The greatest gift we can receive from God is his perfect, unconditional and unwavering love, which brings a deep rooted security and stability to our lives. For many Christians, the idea of God as a Heavenly Father is rather distant and impersonal. The feeling of a warm personal relationship as an individual son or daughter is still lacking. Some of the reasons for this lack of close relationship are:
- legalistic extremes portraying God primarily as a merciless judge rather that of a loving Father-Redeemer,
- faulty earthly father relationships which grossly distort the true image of fatherhood, or
- personal misfortunes which seem difficult to reconcile with the love of an all-powerful Father-God.
An Encounter Retreat provides a more “in depth” opportunity where participants discover a greater understanding of what God is really like as a Father who loves us perfectly and unconditionally. The more we see Him as He is, the more we see ourselves as we really are, and the more at rest we will be, making our home in Him.