Sunday, June 04, 2006
Going Wild
I wasn't planning to go! Nope, I'd just been to a men's retreat with Phil Calaway right here in my home town. So I figured I'd stay home this time and get some things done around the house. Well, God had other plans. Wednesday evening at prayer meeting I learned that there were a couple of tickets available because other men could not go. And they were free! A couple of phone calls later and I was on my way with several other men.
Where were we going? To a very special men's conference in the middle of Calgary. Friday morning five of us men hoped into a mini-van, shared gas expenses, food, and "man" stories about farming and logging, cars and motorcycles, hockey and houses, for eight hours. Well, I opted out for an hour or so and had a power nap in the back seat.
In Calgary, 2300 men filled a large church building and listened to John Eldredge and his "Wild at Heart" team of several men talk about the kind of men God created us to be. They made excellent use of Video trailers of popular movies like "Braveheart" and "Lord of the Rings" and their own personal testimonies to explain their teaching.
In a nutshell, every man has a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. But our hearts have been lost (to a greater or lesser degree) by devistating experiences like having an abusive father or being driven to perform by what other have said about us. But God wants to restore our hearts. And He did. In many ways.
It was also great to connect with several other men I'd know from other places and to fellowship with the ones I'd traveled with. We overnighted in the home of a family that had recently moved from here to Calgary. Sleeping on the basement floor with six other guys was a little bit like camping in the Yukon, but without the bugs!
The ride home was probably the best part. The three of us in the back seats shared what we got out of the conference which amounted to each us us telling our life story and how God has been and is continuing to be setting us free. Some of those stories are almost unbelievable. But in all cases when we cry out to God, He heals our hearts and moves us forward into a freer and closer walk with Him. A walk in which we can truly be "Wild at Heart!"
Where were we going? To a very special men's conference in the middle of Calgary. Friday morning five of us men hoped into a mini-van, shared gas expenses, food, and "man" stories about farming and logging, cars and motorcycles, hockey and houses, for eight hours. Well, I opted out for an hour or so and had a power nap in the back seat.
In Calgary, 2300 men filled a large church building and listened to John Eldredge and his "Wild at Heart" team of several men talk about the kind of men God created us to be. They made excellent use of Video trailers of popular movies like "Braveheart" and "Lord of the Rings" and their own personal testimonies to explain their teaching.
In a nutshell, every man has a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. But our hearts have been lost (to a greater or lesser degree) by devistating experiences like having an abusive father or being driven to perform by what other have said about us. But God wants to restore our hearts. And He did. In many ways.
It was also great to connect with several other men I'd know from other places and to fellowship with the ones I'd traveled with. We overnighted in the home of a family that had recently moved from here to Calgary. Sleeping on the basement floor with six other guys was a little bit like camping in the Yukon, but without the bugs!
The ride home was probably the best part. The three of us in the back seats shared what we got out of the conference which amounted to each us us telling our life story and how God has been and is continuing to be setting us free. Some of those stories are almost unbelievable. But in all cases when we cry out to God, He heals our hearts and moves us forward into a freer and closer walk with Him. A walk in which we can truly be "Wild at Heart!"
# posted by Mister Ed T @ 9:05 AM 
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Wow! Sounds like a great time and a very worthwhile trip! I'm so glad you got to go! God has His special ways of delighting our hearts and drawing us close to Him. He always knows just what we need.
# posted by 
: 6/05/2006 11:57 AM
: 6/05/2006 11:57 AM
The closer we walk with the Lord, the deepere He digs in our lives: pruning, cleansing, healing. And the better we know Him.
Oh Ed I really enjoyed reading your post here.It touched my heart in many ways.It was wonderful to hear of how the Lord made way for your journey with the men to a church filled with men and to hear their life stories.I was thrilled for you in your time away.This post warmed my heart tonight.Thanks.
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