WEBSITE: www.goodshepherdsedibaretreat.co.za

Tel: (012) 259 1392 / Mobile Emergency: 082 752 7237 │ Bookings: goodshepherdsedibaretreat@gmail.com │ GPS Co-ordinates: -25.761455 ​27.902227

PO Box 15, Hartbeespoort, 0216, S.A. Portion 60 of Farm 482, Meerhof Hartbeespoort, N.W. Province, S.A., Off Findlay Avenue…Next to Good Shepherd Catholic ​Church

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Dear Friend of Good Shepherd

We welcome the presence and power of God who makes us realise our constant profound need for healing, love and a fulfilled life. The last ​few weeks at Good Shepherd unearthed many wonderful surprises. The human heart is never limited by the constraints that life seems to ​impose on it. A group of around 70 young adults descended upon the retreat centre recently with some deeply revealing triumphs and ​celebrations, trials and apparent insurmountable challenges delicately presented. The interactions, reflections, prayer and worship were a ​perfect combination for a God-centered encounter. We sometimes don’t realise that God is with us despite everything that points to the ​contrary. To comprehend that God never leaves his cherished child, no matter how indifferent or busy or frustrated or hurt we may be,was a

welcomed truth that resonated within the hearts of most of those, if not all, who were present. God loves deeply the one He has created. He ​never gives up or surrenders His ownership and commitment despite our often- believed idea that we are not worthy of His love and ​faithfulness. God is so desirous to cultivate in us an intimate and unique relationship with each one of us, as if there was no one else alive.

Being precious to God, unconditionally love by God beyond belief. Being protected by God when one feels completely misunderstood, taken ​for granted, isolated and vulnerable. These are difficult truths for even the mature and sober mind to grasp, let alone for the young and ​impressionable minds and hearts of the contemporary believer. And yes, ‘believer’ is the operative word. One really comes to understand ​that faith is the necessary ingredient that one needs to put into life in order to overcome the overwhelming odds that life often brazenly ​stacks against us. Faith in your inner being. Faith in your latent strength. Faith in your resilience. Faith in the goodness buried within you.

Faith in others, despite the never-ending litany of disappointments. Faith in the Church. Yes, even in these trying and uncertain spiritual ​times. Faith in God, from whom all these graces flow. How many young people, who graced this sacred space these past few days, taught one ​another, through their vulnerability, openness and honesty, the value of being true to self, of breaking free from the mainstream jargon of ​mediocrity and superficiality. Being ‘you’ is so infinitely more valuable to those who love you than losing ‘you’ for a fake representation of ​self. ‘You’ are good enough. ‘You’ are beautiful. ‘You’ are perfectly what God had designed from the moment of your conception. And

what an amazing portrait of glory we paint when ‘that You’ emerges to take centre stage within, so that God may be glorified. Ah! the joy of ​God being God and ‘You’ being ‘You’. Indescribable! My heart expects more. Indeed, I’m sure there’s loads more still to come. Perhaps we are ​truly entering into a season in which we celebrate not the potential of youth but God fully active in their creative and humble lives NOW. ​Thank you to those blessed souls whom God’s love drew to Good Shepherd. We salute you! We honour you! We bless you! We love you!

For those of you who have not visited Good Shepherd Retreat Centre and would like to experience a retreat or who would just like to visit the ​centre for personal prayer, please email us and we will be happy to help with that. We will continue to keep all our patrons, suppliers, and ​associates in our prayers as we enjoy our winter sunsets.

LJC et MI