SITTING BY THE SEA

Just one verse and it contains no theology - or does it?

Matthew 13:1    [All quotes are from The Voice Bible, unless otherwise noted]

"That same day Jesus left the house and went to sit by the sea."        

One gets the feeling when reading through the gospels that the disciples had to get up every morning and go on a hunt to find Jesus.  He seemed to be always off somewhere praying - enjoying His private time with God and just being alone

I've been a retreater throughout the years!  They fell into two categories.

FORMAL RETREATS

About twice a year, I would go away by myself for three to five days [sometimes longer].  Over the years, I've had a number of places that I favored:

• The Jumonville Training Center where I would sit under the massive cross with its view of three states and seven counties!  
  
  
  
• The Castle or Sibley Mansion near Franklin, PA.  This secluded spot offered mountain walks, minimal intrusion, and quiet!  
  
  
  
• Mt. Zion Retreat Center in Roaring Branch, PA.  Isolation, quiet, no cell service and a breath-taking view made this a favorite.  [Plus, it was near my brother's home and we always had breakfast together at least once while I was there!]
  
  
  

You must know that I have stories from each of these experiences.  Many of them were noteworthy and beg for more details - like the time that I addressed my guardian angel and thanked him for his protection throughout the years!  My skin pricks when I even think about that experience.

Periodically, I needed solitude!  I needed the time and space to reconnect with God!  I was fortunate to lead churches that tried to understand this need and allow me the privilege of escape!  In the end, I'm confident that they benefitted from my retreats.  

Let me tell you a bit about my retreats.  

At first, you sleep - a lot!  Exhaustion catches up to you!  It takes a toll!  Being 'on call' has a cost!  

I always journaled - especially during retreats!  I wanted to document what I was hearing and learning!

I prayed A LOT!  Often while walking, I would talk out loud to God!

My schedule changed!  When I would get around to working [which usually involved sermon planning], I would frequently work long into the night.  I would simply work when I wanted to and sleep when I needed to!  

My retreats often involved fasting.  Eating was a distraction - so sometimes, I simply eliminated the distraction.

I would write letters - a practice that is quickly falling away.  As people would come to my mind, I would write notes of prayer or 'thinking of you', or simply friendship.

There were a few retreats where I wrestled with my enemy and entered into spiritual warfare!  

I was always better because of these times of withdrawal!

INFORMAL RETREATS

I have been a backpacker and hiker for many years!  I've spent hundreds of nights alone in the woods in my tent.  I could bore you with the many stories of my adventures.  I have almost as many backpacking stories as I have of hitch-hiking stories from the late, 1960's.  :-)

Most of my backpacking trips took me away for at least a week!  

Other times, I would just escape for a day or even half-a-day for some time in the woods.  Often this would occur on Mondays - which was my designated day off each week.  These times were refreshing and renewing as I walked and talked out loud with my Lord!  

When we were living in Akron, OH, and our kids had matured, Debbie announced that she was going to start going with me on Monday mornings [Monday was also our day off from our work with Shelter Care].  I panicked!   I told her how important this time was for me and that I needed the time to be alone.  She understood.  I promised to come home and get her and we would go back to hike together and then hit Pizza Hut for lunch!  She was delighted!  We followed that pattern for the rest of our time in Akron!  

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Jesus was simply setting an example!  It was subtle - but persistent!  

A DISCIPLE:  "Where is He?"

ANOTHER DISCIPLE:  "I don't know.  We'll just have to go and look for Him!"

And that's the way it was.  They would find Him on a mountaintop or by the seashore or tending a small fire in the woods or sitting with His back against a tree.  

Did they get His message?  Do you?  

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  -  James 4:8

Disconnecting

I'm on retreat at Mt. Zion Retreat Center in Roaring Branch, Pennsylvania. I've been coming here for years to be alone with God and allow Him to attempt to recalibrate my soul.  Roaring Branch is near Canton, which is about an hour north of Williamsport on Route 14.

I'm a half-hour drive from my brother, Ira's, home.  I always get a visit in with him (and Joyce) while I'm in the area.

Mt. Zion is a quiet, out-of-the-way place.  I'm usually the only guest here.  In recent years they've given me a room in the lodge, which is a three-floor, fully fledged retreat center.  I'm in room 10 on the second floor this week.  It has a small desk, a double bed, a lamp and stand, and a desk chair. This is the first time I've had a room with a private bathroom.  I'm quite comfortable.  There's a refrigerator and microwave on the first floor for me to use.

This area has changed a lot over the last decade or so.  The gas recovery business has brought jobs and wealth.  Mt. Zion seems to have benefitted from this phenomenon.  I'm noticing much-needed improvements (including my new bathroom).  I also just noticed several massive windmills on the mountain overlooking Mt. Zion!

This is the ideal place to disconnect.  I'm ten miles from Canton and its stores, restaurants and cell service.  I get an occasional bar of service on my phone, which once-in-a-while lets a text message squeeze through.  I never had internet here before, but now am blessed (?) to have wifi in the retreat house.

It's not uncommon for me to spend five days here and not see or talk with anyone (except for the visit to my brother's house).  I read and nap and type and pray and think in a random schedule that suits me perfectly.  I live in the same clothes all week.  I don't shave.  I don't eat.  There's no television. My phone can't ring.  I'm surrounded by mountains.  The place is appropriately named.

