Hello hello hello!
Who are you? If asked that question what would you say? And if asked What do you do? Which of the two questions would you find easier to answer?
I have struggled with answering both questions for quite a while now until last year when I read a book that helped me realise I am a person, one individual but with many roles. I have the roles of being a partner to my husband, a mom to my children, a sister, a friend, aunty and I also have a professional role. I found it very easy to show up in those many roles and a different story showing up as just me, a person.
In the bible I love the way we are introduced to one of my all time favourites. Deborah a Prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, a Judge in Israel (Judges 4v4). The first title; prophetess to me speaks of who she is in the eyes of God, second to this is her role as a wife and lastly her ministry to the broader community. Maybe when we ask what do you do?, we are focusing on what Deborah presented last and when we ask How are you?, we are getting to who we are in God.
Think about it what is the first question we ask when we meet someone for the first time? After exchanging the pleasantries of names etc we usually ask, So what do you do? I do that a lot too and am still searching for a different opening line that has nothing to do with the roles we play and more with who we are and how we are. Maybe we should just end our greetings with how are you? Follow it with I really want to know how you are?
More importantly how often do we ask ourselves that question. How am I? How am I feeling? One of my go to practices is a day of solitude where I am not a mother, wife or any of those competing roles and I can just focus on me. Where I can sit with those questions without distractions and just be with God.
Jesus regularly left his disciples and went off to pray alone. So following his example I am inviting you to a silent retreat. A chance to be alone but not too alone because you will be alone with others.
Follow this link to register.
What exactly is going to happen, you may be wondering. We will be in the most beautiful place conducive to silence. It is relaxing and calming. Our venue was created precisely for silence, solitude, meditation and prayer. There is beautiful art. We will also have a very short hike (15 minutes) up a small hill to close off our beautiful day. Pop me an email if you would like to know more about the day.
I look forward to hosting you. There are limited spaces, as I will only be taking ten bookings.