Solitude Testimonies

The times that I hear from God are those Intentional Times of Solitude, or the times Sanctioned by The Holy Spirit. This is a space that is absolutely essential to my Christian experience. I can do nothing good or meaningful without the Guidance, Wisdom and Warning of The Holy Spirit. I base my actions on what I hear from God, during these times.
 Saturday March 28th at the Blueberry Farm Retreat, was not my first time being in Intentional Solitude with God. I have learned through the Unction of The Holy Spirit to come before God with Praise, Worship, His Word and in Prayer. I’ve learned to listen during prayer, so that I know what to pray for. It is in these intimate times that the language of tongues takes over and allows me to know God’s instructions and direction for my journey and sometimes the lives of others. It’s in these times that I have strong spiritual connections with God. I’ve been inspired to write a personal prayer, (given by God, upon my request); I’ve written sermons; tributes; words of encouragement; devotionals; etc., I never take for granted my personal time of solitude. It’s now a bond, for me, that cannot be broken. People laugh sometimes when I tell them that I hear from God; I’m not taken seriously; and I’ve even been humiliated. (A pastor told me once that ‘God don’t speak to nobody, that much’.) I’m at the point where other’s opinions about my relationship with God doesn’t matter in the least. Whatever God tells me in those quiet times, I follow, and so far, Holy Spirit has not led me wrong. In those quiet times alone with God, I have brought comfort to the sick; calmed the hearts and minds of those who needed comforting; caused others to believe in Christ; carried messages that God gave me, to speak life into the situations of others; and brought confirmation to those seeking a word from God.
Intentional times of solitude is the way we receive messages and direction from the Lord. I can’t do anything right without God, The Holy Spirit. Things go awry when I don’t heed his beckoning or when I try to do things on my own strength. It took years to realize how much God could use me, all the more: if I just stood still; if I cut out every distraction; if I quit being lazy; if I turned down my plate (fasted); if I got into a space of isolation, where it’s just God & me.
My faith, my belief, my commitment, my determination, my warrior spirit, my conviction, my ability to communicate with words and to manage the English language verbally and on paper, (if you only knew my whole story, you would wonder why this is all even possible). I was isolated, rejected, cursed literally, sexually abused by family members and told that I wouldn’t amount to anything. My family never gave me one word of encouragement. I wanted to kill myself, so many times. I questioned why I was even born. I was even on prescribed Prozac, Ativan and Xanax. Depression was my friend. As a very young woman I was in a periodic state of anxiety. It was in these times of solitude when I prayed, with no self-worth, that God spoke to me and sent His Angels to give me comfort. Those Angels were in the form of teachers and strangers, throughout my young years. Turns out I’m not an accident or a mistake as I was led to believe. My Steps were Ordered by God, and continues to be so. My life was orchestrated and designed, for such a time as this.
Thank you for this opportunity to share and for accepting me in the Thrive Family without hesitation.
-Gloria

In the past year, I have had a lot of solitude time. Due to me coming out of a time in my life in the 4 years before this past year of not following God and following my own path, I thought would make me happier and that I deserved it, and of coarse I was wrong. What God has shown me and spoken into me is His continual Grace, Mercy, Love, Healing, Reconciliation, and Patience towards me. As well as Teach me all these things and how I am to apply them to my life, so that I may live a life God wants for me and not what I want for myself. I now cherish my times of solitude more than I ever had, because that is when I clearly hear God and his will for me. My prayer is that this will be a help for you.
-Tim

