Well, everyone told me I'd be exhausted on Sunday night, and they were right. What a weekend!
We arrived Friday about 7:30, and we started at 8 and didn't wrap up until 11 o'clock. Saturday morning started at 7:15, and we didn't finish up until after 10 o'clock Saturday night. NO breaks (other than lunch), and some pretty heavy stuff. Our moods were all over the place: on Friday, I was excited and hopeful, and the fetching Mrs. Puppy was as tense and grouchy as I had EVER seen her. Not a word spoken on the 50-minute drive to the hotel. Arms folded, silent and tense during the first few sessions. Then on Saturday, I was frustrated and it was my wife who was bucking ME up, encouraging me to stay with it. By Saturday night, we were BOTH so frustrated, exhausted and disillusioned by our seemingly no progress that we were ready to pack our bags and head home and blow off all of Sunday (scheduled to end at Sunday about 5pm). We agreed to give it until lunchtime, I prayed about it, and Sunday morning this was in my daily "What the Lord is Saying Today" e-mail:
February 22, 2009. A new day is dawning. Today I am watching the sun rise as the skies brighten from its rays. Birds and winds seem first to respond to the light. My own heart is brightened to think of this new beginning. As I prayed these are the words the Lord gave. Rise up, child of mine and reach for the skies. I sang over you as you slept last night. My own heart is set on blessing you today with this new day. My mercy is fresh for you today. All My promises are "yes and amen." My visions caught by your spirit are coming to pass just as they were given you. Fret not for I am on your side. Boldly step out onto the waters of your dreams. Take the leap of faith. Move those mountains that resist My lordship into the sea. Call forth My Mountain of holiness, power and love. A new day is dawning. Numbers 10:35 "Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, Lord; let Your enemies be scattered; and let those who hate You flee before You." Ras Robinson
(emphasis mine)
I was struck by this, because a friend of mine who had been through a Retrouvaille weekend, and who had been praying HARD for us, had sent this 7-word e-mail to me on Friday:
"Leap of faith, Pup . . . leap of faith."
I opened the Bible in my hotel room this morning and it fell open to this page, and these words (I can't find the verse now):
"Return and be healed."
I showed it to my wife, plus the e-mail, and we both felt that we needed to not quit what we started, and see what the morning would bring.
It was an incredible turnaround, full of tears, prayer, and a re-commitment to try our best to meet each other's needs and give our marriage everything we had. After lots of hugs with some newfound friends, and a promise to see them all for the follow-up sessions, we headed home.
I fully believe that we would have left, if not for the prayers of all of you, other friends, family, and people within the Retrouvaille program who were specifically praying for us. We even got a card and a handwritten note from a couple whose job it was all week TO PRAY SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR ME AND MRS. PUP! I was touched beyond words, that you would all care so much about us -- most of all these complete strangers -- to pray for us and our marriage. We felt like "If all of these people weren't giving up on us, then who were we to quit?", and I shared that thought in the group sharing time with everyone. When I spoke about our frustration, and near-packing-it-in Saturday night, another couple spoke up after me and said that they had gone so far as to have their bags IN THEIR CAR Friday night, when they had decided to stay.
I'm exhausted and need to get some sleep, but I wanted to give you all an update. We still have a long road ahead of us, but we feel more hope than we have had during any of our other fits-and-starts over the years, and CERTAINLY more hope than at any point in the past two traumatic years.
Only prayer, and God Himself moving, has gotten us thru, I am convinced. Thank you all for praying for us, and please KEEP us in your prayers in the critical weeks and months ahead.
I am really glad that you both hung in there. It couldn't have been easy, but all the "signs" were telling you to stay. I hope that you are both able to find a way to give each other what they need. Prayers are still coming your way!
kat
Me-53(and learning!) S24, S21, D18, D17 Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. Dory
