jesus [photograph in public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Meditation prepared by Sarah Colyn, drawing on the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne.
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matt 3:1-2, 7-8, 11-12 NIV
John the Baptist really demolished that idea [that simply being a descendent of Abraham made a Jew safe in the life to come]: Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Spirit of Power would be given — the Spirit who when He enters a man creates and brings the order of God where there has been disorder and chaos. He brings truth, divine certainty, knowledge of what to repent from, the power to repent. [1]
The warning words of John the Baptist confront careless and proud tendencies that would refuse the gift of a changed life. Repentance truly is a gift, and by it the Holy Spirit can accomplish purity in our hearts. In Lent we make an intentional effort to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s creative inner work. We can trust God to shine a light where we need to change, and to marry His power to our weakness as we walk it out.
PRAYER Come, Holy Spirit, bring order to our chaos. Empower us to welcome Your stirrings; pierce our hearts, loose tears, and grant us grace to let them keep falling until our hearts are cleansed. We renounce resignation to disorder. Descend into us, Refiner’s Fire.
Leanne Payne, The Healing Presence (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1995), 239. Painting: St. John the Forerunner, St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church, Dayton, Ohio [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Meditation prepared by Sarah Colyn, drawing on the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne.
Comments Off on The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love
Love is an excellent thing, a very great blessing, indeed. It makes every difficulty easy, and bears all wrongs with equanimity. For it bears a burden without being weighted and renders sweet all that is bitter. The noble love of Jesus spurs to great deeds and excites longing for that which is more perfect. Love tends upward; it will not be held down by anything low. Love wishes to be free and estranged from all worldly affections, lest its inward sight be obstructed, lest it be entangled in any temporal interest and overcome by adversity.
Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or wider; nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller, and nothing better in heaven or on earth, for love is born of God and cannot rest except in God, Who is above all created things.
One who is in love flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free, not bound. He gives all for all and possesses all in all, because he rests in the one sovereign Good, Who is above all things, and from Whom every good flows and proceeds. He does not look to the gift but turns himself above all gifts to the Giver.
Love often knows no limits but overflows all bounds. Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of troubles, attempts more than it is able, and does not plead impossibility, because it believes that it may and can do all things. For this reason, it is able to do all, performing and effecting much where he who does not love fails and falls.
Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.
If a man loves, he will know the sound of this voice. For this warm affection of soul is a loud voice crying in the ears of God, and it says: “My God, my love, You are all mine and I am all Yours. Give me an increase of love, that I may learn to taste with the inward lips of my heart how sweet it is to love, how sweet to be dissolved in love and bathe in it. Let me be rapt in love. Let me rise above self in great fervor and wonder. Let me sing the hymn of love, and let me follow You, my Love, to the heights. Let my soul exhaust itself in praising You, rejoicing out of love. Let me love You more than myself, and let me not love myself except for Your sake. In You let me love all those who truly love You, as the law of love, which shines forth from You, commands.”
Love is swift, sincere, kind, pleasant, and delightful. Love is strong, patient and faithful, prudent, long-suffering, and manly. Love is never self-seeking, for in whatever a person seeks himself there he falls from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright. It is neither soft nor light, nor intent upon vain things. It is sober and chaste, firm and quiet, guarded in all the senses. Love is subject and obedient to superiors. It is mean and contemptible in its own eyes, devoted and thankful to God; always trusting and hoping in Him even when He is distasteful to it, for there is no living in love without sorrow. He who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand resigned to the will of the Beloved is not worthy to be called a lover. A lover must embrace willingly all that is difficult and bitter for the sake of the Beloved, and he should not turn away from Him because of adversities.
Thomas à Kempis, “The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love,” Imitation of Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25
The God of the Old Testament, Yehovah and Elohim, the God who is faithful and true, who is all loving-kindness, came into our world in the Son — gave Himself for our salvation. This is why the cross is right at the center of our faith. He who is love, peace, truth, righteousness, faithfulness gives Himself for us and to us. He lives in us. This is glory, fullness of being. This is identity. [1]
By His coming, Jesus restored us to the love that flows between Father and Son; He lives in us so that we might know we are beloved sons and daughters. As our hearts come alive, we discover that we’re not just needy objects of love, but also generative lovers who desire the good of others. Like Joseph, we have something real to give Him: ourselves.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for how Your glory awakens my glory and Your fullness of being becomes mine. Your deep calls to my deep, and my heart rises in love. I give myself to You Lord. Have Your way in me. Burn away impurity, warm coldness, and love Your world through me.
