Learning to Love the Master Retreats

Patti Cepin developed this retreat over many years of discipleship with women.   Patti was asked to develop a discipleship curriculum, but was unsure what God wanted her to put together.  What she did feel directed to do was to talk with women about discipleship.   What Patti heard over and over again from these women was that they felt like they had nothing to offer to other women.   This retreat and book that Patti wrote with her daughter-in-law, Susan, comes from the idea that God has been working in the lives of each of us to develop us for good works, and that God has been shaping us through our stories to be able to do the very things that God has created each of us to do.  

What you have in your relationship with Christ is what He intends for you to share with another. Others will have a different story. Through your unique life experiences, God has given you a private window into himself. Only you can look into your window and offer what you see.  That is why Patti asks each women to start with their own story and ask God, "Where were you?  What were you doing?   What do You want me to learn?  What do You want to refine and perfect in me? How do You want to glorify Yourself through this?”  As we listen to His voice, we can start to discern His voice from our own and from the voice of the enemy. Then we can hear what He has to say to us about us and about our stories.  Joy is being given a glimpse of God’s character, presence and work. 

God’s plan is to capture you in the sacred romance, to reproduce Christ in you and to prepare you for the Life Purpose for which He has created you. You will then have a clearer picture of what it is God has given you of himself to reproduce in the life of another. The cry of our souls is for a rekindling of our passion for Christ. When this happens His love spontaneously flows into the lives of those around us.

I remembered you, O God, and I groaned...
I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired...
Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Psalm 77:3-6, 10-12 NIV 

 A Guide to the Spiritual Discipline of Remembering 

For those of you who are attending a Learning to Love the Master God Story weekend for the first time, you are in for an amazing journey!    Learning to Love the Master focuses your eyes on the specifics of God’s involvement in your life and the lives of others. 

If you hope to deepen the bonds of your team or community, or simply want a deeper walk with God, Learning to Love the Master  will change your focus and perspective forever. 

A retreat day always starts with breakfast, a short session together, and then you will have a 4-hour block of time alone to walk, talk, and commune with God, interacting with Him about your life story.  You will be learning to pay attention to the things He speaks into your heart and recording those things in your God Story journal. You will record your part of the story on paper as you tell Him what you remember and, with another color of ink, things He opens your eyes to, or you hear Him say to your heart. This will develop the story of God’s presence in your life. The things we know to be true of God from studying the Word of God have come alive in very personal ways as we see Him in our stories in ways we had not previously recognized. 

Additionally, you will have time to read and hear what God has been working and speaking to the other members of your group.   As we share what we have written with the group, our vision of God will explode as we hear the God stories of other women. Be assured, if there are things you have written that you do not feel free to share that is fine. Entering with God into your story is the most important thing.  

If you attend a retreat, you will receive a copy of the book Learning to Love the Master as part of your registration.  You can click the link below to purchase additional copies.

Everyone is welcome!  If you are coming from a church or with a group of friends, we will ensure that you can go through the retreat with those people.   Anyone involved in helping people grow in their faith in Christ will benefit from these workshops. 

Part of the Learning to Love the Master weekend involves listening to the stories of others, both the pleasant parts and the really hard moments.  If you cannot listen to the stories of others or walk through the hard parts of your own story, then this retreat may not be for you quite yet.    If you have questions about this, please send them to us via the "contact us" link on the home page.  A member of the JCM team  will respond.

Journey Companions Ministries currently offers an annual Learning to Love the Master Retreats, a men's weekend and a women's weekend.  See schedule on the home page for upcoming retreat dates.

Have a question or want to get in touch? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us today and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.