SCDR (Deaf Retreat)

South Central Deaf Retreat (SCDR) was this past weekend. They've had it at Falls Creek (Assembly of God Youth Camp) in Turner Falls (Davis Ok) For the past 22 years. This year--was my first. Boy have I missed out for the last many a year! So this year, I decided---I would GO. And this is my agenda from here on out.I missed Thursday night since my son had a football game, his first of the season. Which as a freshman, he has soo been looking forward to.Friday night, I made a commitment to attend SCDR, even though there was a Varsity football game going on.

Iam soooo glad I chose to go. God is soo good! I cannot even begin to describe the feelings, the knowledge gained, the Word of God, the way it was given to us.The chosen speaker, was amazing! There is simpily no other way to describe it. But you know, the Word of God is ALWAYS AMAZING! No matter which way you cut it! No matter when or where! There is just no one thats better than someone else! Everytime you go, no matter where it is, the speaker is gonna be good! Thats God! Thats HIS work in them.We were blessed to have Brother Bert from California. So glad God told him to accept the invitation to come here.

Bert is Ron Lawers uncle. Oh what a service! I so love seeing the Holy Spirit work in others lives, and I love seeing the rejoicing, the tears, the comfort, the love and the touch--anytime--anyplace!Services started off with prayer and then ofc worship! Oh how I love to sing! Its been said that signing songs is boring--well then you ain't never been to a deaf retreat!! Yehaw! There wasn't no "boring" in this room all nite!

So after we sing and shout and yell and have a blast worshipping the lord, Stephanie Wisinger brought somberness into the room. She did a poem in ASL, and honestly I thought it was the most amazingly beautifl thing I had ever seen poemwise, done in ASL. About Jesus--and HE WAS THERE!!! It just...flowed through the room, if I could hear, I woulddare say no one was even moving. We were all probably leaning forward with our mouths hanging open (okay not really but...) I believe, one couldve heard a pindrop.Bert--is total ASL. I mean TOTAL Whoo! Soooo total that even the interpreters were seeking help! Even myself as a deaf interpreter--would have had extreme difficulty getting eveyrthing into english words, and expressing them and describging them EXACTLY the way he was putting it out--no other word but A M A Z I N G! Kudos to the interpreters!Wow!

The power of God! Is sooooo awesome! I just...sat there in awe most of the night. I lived in the songs--I praised and worshipped, I listended with an open heart and an open mind to the Word of God. I lifted my hands, I reached out, I let Him supply my needs, for He was and is IN THE HOUSE! Then...it was time to go home. Whaa!(What do you think abt this?)Saturday dawned, and I could NOT wait to get back. I couldn't wait to be back in that building, in that room, in the presence of others worhipping himooooh sooo amazing! This night, Naomi Woodall led us in worship--and oh my goodness! The Lord BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN! Literally! His precense was felt, definitly inside and I am sure we shined all the way to heavens that nite!

Oh GOD IS SO GOOD! Can I get an AMEN?Again, I sang, I praised, I worshipped. I lifted my hands, I glorified Him, and I could feel Him from my head to my toes! The Holy Spirit was moving among us, soo strongly! So amazingly! And we reached out, we grabbed on, and we never wanna let go!Okay so we had to stop singing at some point, and hear the Word of God. Just as amazing as the worshipping, the Word of God just jumped out at us, and touch each one of us. The Word of GOD was there. The Word of God is HERE. The Word of God, always will be!My fingers cannot type as fast as the words are coming to mind.

The Word of God is amazing! So we heard the Word of God. And the Word of God was with us all night!Brother Bert, from Him, into you, out of your hands, and into us---We heard. We thank you for sharing the Word of God so wisely, so deeply. So ASL'ly that I cannot even describe that word, I don't think theres such a word for it!Then, it was time to go home. I didnt wanna leave! And let me say--it was close to midnight! I don't think one soul in that place even cared what time it was! Who wants sleep when the Holy Spirit is soo ALIVE and the Word of God is filling our hearts!? And I knew, as I walked out the doors that nite, I was taking the Holy Spirit with me,a nd I'd had Him all along. And He'd be with me, always.Sunday morning, dawned a bit too early I think---as our eyes were not wanting to open, but our spirits were craving the Word of God. So out of bed we crawled, despite the lateness of the nite that we got to close our eyes, and off to church we went.

I could not WAit to see what the Lord had planned for us. The Sulphur Team led us in worship, sooo beautiful, so gracious. There were a few other singers, just as beautiful and gracious. AND THEN---

Gracious golly if that man didn't leave us with our bodies leaned forward, soaking in every word, hanging onto every sentence. Once again in his most amazing ASL'ly way. I cannot describe the way this guy signs. But Oh I do tell you, if you EVER get a chance to see this man preach the Word of God-----take it! I would! WOW!The Lord led us to a perfect ending to an amazing sermon. Brother Bert gathered all the pastors, and their wives/husbands---and ooh....oooh!And then.....after some words, and love, and moving of the Holy Spirit---he had many of us in tears---The Holy Spirit was just--wow. So we all got to hug all these pastors and their wives, and we got to say THANK YOU. And we learned something.

At least I did. They're teachers. And we should be teachers too. We don't have to be pastors or pastors wives to be teachers, but let us be teachers. Let us teach. Teaching the Word of God, however God moves us.Now---I am gonna try to make plans to attend i dont know what its called, but its happening in tulsa---Tulsa Oklahoma where all churches of all denominations are invited ----together as one. I hope I can go. As a single mother with a child---its hard to get away, but if you can go, I encourage you to go. If you wanna know your Lord more, go. GO. Don't put it off. Don't wait till its too late. Gather now. Go now. I encourage myself, and I encourage you. May the Holy Spirit be moved among us all. I love you all.In Christ,Renee'