At the start of the retreat, I literally penned in my journal, at the top of the very first page, "God, open my eyes to see the wonderful things You want to show me".  When it was time, I walked out to the blueberry field without any technology, with only a pen, my actual Bible, journal, and a mat.  I laid down shaded by one of the bushes and began to methodically read each verse on the list given to us and write how God could've been expressing His love to me, for me, or about me. And then something shifted.  I deeply felt everything around me kind of blur in unimportance and it was noticeably just Him and me. I kept writing from the verses, but then other things came to my mind, so I wrote them down. And this is what I wrote:
I love that you will do anything I ask.  Anything...Even if it's hard or looks impossible or unbelievable...And you stick to it even if it requires you to give up things and sacrifice.  But nothing I ever ask of you will ever demand that you minimize who I've made you to be.  What I ask you to do will utilize those qualities.  There will be a perfect fit, even if it's difficult, the fit will be perfect.  What I'm working on now is showing you who you are deep down, your truest self, who I made you to be.  Then you will know where you fit and what you will say yes to and what I am leading you to do.  I never ask you to shrink back and minimize your qualities or who you are.  I ask you to cut away the things that come in between Me and you.
Tears were streaming down my face, bugs were crawling on me (like, the ladies at my table were picking them off my clothes later), and from the distance the snails traveled across my mat I figured "solitude time" was over.  Which I'd like to suggest an audible time's up signal in the future:) But, I know I met with God in that blueberry patch.  I'll never ever forget that.  And now I genuinely make it a practice to quiet myself and sit with Him and He meets with me.
-Jennifer

During the solitude time amidst blueberry bushes, God directed my eyes to John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.
 I thought about Mary, the Mother of Jesus Chosen and Appointed at such a young age… Me? So many unknowns.. so many questions… Sometimes I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around a Sovereign God, Creator of the universe who Genuinely cares about me and chooses me personally. But in that Blueberry field, I heard it loud and clear: Jesus says I am Chosen, appointed… GO BEAR FRUIT. Ok Lord, I’ll take the next step and do this small group. The Lord has been pushing me in this season to take His message, and call every lady to GO and bear fruit. So I started BELOVED SISTERHOOD group (now open to any age) meeting every 6-8 weeks. NEXT MEETING IS JULY 18 from 11-3. We have brunch, worship, a small message on a lesson we learn from Mary the mother of Jesus, divide into groups for reflection questions and prayer. My first one I spoke on the topic “Chosen not perfect” and Mia is speaking next “Surrender over understanding” and sharing some of her testimony. Elaine and Gloria are also speakers.
I feel that in this season of waiting for our building, God is calling for 2 things to continue to build and strengthen the foundation of the church first:
1. For us to learn to walk in Spiritual authority with the power of the Holy Spirit
2. To pursue unity in the body of Christ as a church family. I want our ladies to grow in fellowship, mentor and support each other, and be the village that we need. Shortly after the blueberry retreat, I went to see Priscilla Shirer, a Christian speaker at a ladies retreat with 2-3k women. There is something so powerful about women seeking God together, and praying with each other. We need more of that!
The Purpose/Vision for this group: Our vision is to foster authentic fellowship, cultivate a Godly lifestyle, and grow as women set apart whose lives glorify God—encouraging one another to walk confidently in spiritual authority.
God showed up in a big way at that first meeting… bringing new people too- including Gloria’s granddaughter Maia- who excitedly went to young adults and worship too that weekend…. And 2 of my coworkers who also joined for worship Sunday.
My only time not dedicated to anyone else is usually 5-7am. I usually get up and read the BIY reading for the day… crazy how 6 years of reading the same book and God reveals new things in His LIVING WORD! The Word and Jesus saved our marriage- so we love to dive in, but since the blueberry retreat, I have also focused more on prayer. Often, I sit in silence cuz I talk too much already- and sometimes God downloads a word for me or someone else right through my pen to paper.
I try to live by Mary’s answer to the angel..Luke 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Like Sam said at the blueberry farm- John the beloved disciple understood it well… we really have to learn how to BE LOVED and move in that with the power of the Holy Spirit.
And ya know- I have a black thumb but I planted a blueberry bush when I got home… it’s a miracle it’s alive and bearing fruit. I feel like God chuckled and said- see girl, you plant- but it’s in My power that fruit grows.
-Becky

