2nd Mens Retreat

There's a saying that if something gets bigger and better, it has to be good. Well, that held true with our second men's retreat this past weekend. We had 20 guys particpate (4 more than last time, 7 of them first-timers), and we enjoyed a nicer location (a vacation house of a friend of mine in the mountain town of Nova Petropolis. Our theme: spiritual warfare. The "family crest" above the mantle of the house's fireplace provided the perfect backdrop for our exploration of this theme.

The natural setting of our retreat was perfect: a warm spring day on top of a ridge overlooking the valley below, plenty of green area to explore and plenty of opportunities to spend time together and time alone with God, equipping ourselves to be more faithful spiritual warriors.

As with any mens retreat, food is an essential ingredient! Our brother John Spencer celebrated his birthday with us by buying us all mini-hot dogs for our Friday evening snack. For Saturday lunch we were treated by our brother Lauro to two whole racks of grilled ribs. The gaúchos supposedly say that these ribs, when done right, are even better than fliet mignon. After eating Lauro's ribs, I would have to agree.

Our program included a bit of everything. Sascha and I each gave a lesson; we had a time of individual meditation; we had a time of small group Bible study and sharing responses with the entire group; we had a time of prayer in groups of two or three; and a "training exercise" - capture the flag, for those outdoor sport enthusiasts! We saw the Lord working in many men - through conversations, laughter, tears, spontaneous praise, and reflecting on nature.
Who says it can't be better the second time around! Thank you God for this retreat!