The week before Christmas, I went on a personal Jesus Retreat. Taiwan is highly populated so there are people everywhere. I love the people but sometimes I feel the need to get away. Solitude gives me much time to reflect and for long ignored thoughts and feelings to emerge. It also helps me hear God better without the noise of constant activities and demands. This retreat wasn't in my plans at first, but I felt the need to schedule it one early morning. I guess God is reminding me, it's time to do this. Once I did, I think I am going to make this my new Christmas tradition here in Taiwan. What a concept! Spending quality time with Jesus to celebrate His birthday.
I have to tell you, this retreat was very hard, because it was also a fasting retreat. This is different from the previous silent retreats that I went. I love going to this silent retreat center Manresa that I often went with my sister. In that retreat center, they provide three delicious, nutritious meals a day plus snacks. But since I have not fasted in a while, and I am a firm believer in the benefits of intermittent fasting, I figured that this would be the best opportunity to fast because at the location of the remote cabin that I went, there is no stores nearby, therefore no temptations. Well, honestly, I was miserable for the first 4 days. It's like when you remove all the distractions in your life, you realize how loud the static or background noise really is. My mind was not at rest, though the environment was calm and peaceful. My thoughts were surprisingly so loud and so busy! However, on the fifth day, I woke up feeling like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon! I felt great physically and mentally. My brain had never been so sharp and focused before. What they say about fasting is true, that it removes all the brain fog, but it takes perseverance and time. On the seventh day, I felt so good that I was wishing that I didn't have to go home.
Sometimes on these retreats, God instructs me on what I need to do, sometimes He corrects me. If it's something that is important, God doesn't leave me alone, such as the move to Taiwan. It wasn't something I came up with, but He speaks so clearly and loudly whenever I asked Him, especially during my retreats. This time God didn't give me any instructions or corrections. He just taught me how to enjoy my own company and enjoy solitude. Being alone isn't the same as feeling lonely. I can be alone by choice and can feel content and happy, because God is there. Nothing can separate His love from me. So, I wanted to share three more love letters from God with you. (if you are interested in my previous blog about Love letters from God, here is the link Love Letters from God | Success God's Way)
1.
Dear Little one:
I love you. I am so glad you are taking time to be with Me so you can fully feel that love and soak it up. When you are busy, you don't notice that I love, and you do a lot of things in your own strength. You know, even in those days, my love never leaves you and is always there whether you notice it or not. Trust Me, little one. Trust that my ways are not your ways, and Mine are way better. Learn to take time to listen to My loving guidance even in the busiest of days and moments.
Remember the surprise sunset and the soft breeze on your face? Those are little tokens of love from Me. There is a lot of struggles in life and sometimes suffering is important to develop Christlikeness. But not every day is full of pain, suffering and hardship. I want you to not focus on that suffering so much that you are too distracted to hear Me and talk to Me. Even in the worst days, I am there, and I will love you through it. My love for you is more than any fathers or husbands on this earth. It's a love that you cannot fathom or compare and will never run out. Don't forget it.
Love,
Source of love
2.
Dear Little Chris:
Even if you try, you will never understand even 1/10 of the vastness of my love for you. My voice is often not the harsh, correcting voice that tells you to follow rigid rules, endless instructions or exhort you to perfection. What I whisper to your spirit is often how much I love you and how I want you to be free to be who you are created to be. Those intuitions or instinct you have? Try not to suppress them. Take time to listen to what your heart tells you. Often times, they are from Me, I gave you those feelings and desires. Pay attention to the intuition. follow its guidance, it is leading you where I want you to go. Like what Naaman learned, I often don't ask you to go on a great difficult quest, but what I am asking you to do is ordinary and plain and often overlooked. Try it, sometimes that's where the miracles happen.
Love,
Your heavenly daddy
3.
My dear beloved Bride:
You are special to Me, my beautiful one. You are my Bride, a position higher than the angels. A bride gets to share the inheritance of her bridegroom. I want to share so much abundance with you. When Darcy marries Elizabeth, he gives all of him to her, his riches, his love and his all. Do you know that My love is greater than any romantic movie you saw on TV? Those were made in Hollywood, yet I am the source of love, the creator and owner of the universe, and I chose you to be My bride. That is a special position in heaven that no one has. Stop doing work, stop worrying, stop striving to be better. A bride's job on the wedding day is to relax, look beautiful, and fully enjoy the love of the bridegroom. You know what's best? That love from Me never changes and lasts forever!
love,
The Bridegroom
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