[1] Leanne Payne, The Broken Image (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1981), 141. Painting: Guido Reni, 1640, Saint Joseph and the Christ Child [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Meditation prepared by Sarah Colyn, drawing on the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:1-5
God the Father, who has the Power of Being, heals and affirms us. By fiat He spoke the worlds into existence; by fiat He can and does create in us a new and solid sense of being. Through healing prayer, this process (God’s fiat) is greatly quickened. Healing prayer, rightly understood and ministered, is the most creative work in the world, for through it a way is made for God’s command to be uttered, and by it the soul is made ready to hear and receive it.[1]
The God who said, “Let there be light” by divine command speaks to us, “Let there be being!” and creates in us a solid sense of being. As He created the earth out of nothing He creates being in us through healing prayer. He blesses and affirms our masculinity and femininity, and where there has been an empty void in our hearts caused by wounds and deprivations, He fills it with a sense of solidity. We cannot fail to have hope for our redemption in His image when we contemplate the immensity of God’s being.
PRAYER
Holy God, we know that you alone have the power of being. You can create in us a new sense of being. Help us to remember your immensity of being and not our own failings and inadequacies. We open our hearts to You now and welcome the creation of our beings. Thank you for making us solid and secure, knit together by Your power of being.
Comments Off on Video Curriculum: Pastoral Care Series
These videos aim to bring Christ’s healing presence to the stressors and struggles of daily life. His hope, comfort, and strength are truly available, and these teachings and prayers are offered to help us know deeper union in the places we need Him most. Each video includes teaching and guided prayer.
Resource pages for each video offer suggestions for further study and support.
Restoring Hope, Choosing Life This video is offered for those who are suffering with depression, despair, or suicidality. No matter how long or deeply we’ve suffered in a dark place, Christ has opened the path of life, love and true fulfillment by His cross. Resource Page
Consolation for the Grieving This video is for any experiencing a season of grief or loss. God’s everlasting arms will hold us securely as His multi-splendored grace perfectly matches our needs. Resource Page
The Virtue and Gift of Fortitude These two videos consider what fortitude is, how we use it, and how we grow in this essential virtue of courage. Through Christ’s cross, barriers are dismantled and we are strengthened in fortitude. Resource Page
Setting Fear in Order Scripture tells us to fear the Lord while also exhorting us to “fear not.” This teaching explores the right place of fear in our lives, and the ways God ministers healing to fearful hearts. Resource Page
Comments Off on MPC Virtual Academy: Deeper Union with Christ
These videos provide virtual access to the music, teachings, testimonies, and prayers of all sessions of the 2021 Cedar Springs school. May the Lord anoint them afresh to remove barriers and encourage you in entering a deeper union with Christ, by the work of His Spirit. We would love to hear from you as you attend the school online, so please email us to share your experience or prayer need at any time.
Videos will be available for unlimited viewing through July 1, 2022.
Each day of the school is presented in a single video with chapter markers and title screens for each new topic. We encourage you to participate in the sessions in the order presented as each topic will build on the previous sessions. Every session begins with worship singing so that you can lift your heart to the Lord.