A big part of my identity is that I'm a very strong independent, productive woman.  I say I want peace, I need and crave peace, but rarely prioritize that time alone with my Lord that will most likely give me that peace I desire. At the retreat, when we were given an assignment for an hour, that seemed like quite a challenge but I was up for it.  I gathered my chair, sunglasses, Bible, etc and as soon as I got out there, I realized I forgot the piece of paper with the assignment and my notes (And didn't remember what we were supposed to be doing). My initial reaction was almost panic; my inner critical dialogue started, "I'm so stupid, how could I forget the thing that says what I'm supposed to be doing out here for an HOUR!" I've learned to stop that quickly and just started to pray.  The Lord told me it was ok, it was my time to just "be" ...  abide was our word and that's exactly what I did for that glorious hour. (Being productive has always been more comfortable and natural for me than just "being.")  I walked barefoot among the blueberries, prayed, read a few scriptures, prayed some more, etc. That precious time filled my cup and re-energized me!  I made a mental note that I need to do this in some form of my normal life.  Now I realize after more than 2 months later, as the Queen of excuses, that I have not followed through.  
I realize this is NOT a testimony, quite the contrary.  But it was my experience and I think that's what many of us do-get a spiritual high and want to implement it, and for various reasons, then fail.  I have a hunch that you haven't gotten a lot of responses, and if that's the case, wonder if a lot of other ladies had similar experiences...
I'm also hoping some of the amazing women did follow through with inspirational results.
I'll also use this time to say thank you for all you do, you're very appreciated,
-Sandi

I was at a crossroads in my young adult life and knew something had to change. I was working long days and had a three-year-old son whom I was seeing, at most, only two hours a day. The weight of it all left me deeply discouraged and depressed.
After many months of seeking the Lord about my future and experiencing several divine appointments, I felt Him leading me in a completely different direction. I went from working in the physical therapy field to becoming a teacher. Logically, this didn’t make sense because I would make 1/3 the pay I was making at the time if I switched careers.
I vividly remember the moment that gave me the final push I needed. Sitting alone on the beach, I closed my tear-filled eyes, took a deep breath, and said out loud, “Lord, just tell me to go, and I’ll go.”
The instant the word go left my lips, I heard the gentle whisper we so often read and hear about. God simply said, “Go.”
It wasn’t harsh or passive… it was confident and reassuring.
The best way I can describe it is to ask you to picture this: a father teaching his child to ride a bike without training wheels. There comes a moment when he lets go, knowing the child is ready, and with confidence and encouragement says, “Go.”
That’s what God’s voice sounded like to me.
In that moment, I knew without a doubt that I could trust Him. I couldn’t clearly see the path ahead, but I knew He was asking me to take the next step. And that even though it didn’t make sense, that He would be with me every step of the way.
- Raquel

I naturally love quiet time. I don't have any issues making time to not to talk to any one. But the challenge of intentionally taking time during our ladies retreat for a solitude moment challenged me.
I took the question prompts hoping for guidance but ended up just staring at the sky at first. I was observing all of what God created. Enjoying the perfect temperature of the day. As I was observing God's creation, I started thinking of the seasons of waiting. I began to reflect on different seasons of waiting I have went through. Jobs, Finances, etc. There was one that kept coming to mind. I have felt I've been in a never ending season of waiting when it comes to getting pregnant. Continually praying that God would give clarity on why this hasn't happened yet. As I sat in that blueberry field, a feeling of immeasurable peace came over me. I haven't been able to conceive (Yet!) but I've had the blessing to be a mother figure in so many of the students I see weekly. God hasn't blessed me with a child of my own  just yet but He's used me in different students lives in ways that I never thought possible. That solitude time helped me gain me a peace past all understanding. That His timing will always be greater than my own. And to be thankful of the "right now" not what "will be". To slow down and truly see Him in the little things. Because that is where He shows up the most.
-Marissa