{"id":6430,"date":"2011-02-09T07:14:03","date_gmt":"2011-02-09T13:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/?p=6430"},"modified":"2011-02-09T07:14:03","modified_gmt":"2011-02-09T13:14:03","slug":"a-night-not-quite-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/2011\/20110209-6430.htm","title":{"rendered":"A Night Not-Quite-Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

A month ago, Stephanie issued a challenge to the readers of Offering Hospitality<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Meredith blogged about her practice of spending a day in solitude once a month here, here and here. Her goal, was to pray, read scripture, and focus on God in a location away from her normal distractions.
\n…
\nI’m not saying we only spend time with God once a month. I mean having half a day, a whole day, or even overnight set aside to focus on something specific with God. Think of it as offering hospitality to yourself and God.<\/p>\n

Will you join me in solitary hospitality?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I said I would and set a date: Thursday, January 20th.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, I was sick as a dog on Thursday, January 20th and I spent the day between my computer and my bed (and the bathroom, bleh!)<\/p>\n

And then life had a way of taking up every spare moment after that. <\/p>\n

When would I have 3 uninterrupted hours to spend with God?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I occasionally thought of my assent to the challenge, of the vow I’d left undone. I felt guilty, but I felt I couldn’t do anything about it.<\/p>\n

Then Stephanie’s Wrap Up Post<\/a> posted–and I really felt bad.<\/p>\n

Still doing nothing.<\/p>\n

Then, on my drive from one of my facilities to the other yesterday, I realized it was futile to keep waiting for tomorrow.<\/p>\n

How ’bout tonight? I asked myself. And I started plotting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’d have an hour and a half drive home–time I usually spent listening to a podcast or audiobook or brainstorming something for work. Then after I got home, I’d have an hour and a half before my sister would get home.<\/p>\n

I’d choose to use that time with the Lord.<\/p>\n

So I started my solitary retreat in the car. Praying. <\/strong><\/p>\n

It started with a whine, a complaint.<\/p>\n

What’s up with this, Lord? What’s up with where you have me? Why this? Why that? And why are You so silent?<\/p>\n

I asked for help in specific things.<\/p>\n

For some, He was silent. For others, He sent me grasping about for my journal and thankful for red lights so I could write down His words.<\/p>\n

“Hold it with a loose hand.”<\/p>\n

A simple phrase, not much to it–but the silence was broken.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My heart eventually turned from me, and the headlights of an approaching train reminded me, oddly, to pray for my family. I spent the rest of my drive remembering my family in prayer.
\n
\nIt felt good, to spend concerted time bringing those I love before the One I love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I still had Grace to go when I got home, so I spent a bit more time praying for her.<\/p>\n

Then into my room and snuggled under the covers (our heat pump just can’t quite keep up with Nebraska’s currently subzero temps) with my Bible for some reading.<\/p>\n

Nothing in particular, just more from my ordinary Bible reading plan. <\/p>\n

But it was me and God together–together for a good long time.<\/p>\n

Maybe it wasn’t earth-shattering, but it was soul-quenching.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’d forgotten that this burden can only be lifted by Him.<\/p>\n

I’d forgotten that this longing can only be fulfilled in Him.<\/p>\n

I’d forgotten that life is worth living for Him.<\/p>\n

I’m so glad He brought it to mind as I spent the night not-quite-alone–with Him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out what others have been learning through their solitary retreats at Offering Hospitality: Solitary Hospitality Challenge Conclusion<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A month ago, Stephanie issued a challenge to the readers of Offering Hospitality: Meredith blogged about her practice of spending a day in solitude once a month here, here and here. Her goal, was to pray, read scripture, and focus on God in a location away from her normal distractions. … I’m not saying we … Read more A Night Not-Quite-Alone<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6430"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6430\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bekahcubed.menterz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}