Come Away With Me: Arizona
A little over a year ago, Holy Spirit put a huge desire on my heart to go away with Him.
To rest.
To just be quiet and still.
In a world where nothing stops, He was calling me to p r e s s p a u s e.
So, about 8 months ago, I booked a solo 5-day stay at an Airbnb in Arkansas. (If you’re curious, you can click HERE to read that post!)
On that trip, He taught me what it means to abide in Him, among many other things.
With this second Jesus retreat, I didn’t want to put too many expectations on the trip, or on Him. I just wanted to follow His lead and see where it took us.
This trip was so different than the first one in all the best ways.
I’ve only been home for a few days, so I haven’t even processed everything He taught me yet, but I’ll still attempt to hit the highlights here.
So many people have asked me since that first trip how they can go on a similar retreat. There are really no rules, friend! Just pick a spot on the map and GO!
He will meet you there.
He will change you.
My trip began on Friday morning at the Dallas Lovefield airport with live music from an American Idol finalist and Chick-fil-A. Winning!
Also, 99% of the photos in this post were taken with the new wide angle lens on my iPhone. This camera just amazes me!
I arrived at my Airbnb around 3:00 that day, Arizona time. After settling in, I drove to a nearby grocery store to grab a few things. It was the best Airbnb I’ve ever stayed at. Absolutely perfect.
After some reading time, Holy Spirit and I went on a date to the most delicious restaurant in Phoenix, Doughbird. I can’t even describe how beautiful this restaurant was and how amazing the food was!
After dinner, He gave me two scriptures to cling to for the weekend…
“You’re about to be given new grounds for believing.” - Jesus (John 11:15 MSG)
and
“Without faith living within us, it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith, knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who passionately seek Him.” (And He, himself, is the reward.) - Hebrews 11:6
On day 2, I woke up early to head to Sedona. If you read in my last post, I’d originally planned to stay in Sedona, AZ during my February retreat. But, the weather had other plans, so I headed east to Arkansas instead. I was so thankful that the Father still made a way for me to visit Sedona this year. He’s so good and redeems everything for His good!
I just have to say…I fell in love with cacti on this trip. I mean, I thought they were cool before, but there’s something so mysterious and magical about these plants.
Against all odds, they prosper and grow in unimaginable conditions. They renewed my faith that Holy Spirit can grow so much within me, no matter what the conditions look like in front of my eyes!
My walk up to Chapel of the Holy Cross was breathtaking (mostly because I was literally out of breath, but also because the views are incredible.) I’d waited almost a year to walk up this hill to see this beautiful chapel.
After arriving back at the Airbnb on day 2, I locked myself in the condo to read, sleep, worship, pray, eat, and rest for the next 30ish hours.
The book of Romans had been rolling around in my head for weeks, so I thought that’d be a great place to camp out for a few days. I read (or re-read) through Romans during my 4-days with Holy Spirit and it renewed so much passion and fire within me.
He taught me so many things I thought I already knew.
He solidified Kingdom truths that I needed to hear again and again.
Because we’re prone to wander and forget. And because that’s just what He does - He leads us back to Jesus!
After spending time resting in His Word on day 3, I felt an adventure stirring within me, so I followed Holy Spirit’s lead and it took me to the Desert Botanical Garden that afternoon. If you ever get the chance to visit Phoenix, this place has to be on your list of must-see places. It’s hard to describe the mysterious beauty of these plants.
I love the way David illustrates the desert place in Psalm 63 - a psalm he wrote while he was exiled in the wilderness of Judah. There was actually a time in Christian history when it was declared that not even one day should pass without the church publicly declaring this psalm as a form of encouragement and a reminder of the Father’s lovingkindness!
O God of my life, I’m lovesick for you in this weary wilderness.
I thirst with the deepest longings to love you more,
with cravings in my heart that can’t be described.
Such yearning grips my soul for you, my God!
I’m energized every time I enter
your heavenly sanctuary to seek more of your power
and drink in more of your glory.
For your tender mercies mean more to me than life itself.
How I love and praise you, God!
Daily I will worship you passionately and with all my heart.
My arms will wave to you like banners of praise.
I overflow with praise when I come before you,
for the anointing of your presence satisfies me like nothing else.
You are such a rich banquet of pleasure to my soul.
I lie awake each night thinking of you
and reflecting on how you help me like a father.
I sing through the night under your splendor-shadow,
offering up to you my songs of delight and joy!
With passion I pursue and cling to you.
Because I feel your grip on my life,
I keep my soul close to your heart.
Those who plot to destroy me shall descend into the darkness of hell.
They will be consumed by their own evil
and become nothing more than dust under our feet.
These liars will be silenced forever!
But with the anointing of a king I will dance and rejoice
along with all his lovers who trust in him.
While I walked around and explored the gardens, I noticed a sign that said, “What is a Cactus?”
Included in the description was the following: “While most cacti grow in deserts, some grow in other dry places…”
The word, “grow” jumped off the sign to me as Holy Spirit whispered, “They still grow.”
Even in the desert.
Even against all odds.
Even in desperate conditions.
They grow.
He revealed times in my life when I’ve been in a growing season and when I’ve been laying dormant, just barely keeping my head above the waters.
