Tres Dias: Three Days of Blessing

Tres Dias: three days.  I have seen these words over and over each week on the Announcements and Prayer Requests email that comes through from our Christian ministries office for the last two and a half years and paid little attention to them until the start of this school year when my curiosity was sparked.  "What happens at Tres Dias?", I had asked my colleagues who had attended.  Their vague responses and seemingly secretive nature was a little off-putting, so I pushed the idea aside as little more than a three day women's spiritual retreat.  Actually, burying the thought is probably a more apropos description, until this fall when as clear as day I heard the message--it was time for me to really consider attending Tres Dias even though I wasn't exactly sure why.  I dismissed the November weekend because I was just too busy, but when Gigi said that she thought it was time for her to go too, we agreed that we would both apply for the spring weekend...and we did.

As the weekend approached I felt the anxiety increasing in my body.  We were scheduled to depart on Thursday afternoon right after school and hours before I allowed myself to get so psyched out about it that I nearly cried about three times and thought about canceling the whole thing on the spot.  When I voiced these feelings to a friend she reminded me that this was an even better reason to go--I couldn't let these negative thoughts and feelings lord over me, I needed this time of spiritual rejuvenation and an opportunity to assess my relationship with God.  So, at 2:30pm I dashed out of my classroom and home to my apartment to grab my suitcase and change my clothes.  By 3:05 we were rolling down the hill and on our way--there was no turning back.  Jo and Joy accompanied Gigi and I to the meeting spot on the military base and waited with us and three other candidates until our ride to the chapel arrived.  Let the fun begin...

We kicked off the festivities by surrendering our watches and electronics at the door.  It was an interesting sensation to be completely deprived of email, Facebook, and knowing what time of day it was.  It was also incredibly freeing and allowed me to focus my energy on getting to know my fellow sisters and God better.  Many of the ladies at the retreat were affiliated with the military or the base in some way, many were seeking spiritual growth and restoration, many were broken.  I learned that it is absolutely impossible to know what someone is going through by what you see on the outside, and was blown away as I learned about the struggles of the ladies who sat beside me and willingly shared their hearts with one another.  I also learned the power of a community of believers and how a group of ladies supporting and praying for one another can make such a difference.  We don't have to suffer the difficulties alone!

I won't say much about the specific activities that took place during the retreat itself other than it was more than I expected in a number of ways.  There were 15 unique and incredible teachings that I wished I had heard years ago when I was a very young Christian.  A week later I am still letting the words of the ladies, and men, who presented them seep into my soul.  There was a lot of time spent with the ladies at my table who turned out to be wonderful people.  I'll be reuniting with them again next weekend and I'm truly looking forward to seeing their faces again!  There was time to lay things before God that had been festering in my heart for a long time, to share sorrows, to release ourselves from burdens, and to receive support and love from the other ladies attending the weekend.  There were some lovely surprises that brought tears to my eyes, and experiences that moved others in ways I cannot describe in words.

Although I felt physically ill for most of the retreat with digestive anxst, I left feeling spiritually refreshed and challenged to approach my faith in a new way.  Note: I am still a pretty demure Christian though I do truly admire those wonderful women who are bursting with joy for Jesus.  I'm not quite there.  I haven't yet begun the spiritual fitness routine that I have planned, but I will begin to implement small changes to my habits a little at a time in hopes that these small changes will, over time, grow into something larger and long lasting.  Setting aside time for daily bible study, prayer, and simple reflection is something my mind and spirit desperately need in this busy environment and a gift that the summer holiday will bring.  One of my big personal challenges is to overcome the disabling fear that my digestive disorder brings and to get myself out of the apartment and into a church family in the near future.  As the school year is coming to a close this may be a goal to implement in August and I have several wonderful colleagues who have already invited me to check out their church anytime.

I hope these feelings of renewal, introspection, conviction, confidence, and blessing will continue to rain down in the coming months and challenge me into action.  One of my table mates challenged herself to put down the umbrella that was shielding her from receiving God's full blessing and I think that it's time I do the same.  We all have our umbrellas--the excuses we make, reasons we hide, insecurities--that keep us from soaking up all of the greatness of God's love and grace.  It's time to take a walk in the rain and be blessed!  The fourth day has arrived...De Colores!