Solitude and a Surprise!
Thursday, July 14, 2005
This weekend I will be venturing out of the bustle of San Francisco for a spiritual retreat, an integral part of every InnerCHANGE internship. This will help facilitate my time of reflection (see next post) near the end of my time here and will give me an extended period of quiet to listen to God and spend a good amount of time journalling about my experience.
By the grace of God, a spot opened up at the last minute at the monastary in Big Sur (pictured above) where I attended mass daily while camping with Casa San Dimas just a week or so ago! (see post below, Tuesday, July 5) People are normally on a wait list for 6-9 months to get in! I consider it a special blessing from God that the place where He revealed Himself to me in a special way is now being offered to me again for a spiritual retreat!
I will be staying at the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, a Benedictine Monastary in the mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I will have a private trailer where I will be alone with God and a breathtaking view of the ocean, attending mass with the monks, and meeting with one of the monks for spiritual direction/mentoring. My packing list will be little more than a bible, journal, a Henri Nouwen book, and a guitar. I will be there from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon. Please pray that I would find solitude and would be able to listen to the presence and voice of Christ. I am very excited for this time and am expectant for God to produce fruit that has been blooming and preparing to be harvested all summer.
Posted by Benjamin Washam 7:14 PM
Labels: San Francisco
Dawn (on behalf of the Cole team)