The times when I was immersed in Him and the times I completely ignored Him.
In all of those seasons, and in every season in between, He remained faithful.
Never once did He turn His back and tell me to come back when I’d figured it all out or when I felt good enough or worthy of His love and affection.
He remained constant while I stumbled around, ran in circles, busy striving and “getting my life together.”
He’s growing me. It’s not always easy or comfortable, and usually, it isn’t.
But we’re growing. Together.
A few take-aways from Romans
1:17 - The gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s perfect righteousness.
2:4 - All the wealth of His extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance.
2:25-29 - The inward act of circumcision brings you into the Jewish family - a radical change that lays bare your heart.
3:20 - The Law never made anyone righteous before God because it only exposes and unmasks the reality of how sinful we truly are.
3:21-23 - God’s righteousness became tangible in the body of Jesus.
3:24 - His gift of love and favor and forgiveness cascades over us, all because Jesus has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin!
3:26 - Now we stand on the faithfulness of Jesus and God declares us righteous in His eyes!
3:27 - Our faith in His finished work makes us right with God and nothing else.
4:17-18 - Abraham is our faith example because in God’s presence, he believed that God could raise the dead and call into being things that didn’t even exist yet.
4:19-21 - Abe’s faith was so strong that it couldn’t be undermined by “facts.”
4:24-25 - Jesus was killed to forgive our sins and raised to prove He’d made us right with God!
5:1 - God declares me flawless in His eyes because of my faith in Jesus!
5:2 - Faith guarantees us permanent access to the Father and JOY bursts within us!
5:3-5 - Joyful-Confidence Cycle: Pressures -> Patient Endurance -> Refined Character -> Hope. Repeat.
5:6 - Jesus came right on time.
5:9-10 Not only are we now right with God, but we get to experience something even greater than friendship with Him - peace and triumphant JOY!
5:12-21 - Adam vs. Jesus. The entire world shifted due to one man’s actions in Adam and then there was a re-shift by one man, Jesus. One man put us in a death grip while the other put us in a grace grip.
5:21 - Sin reigned in death, but grace reigns in righteousness.
6:2 - We have to die to sin once and for all, just as a dead man passes away from this life.
6:6 - Sin is not suppressed. It is eliminated.
6:6-8 - We were immersed with Him in His death, buried with Him in our baptism, and raised to life with Him. We are permanently grafted into Him!
6:11 - View yourself as dead and responsive to sin’s appeal and alive to the the daily pleasure found in partnering with Jesus.
7:25 - Father finally provided a way out of the constant struggle with sin through Jesus’ sacrifice!
8:1-4 - The case is closed! There remains NO accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus! His Spirit set me FREE from the Law of sin and death. What the Law was powerless to do, GOD DID by sending His own Son to be the final sacrifice.
8:4 - We’re now FREE to live by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!
8:14-15 - We’re no longer tied to the spirit of religious duty which tells us we’ll never be good enough. Instead, we’re completely tied to the spirit of full acceptance that enfolds us into the royal family of God!
8:17 - As a CHILD, we share our Daddy’s treasures, we’re heirs of God Himself, we’re joined to Jesus, we inherit all He is and all He has, and we’ll be co-glorified with Him when we accept His sufferings as our own.
8:31 - If God decided to stand with us, then who could stand against us?
8:33-34 - Here’s the final verdict - we’ve been found NOT guilty, so we can no longer be judged or accused. How could Jesus condemn us if He’s busy constantly praying for our triumph?!?!
8:35 - Nothing could separate us from the endless love of God! Nothing!
9:26 - In the place you were told, “You are nobody,” this will be the very place where you’ll be renamed, “Children of the Living God!” (Hosea 1:10)
10:4 - Jesus was the end and the goal of the Law. Because of Him, God transferred His perfect righteousness to ALL who believe.
10:9-11 - The heart that believes receives the gift of His perfect righteousness. The mouth that confesses that Jesus is Lord results in salvation.
11:15 - If Israel’s temporary rejection, unbelief, and hard hearts released THIS (the reconciling power of grace), what will happen when Israel is reinstated and reconciled to God? It will unleash resurrection power throughout the earth!
12:1-2 - How do we respond to His mercies? Surrender, holiness, stop imitating, and be completely transformed!
12:4-8 - We are many parts, but one body - the body of Christ. Steward the gifts you’ve received well, whether they’re prophecy, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, or compassion.
12:10-21 - Tips on becoming one unified, beautiful body.
13:8-10 - The one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the Law.
13:11 - It’s time for us to WAKE UP. Take off darkness and flesh the way someone would throw away nasty, disgusting clothes that can’t be washed and clothe ourselves with the radiance of light.
14:15 - If love rules your conduct, you’d never offend someone or insist on doing something - even if you know you’re free to do that thing.
14:17 - The Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy - NOT division in the body.
I’m so glad you’re here, friend. I’m not sure how you found this post, but I continue to be amazed by the internets. It brings us together in such beautiful ways and reminds us that we’re more alike than different. More united than divided. Whether you spend a minute or an hour on this page, know that Jesus loves you like crazy. Like CRAZY. I’d love to hear how I can pray for you. Would you let me know here?
