Grace and LIGRETTO!

I'm just back from an amazing weekend get-away!

Siv is a friend of my friend, Elin. We've had contact on msn for a while, since we both are christian students in Trondheim, and a while ago she invited me to this get-away with a group of students. Friday, this beautiful, smiling girl met me in Mormors, and we sat talking for a little while before going to Betel, where we met more wonderful people. We got in our cars and after a long and bumpy trip, we finally arrived at Søvassli Leirsted.

After unpacking and having Mexican with rice we went to the mainbuilding for a meeting.
We started with worship and it was a real challenge. Then Cortney spoke about Gods grace, what it means and what it does in our lives. She said that "sometimes people say: Well, saturday is going to be my big night of revelation, but let it happen already tonight" and it SO did for me! God really changed me that night, showing me I'm am fully covered in His grace and not just loved, but completely accepted by Him (Gen 1:31)

After a pretty late night of LIGRETTO!, peanutbutter and american candy, we went to bed.
Breakfast EARLY saturday, and then meeting again. Brett spoke on Identity, and then Kelly thaught us Bibel Meditation. I'm not one of these deepstudying patience people, so it was a challenge, but I really got the message of God: I can do anything with God, who makes me strong (Phil 4:13) and I can go to Him always, without feeling pressure and fear (Eph 3:12)

At night we had worshiptime, and again I was straining, something was holding me back. Afterwards we shared communion and then we prayed for eachother. Kelly and Cortney prayed for my release in grace and praise, and afterwards the worship came so easy to me! I also shared my favorite hymn, Amazing Grace, with the gang (sorry for shouting, people). I have always loved this song, but I felt like God gae it new meaning this weekend!

It was another late night of LIGRETTO! ( I so LOVE that game!) and social time.

Sunday, breakfast wasn't that early, and we were all a little tired. After breakfast we gathered and shared some testimonies of our experience this weekend: I shared what God have given me of grace and worship. After that Jessy spoke to us, I really enjoyed that!

Cortney, Brett, Jessica, Kelly, Siv, Linn, Heidi, Irene, Audun, Fredrik, Johnny og Thomàs: Thank you for a wonderful and graceful weekend! I really got soulfood to last a long time and friendships to last a lifetime! You are all so gifted and beautiful!

(and of course, I got a little knitting done;)

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Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­i­ver, 1779)