One of the joys of my life has been to be on a shared journey of many years with a group of men under the umbrella of Teleios. Each year we have taken the time to get away to a cabin for a special overnight of prayer and fellowship. But like all things Covid, it changed this year. Since March 2020 we have been meeting virtually and it made sense to embark on a day long prayer retreat virtually. As the Saturday of our time together approached, the idea of being on a Zoom call on and off for eight hours felt overwhelming, especially after a week of doing the same kind of meetings at work for 8+ hours a day. I really wanted to hang out with my friends, but a virtual "hangout" felt so draining after a long and intense week. Because we have built trusting relationships over the years, I felt free to share my concerns and a desire to have an energizing, not energy draining, prayer experience.
Thankfully I could approach my friends and knew they would listen to my concerns. The outcome was creating a half-day prayer retreat with the same agenda and time in prayer, just not as long. It gave me the energy to participate fully and know I would still have some down time to recover from the week. Asking for wisdom and perseverance have been my prayer staples during the pandemic, but knowing I can count on trusted friends who will listen and care for me has made each day a little easier.
- Bob Howell, Teleios Member for 43 years.
If you are interested in an individual or group prayer day, reply to this email or contact Shawn (srpetree@gmail.com) or Art (awkopicky@gmail.com) directly.