rivendell.

This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
Ask for the ancient paths,
Ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
And you will find rest for your souls.”
- Jeremiah 6:16

Rivendell came at just the right time and I couldn't’t help but feel God’s hand leading me down the pathway into the welcoming old home. The rooms were quiet and strikingly peaceful filled with beautiful furniture and refreshing plants. I loved it. The place made me want to think and pray and be still, fulfilling its intended purpose.
Our first night was spent doing a Lectio Divina (a method of praying scripture) on Jeremiah 6:16 in which we dispersed about the three storey house, letting the words come alive speaking to us individually. It sounds odd and slightly boring, which was indeed my first reaction, reading and re-reading one verse, focusing on one word then a phrase and back to one word. How long can you sit and do that for? I thought that I was going to fall asleep repeating the words ‘stand’ and ‘the good way’. It turns out that a few forgotten doors of my heart quietly opened in the solace of the home and allowed God to softly speak words of refreshment. It’s as though I was sitting by a peaceful stream on a hot summers day, swishing my toes around in the cool water and feeling a slight breeze on my face...just enough. It was lovely. I was surprised when our time came to a close, I could have gone on for awhile more, yet I was excited for the next day brought at Rivendell.
James and I got to the house early the next morning, poured ourselves some coffee (that someone else had rolled out of bed to make!) and plopped down on one of the most comfortable couches known to man...seriously. The sun was streaming in and I was ready for what God wanted to talk to me about. Saturday morning was dedicated to a guided journal exercise in which a person evaluates their present situations with the idea that it will help them ‘reorient’ themselves. I’m not going to go through the whole process or explain everything that I got out of it, but I will say that it was very beneficial. I found that a lot of the answers came easily for me due to the fact that I’m left alone with my thoughts fairly often, but it was good to take the time to actually think about why I feel certain ways and get things down on paper. I don’t know why it is, but the simple act of writing something down can be so clarifying. Questions like ‘What new movement is starting to emerge in me?’ or ‘Where is deep healing needed?’ really got me thinking and I found that I was able to sift through a lot of garbage.
One of the best things that I took away from the whole experience was actually something someone else had encountered during their time of reflection. When we all came together after the two hours were up, we had a time of sharing. One man talked about how God was showing him verses about Jesus’ ministry and how, even when His ministry was doing well in one town and flourishing, Jesus would move on. He was saying that sometimes God calls us to leave behind good things in order to make room for better things or different things. This really really spoke to me. I’ve been feeling like the things that I used to define myself with are fading away and I’m left with a bland taste in my mouth. As soon as I heard this my ears perked-up and my heart warmed. The things that I’m leaving behind aren’t necessarily bad, but maybe God has better. Maybe God wants to fill me with new passions and a new purpose.
I left Rivendell feeling uplifted and refreshed. I was reminded just how important rest and reflection are during this busy time of our lives, even Jesus would leave the crowds to go into the wilderness to pray. I need to follow His lead more often and take the time to reorient myself so that I am walking beside Him and not away from Him.