Video 1 The Presence of God with Us: The Holiness of God and Incarnational Reality, Dr. Sarah Colyn The Presence of God with Us: Practicing the Presence, Dr. Sarah Colyn The Presence of God with Us: Obedience and the Vertical Position, Dr. Sarah Colyn Removing Barriers to Wholeness: The Virtue of Self-Acceptance, Tommy Briggs Removing Barriers to Wholeness: Receiving God’s Forgiveness, Dr. Sarah Colyn
Video 2 God’s Creative Power: Sense of Being and Well-Being, Dr. Sarah Colyn The Disease of Introspection, Dr. Sarah Colyn The True Imagination I: God, the Source of Our Being, Gay Barretta Hamewith: Our Home Within, A Story of Hope, Jean Holt The Virtue of Hope, Dr. Sarah Colyn
Video 3 Imagery and Symbol: Perceiving God Aright, Dr. Sarah Colyn Becoming and Honoring Man, Dr. Sarah Colyn Community and Codependence, Jean Holt Testimony: Fruitfulness of the Father, Dirk Robinson Renouncing Idol Gods and Appropriating the Holy, Dr. Sarah Colyn
Video 4 Removing Barriers to Wholeness: Forgiving Others, Dr. Sarah Colyn Becoming and Honoring Woman, Dr. Sarah Colyn Testimony: The Shift from Rightness to Righteousness, Sillimon Davis The True Imagination II: Listening Prayer and Receptivity to Reality, Dr. Sarah Colyn The Presence of God Within Us: Incarnational Reality and the True Self, Dr. Sarah Colyn
Video 5 Healing of Memories Prayer, Dr. Sarah Colyn Closing Eucharist Service, Fr. Carlos Raines
“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.” (Isaiah 41:17–18)
It is good to end a book on listening prayer with a brief meditation on Christ, our Lord, as the free-flowing fountain of life. In waiting on Him we receive. We have heard Christ say to us, even as he spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well:
If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.… Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:10, 13–14).
The Apostle John, now with the benefit of hindsight, interprets His meaning in the light of Pentecost and the pouring out of the Spirit upon the faithful. Infinitely beyond what we can fathom or even begin to express, to live is to receive new life from Christ. We “live and move and have our being” in Him (Acts 17:28). We are empowered for the work of the kingdom. It is my hope that the life of prayer, as we have touched on in this book (Listening Prayer) will encourage many to ask for and receive a mighty baptism in Christ’s Spirit as well as many a subsequent infilling and renewing in the same Holy Spirit. [1]
The hymn, Flow Oh Mighty Holy River paints a beautiful image of the fullness that we can receive from the living water of the Holy Spirit. Our Father longs to quench our thirst when we are weary and refreshes us with His waters of joy and His abundant blessing. He revives and encourages our heart, as we sit before Him in prayer, with His abundant grace. We are like flowers opening up to His gracious blessing, like mighty oaks drawing up the water of life through deep roots. Let us open our hearts so that we will be filled to overflowing with His living water. Let us drink abundantly from the fountain of very life itself.
PRAYER
Holy God, thank You for the beautiful gift of your Holy Spirit. We rejoice that you are continually renewing and refreshing us with the encouragement, strengthening, peace, and joy of Your Holy Spirit. We open our hearts to you to receive your abundant fullness not only for ourselves but also for the work of Your kingdom here on earth.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) The sufferer needs to understand that if he will stand in the Cross and hurt, there is a place [for the pain to go], an end to the pain. I explained [to Patsy] how it is one stands and hurts. “See the Cross… see yourself standing and hurting, acknowledging all these feelings, but this time let Christ take them into Himself. Let them flow into Him, just as you would sins you have confessed.” Just as we take our place in Christ’s dying, dying again with Him to our own sins, so we die to those diseased feelings, by allowing Him to take them into Himself. And we learn to wait still suffering if necessary, until relief and healing come. But we do it from our true center, not from an immature or false one. [1]
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 26, 2015: The fresco of Crucifixion in church Chiesa di Santa Maria ai Monti by Giovanni Battista della Marca from 16. cent.
Many are suffering losses as we walk in the Covid wilderness, the loss of good Christian fellowship, the loss of celebratory gatherings, and the loss of meeting with family and dear friends. In many, isolation may trigger long-forgotten childhood feelings of abandonment and rejection. Leanne asks us to look up and gaze at Christ in the Cross in the midst of our suffering. Let Him take the pain into His body on the Cross, and let us exchange the pain for His Heavenly glory that will fill our souls with His resurrection presence.
PRAYER
Gracious Lord, You know the pain of being abandoned by Your own Father on the Cross. You know our suffering and pain as we walk in the Covid wilderness. Let us live from our true center and enable us to look with courage to the Cross and to let our pain, our diseased feelings, flow into that Cross that bears all things, even those trials that are too great for us to bear. Help us to exchange our pain for Your wonderful life.
[1] Leanne Payne, The Healing Presence (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1995), p. 205.
Fresco: Giovanni Battista della Marca, 16th Century, The fresco of Crucifixion in church Chiesa di Santa Maria ai Monti [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Meditation prepared by Mary Carrington, drawing on the writings and ministry of Leanne Payne.
