What a privilege it was in September to participate as one of the counselors at the TRACTION retreat in Interlaken, Switzerland. Mountains reflect the majesty of God as well as the mysteries of God. They make you feel small, but as they draw you closer to God, you never feel insignificant. The purpose of the retreat was to help restore the missionary guests to closer fervor for the Lord, to transform feelings of inadequacy to dependency on God, and to recover from disappointing failures to growth-producing lessons of God’s redeeming power and love.
Here’s a snippet of what gets me so excited about going back every September.
The scenery in Switzerland was breathtaking.
Even more breathtaking is the sight and sound of 60-plus battle-worn missionaries from all over the globe praising God in worship.
But the highlight of the TRACTION Retreat was listening to these men share some of their personal struggles for the first time in their lives.
Through transparency in the safety of this community, spiritual dryness and fatigue gave way to restored vibrance and energy for sustained service.
“When deterioration is inevitable, restoration is essential.”
J. Lee Jagers, PhD, ThM, LPC 