"I continue to hear the comment that "not" doing important things is "not an option". It helped me make a clear decision to DO what I knew I should."
"I was one of the guys that really was not excited to go. I had been to the previous two men's retreats and slowly fell into the "I really don't need guys around me" and stopped coming to the breakfasts and Garage. It wasn't till I arrived home, did I realize God had been moving in my heart. Hearing Sam's words of "It's not an option" really hit me hard. I have taken his challenge to call one guy every day this week (and beyond) and have begun to start a journal."
"God in His perfect way helped both restore my wavering faith and revealed why I was told I needed to be there for other men, both those I knew and those I became friends with. During the time up there he helped me see the genuineness, spiritual strength, and the challenges of men at the Gathering which we can't see during the normal weekly worship and activities routine. He helped restore a good bit of my heart and drew it back to Him."
"Two things were critical, first was my need to connect with other men. I am fairly new to the area and need friends and others to connect with. I have been avoiding this and only letting people see my "avatar." I need to open up and let people see who I really am behind the masks I wear. Secondly, I have been struggling with some issues of unforgiveness and God showed me that I have been forgiven much and therefore need to forgive. For the longest time I have been blaming myself for circumstances and something that Sam said when he was talking about his son, talking to his soon to be son-in-law, really impacted me. "Jesus loves you and I love Him and that's enough." I don't need to continue beating myself up over sins from the past. God has forgiven me and I need to "let it go." God is so good!"