Day Retreat April 14,2012

What a wonderful day Nancy and I had with these precious young ladies. The Lord led me to share the chapter from Worthy Vessels with them on Firing of the pottery because each one has walked through their personal fire.
In the book the story goes:  The ladies in ancient times would make baskets and then began putting clay from the ground in the bottom to be able to carry their berries without them falling through.  One day there was a fire in the field and the ladies grabbed their children and ran, leaving their baskets with the berries they had collected in them.  When the women came back to investigate what was left from the fire, they found the clay pots, as the baskets had been burned away.  The clay had taken on the beautiful colors of the berries and now that they had been through the fire, the vessels became more useful in the fact that they could now hold water.  What a great discovery...the vessels became beautiful in color and useful.
It was interesting that the Potter knows just the place to set the vessel in the kiln.  He knows just how much the vessel can tolerate. He places the vessel either close to the fire, far from the fire, or even in another vessel to protect it.  The Potter also stays with the vessel because he wants to oversee the firing.
What a great analogy....our Heavenly Father being our Potter knows just how much we can tolerate and carefully allows us to go through the fire, always promising to stay with us, never leaving us nor forsaking us.
Each lady had time alone with the Lord and came back to share their experience. It was amazing to hear how He had spoken to them but more amazing to know that they heard at such young ages.  We know God has wonderful futures in store for them.  I will share the poem Leslie wrote in her quiet times with the Lord.