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" " TESTIMONIALS WE ARE HUMBLED AND BLESSED TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE SEPTEMBER 2020 SHEPHERD'S CANYON RETREAT. WE WERE SPOILED BY THE GENEROUS VOLUNTEERS AND PROFESSIONALLY CARED FOR BY SKILLED COUNSELORS AND A CHAPLAIN, ALLOWING US TO FOCUS ON GROWING IN OUR FAITH AND CLOSENESS TO OUR LORD AND TO EACH OTHER. WE WERE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES IMPACTING OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND MINISTRY, AND HINDERING OUR ABILITY TO SERVE OUR LORD, EACH OTHER AND OUR CONGREGATION. WHILE THE RETREAT WAS NOT INTENDED TO FIX OUR PROBLEMS OR CHALLENGES, IT PROVIDED US WITH TIME AND RESOURCES TO STOP AND LISTEN TO OUR LORD, OURSELVES AND OTHERS AS WE LEARNED SOME EXCELLENT TOOLS TO HELP US CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY OF GROWTH AND LOVE NOW THAT WE HAVE RETURNED HOME." – Steve and Wendy De Santo " " WHEN I ARRIVED AT SHEPHERD'S CANYON RETREAT (SCR), I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD EVER STEP BEHIND A PULPIT AGAIN. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF MY MARRIAGE WOULD BE RESTORED. I WAS IN A VERY DARK PLACE, SUFFERING FROM BURNOUT AND DEPRESSION. I HAD FALLEN DEEP INTO A TRAP OF LIES THAT I WAS A FAILURE, THAT MY PAST GUILT AND SHAME DEFINED WHO I WAS AND HOW EVERYONE SAW ME. MY PERSONALITY HAD BECOME ONE OF CRITICISM, CONTEMPT AND DEFENSIVENESS. AFTER SPENDING A WEEK WITH THE COUNSELORS AND FELLOW PARTICIPANTS OF SCR, I REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT ALONE IN THIS DARK PLACE. I CONTINUE TO HEAR THE LIES, BUT THANKS TO SCR AND THE TOOLS I RECEIVED, I NO LONGER LISTEN. WHILE I STILL HAVE THE DIAGNOSIS OF DEPRESSION, I AM MANAGING IT MUCH BETTER THROUGH CONTINUED COUNSELING AND MEDICATION. MY MARRIAGE IS FAR BETTER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. ALL THANKS TO GOD. SINCE BEING A RETREAT PARTICIPANT, I HAVE SERVED AS A CHAPLAIN AT RETREATS AND SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE MINISTRY WE HAVE AT STANDING STONES AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW GOD WILL CONTINUE TO USE IT AS A PLACE OF HOPE AND HEALING FOR MANY MORE YEARS. – Rich Steensma WWW.SHEPHERDSCANYONRETREAT.ORG WWW.STANDINGSTONESAZ.ORG INFO@SHEPHERDSCANYONRETREAT.ORG " " AS AN ORDAINED LC-MS ACTIVE DUTY NAVY CHAPLAIN FOR 17 YEARS — SPENDING MOST OF THE LAST 15 YEARS AWAY FROM LOVED ONES TRAINING AND DEPLOYED — I BOTTLED UP FEELINGS FROM EXPERIENCES DURING COMBAT DEPLOYMENTS WITH MY MARINE INFANTRY UNITS. I WAS DEPLETED OF MUCH OF MY ABILITY TO FUNCTION AS A CHAPLAIN WITH GOOD MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH. ALL OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED IN A SHEPHERD'S CANYON RETREAT — I EXPERIENCED GOD'S GRACE AND HEALING IN A MIRACULOUS WAY! THE CHRISTIAN THERAPISTS WHO LED US OFFERED GENUINE LOVING CARE IN THEIR ONE-ON-ONE, COUPLE AND SMALL GROUP SESSIONS WHEREIN I RECEIVED PRACTICAL TOOLS TO APPLY AFTER LEAVING. THE CULMINATING CEREMONY IN THE PRAYER GARDEN OF THE LAYING AND CASTING OF STONES WAS THE MOST MOVING — CEMENTING THE GOOD WORK BEING DONE WITH A VISUAL REMINDER OF WHAT WE WERE LEAVING AT STANDING STONES AND TAKING AWAY WITH US FOR OUR GOOD. I RETURNED TO MY MINISTRY AFTER THE RETREAT REFRESHED SPIRITUALLY TO GIVE AS NEEDED TO THOSE I AM ASSIGNED TO SHEPHERD. MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY WIFE WAS ALSO STRENGTHENED WITH A REVITALIZED AND GROWING LOVE! MOST IMPORTANT, MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS — MY FRIEND AND LORD — IS DEEPER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE. JESUS, BEING MY SOURCE FROM WHICH I LOVE MY WIFE AND MINISTER TO THOSE HE PROVIDENTIALLY ASSIGNS TO ME, NOW MORE EFFECTIVELY REACHES AND BENEFITS OTHERS THROUGH ME AS HIS VESSEL." – Rev. Marc DiConti

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