Oh, how He loves us!

I spent the past week in Deggendorf, Germany on a team retreat with OM East. We went on this retreat last year and it's amazing to think how much I've done / changed since then! This year we did an unusual study of the book of Mark that ended up being extremely powerful and meaningful. We were split up into groups (quite a mixture of people from every age and country you can imagine) and acted out about six chapters of Mark each. My group had the crucifixion of Jesus. At first I was a little nervous about that being our part. What are the chances that in 3 days you could put together something that would do the most astonishing moment in all of history justice? In the end, on the day of the performance, it was such a moving experience for us all. The roles were not typical, Jesus was a girl, the woman who anointed Him for burial was a guy, I was Peter, and somehow it fit. In the final scene there were real tears on the floor near the 'cross.'
I learned so much about love during this week through the study of Mark and also in my own times with God. I continue to realize that I'm never more alive than when I'm in love, fully abandoned and in an all out pursuit of God. That's what I was made for. None of this half-hearted junk, or a moody love that comes and goes based on how I'm feeling. Whew, that's tough. This is a work in progress but I'm thankful to be thinking, asking, and waiting about God's consuming love during Easter time.

Here's some pictures of the retreat in Germany and also our pit-stop we made in Salzburg on the way.The woods at the retreat center were amazing! (photo credit: Emily Ona)Sporting some authentic Austrian outfitsBeautiful Salzburg