<\/p>\r\n
In life as men, we face relentless pressure and expectations. We\u2019re told that more success, possessions, and achievements will fill us, fix us, and validate us. Even the good things we\u2019re told to chase \u2013 success, better jobs, or impact \u2013 will overwhelm us.\u00a0More isn\u2019t always better!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n We don\u2019t need more busy, more hustle, more energy spent on things that don\u2019t bring us true life. This relentless chase for more can actually diminish our hunger for Jesus\u2014diminish our desire to seek His face, know His heart, and follow His Way.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n What we actually need is less.\u00a0<\/strong>Less pressure, less expectations, less performance, less shame, less distractions. That\u2019s the truth that destroys the lie at the heart of the battle for our hearts, minds, and souls as men.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If an argument could be made for\u00a0more<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of anything in our lives as men, I\u2019d make it for more\u00a0clarity<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0Clarity that brings Jesus into focus<\/strong>. Clarity brings wisdom, peace, patience, perspective, and the ability to see who God is and what He is doing in our lives. Clarity that silences the noise so we can hear His \u201cstill small voice\u201d (1 Kings 19:12).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Just as God met Adam in the Garden, Abraham when he walked away from everything he knew, Jacob in the dead of night, Joseph in the dungeon, Moses in the Tabernacle, David in the fields watching sheep, Daniel in his prayer room, Elijah on the mountainside, Zechariah in the holy of holies, Nathanael under the fig tree alone with his thoughts, and Jesus when He would sneak away from the crowds, noise, and distractions \u2013\u00a0He wants to meet us where we leave the crushing weight of \u201cmore\u201d behind, and rest, wait, and seek Him, because s<\/em><\/strong>ometimes we need less of everything else to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to \u201cbe still and know that I am God\u201d (Psalm 46:10).<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Imagine a mason jar filled with dirt, rocks, and sand. Add water, seal it, and shake it up. The water turns cloudy, impossible to see through. But set it down, let the sediment settle, and soon the water clears \u2013 you can see straight through. That\u2019s what this retreat is designed to be: a time to step away, be still, let the upheaval (external and internal) settle at the feet of Jesus, and gain\u00a0clarity<\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s the gift of vision for our lives as men<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 without it, we\u2019re like the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n As we prepare for this weekend<\/a>, let\u2019s draw from the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Martha was distracted by all the preparations and busyness, pulled in a million directions, finding her value in doing and accomplishing. But Mary chose to sit at Jesus\u2019 feet, listening and being present with Him \u2013 and Jesus said she had chosen what is better. As men, we often identify with Martha, defining ourselves by our capacity, achievements, and constant action.\u00a0This retreat calls us to stop, to choose the better thing: settling at Jesus\u2019 feet in stillness and surrender.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In life as men, we face relentless pressure and expectations. We\u2019re told that more success, possessions, and achievements will fill us, fix us, and validate\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1401534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"mec_category":[421],"mec_speaker":[],"class_list":["post-1401511","mec-events","type-mec-events","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mec_category-lw-men"],"content_native":[{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n In life as men, we face relentless pressure and expectations. We\u2019re told that more success, possessions, and achievements will fill us, fix us, and validate us. Even the good things we\u2019re told to chase \u2013 success, better jobs, or impact \u2013 will overwhelm us.\u00a0More isn\u2019t always better!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nIn life as men, we face relentless pressure and expectations. We\u2019re told that more success, possessions, and achievements will fill us, fix us, and validate us. Even the good things we\u2019re told to chase \u2013 success, better jobs, or impact \u2013 will overwhelm us.\u00a0More isn\u2019t always better!<\/em><\/strong>\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n We don't need more busy, more hustle, more energy spent on things that don't bring us true life. This relentless chase for more can actually diminish our hunger for Jesus\u2014diminish our desire to seek His face, know His heart, and follow His Way.<\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nWe don't need more busy, more hustle, more energy spent on things that don't bring us true life. This relentless chase for more can actually diminish our hunger for Jesus\u2014diminish our desire to seek His face, know His heart, and follow His Way.\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n What we actually need is less.\u00a0<\/strong>Less pressure, less expectations, less performance, less shame, less distractions. That\u2019s the truth that destroys the lie at the heart of the battle for our hearts, minds, and souls as men.<\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nWhat we actually need is less.\u00a0<\/strong>Less pressure, less expectations, less performance, less shame, less distractions. That\u2019s the truth that destroys the lie at the heart of the battle for our hearts, minds, and souls as men.\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n If an argument could be made for\u00a0more<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of anything in our lives as men, I\u2019d make it for more\u00a0clarity<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0Clarity that brings Jesus into focus<\/strong>. Clarity brings wisdom, peace, patience, perspective, and the ability to see who God is and what He is doing in our lives. Clarity that silences the noise so we can hear His \u201cstill small voice\u201d (1 Kings 19:12).<\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nIf an argument could be made for\u00a0more<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of anything in our lives as men, I\u2019d make it for more\u00a0clarity<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0Clarity that brings Jesus into focus<\/strong>. Clarity brings wisdom, peace, patience, perspective, and the ability to see who God is and what He is doing in our lives. Clarity that silences the noise so we can hear His \u201cstill small voice\u201d (1 Kings 19:12).\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n Just as God met Adam in the Garden, Abraham when he walked away from everything he knew, Jacob in the dead of night, Joseph in the dungeon, Moses in the Tabernacle, David in the fields watching sheep, Daniel in his prayer room, Elijah on the mountainside, Zechariah in the holy of holies, Nathanael under the fig tree alone with his thoughts, and Jesus when He would sneak away from the crowds, noise, and distractions \u2013\u00a0He wants to meet us where we leave the crushing weight of \u201cmore\u201d behind, and rest, wait, and seek Him, because s<\/em><\/strong>ometimes we need less of everything else to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to \u201cbe still and know that I am God\u201d (Psalm 46:10).<\/strong><\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nJust as God met Adam in the Garden, Abraham when he walked away from everything he knew, Jacob in the dead of night, Joseph in the dungeon, Moses in the Tabernacle, David in the fields watching sheep, Daniel in his prayer room, Elijah on the mountainside, Zechariah in the holy of holies, Nathanael under the fig tree alone with his thoughts, and Jesus when He would sneak away from the crowds, noise, and distractions \u2013\u00a0He wants to meet us where we leave the crushing weight of \u201cmore\u201d behind, and rest, wait, and seek Him, because s<\/em><\/strong>ometimes we need less of everything else to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to \u201cbe still and know that I am God\u201d (Psalm 46:10).<\/strong>\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n Imagine a mason jar filled with dirt, rocks, and sand. Add water, seal it, and shake it up. The water turns cloudy, impossible to see through. But set it down, let the sediment settle, and soon the water clears \u2013 you can see straight through. That\u2019s what this retreat is designed to be: a time to step away, be still, let the upheaval (external and internal) settle at the feet of Jesus, and gain\u00a0clarity<\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s the gift of vision for our lives as men<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 without it, we\u2019re like the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39).<\/p>\r\n ","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<\/p>\r\nImagine a mason jar filled with dirt, rocks, and sand. Add water, seal it, and shake it up. The water turns cloudy, impossible to see through. But set it down, let the sediment settle, and soon the water clears \u2013 you can see straight through. That\u2019s what this retreat is designed to be: a time to step away, be still, let the upheaval (external and internal) settle at the feet of Jesus, and gain\u00a0clarity<\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s the gift of vision for our lives as men<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 without it, we\u2019re like the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39).\r\n "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<\/p>\r\n