I've noticed that I always feel lonely when I arrive (which is usually late on a Sunday).  Entering the silence and solitude is a difficult process to describe. I know I've been privileged as a pastor to have the freedom to practice this discipline.  There've been times when I've done this two (and even three) times a year!

I find that I sleep a lot the first day - usually in frequent naps.  My schedule changes radically.  I may read or write late into the night and then sleep.  I usually take a walk in the woods at least once a day. I play guitar a little and sing and praise the Lord.  I bring about fifty books with me so I have the resources I think I'll need to plan preaching series.  [I'm here this week to pray, plan and prepare for the Tri State Family Camp in July.]

It seems to take a full day to disconnect.  I never expect to get much done the first day.  I know I'll read and nap and think.  I journal a lot while I'm here; it helps to cleanse my thoughts.

Gradually though, I do disconnect.  My mind settles down.  I'm old-school, so I usually start my planning with a yellow pad and pencil.  Eventually, though, my fingers begin to play on the keyboard. At some point I always reflect on how wise I was to take that summer school typing class between my junior and senior years.  :-)

Debbie has never come with me.  She seems to know how precious this 'alone time' is for me.  I did take Travis on retreat with me once for several days.  I got him a private room.  He read constantly. We had some good talks and bonding time.  I remember that trip fondly!

Connecting with God has clear benefits.  I can count on a time when the thoughts begin to flow and my fingers can't move fast enough.  These are often the times when I will work till 3:00 AM without a stop.  When I awaken refreshed, I can step right back into the flow and continue the work. Having no distractions is an amazing blessing!

Getting clear with God is rich!  I've known for some time that I've been letting a distance grow with Him.  The last eight months have been full of disappointments for me.  In my sorrow, my relationship with God has suffered.  I've been needing some face-to-face time with Him.  Here I am, Lord!

I know that some would not enjoy this experience.  I also know that some who would enjoy it can't seem to make it happen for one reason or another. To some extent, I believe our constantly 'plugged-in' culture is detrimental to us in almost every way.  Our spiritual relationships - although occasionally buzzed by something we read or see on Facebook - suffer from a lack of solitude and silence.

Being alone in a room with Him for several days means you're going to eventually have to converse with Him.  I typically find that most of what I have to say takes the form of confession (a rare topic in Christianity these days).  For me, it's like taking roto-rooter to a clogged drain.  Once those channels are flowing again the communion is once again rich!

Day one is ending.  The silence is overwhelming.  I feel like I'm not alone in this room...

A STIMULATING CONVERSATION

I just talked for over an hour with Dan.  He and his wife, Debbie, operate Mt. Zion Retreat Center (in Roaring Branch, PA).  A few years ago they also started a church in the gym at Mt. Zion.  He tells me that it's made up of couples under the age of 38 (he and Debbie are the oldest folks in the church).

For quite a few years they had foster children (in addition to raising their own three) - about 60 of them over the course of time. 

To support his family, Dan drives truck for a large bakery in Williamsport, PA.

They moved out of their home this summer to have it renovated into a safe-house for women trying to escape lives of sexual slavery.  They hope to have it fully licensed to open by late January. 

They want to start a Bible College in the next few years (at Mt. Zion) to educate young, adult men and women for ministry.  One donor has pledged five million dollars to the start-up of this project! 

Now understand, Mt. Zion is a small retreat center.  It had two houses to lodge small groups, but one of them burned to the ground a year ago.  They also have a large, three floor retreat house with many small rooms and shared restrooms.  It is in much need of repair and is expensive to heat in the winter.  The retreat center is a ministry - but it is not lucrative!

They tap into volunteer labor as much as they can.  They have few financial supporters.  However, various board members and a few others are extremely generous with contributions.  The Retreat Center is six years behind in paying Dan and Debbie.  Their church pays him $100 a week. 

Yet, his vision is unending and his passion exceeds that of most people I know.  As a result of talking with him, I feel like my batteries have been recharged!  My hope renewed.  My vision expanded.

Dan and Debbie are entrepreneurs!  They start things.  It's their gift!  They desperately need people to come alongside them to help make things work. 

They bless me by providing a place to retreat three times a year.  It's usually quiet here.  No cell service.  No television.  Solitude.  Minimal distractions and a fantastic view of the mountains.  I typically stay Sunday night through Friday morning;  they ask me for $125.  I bring my own food and prepare it in a tiny, outdated microwave oven. 

Dan and Debbie are Kingdom people!  They thrive because they are connected to the living God!  He provides for their needs.  Nearly everything they do is focused on making His name known.

I am humbled.  They make my world seem small.  I just thought you should know about them - maybe you'll bump into them in Heaven someday.  If you do, you can tell them that you heard about the great things they did for God! 

If you want to know more, or bless them, or encourage them:
Dan and Debbie Colton
Mt. Zion Retreat Center
287 Zion Road
Roaring Branch, PA  17765

Their church is on Facebook:  Mt. Zion New Life Center
Debbie has a blog at:  http://www.debbiesoasis.blogspot.com/