The 2009 Fishhook Retreat was held at the Hemlock Inn in Bryson City, North Carolina January 23-25.  The food was excellent, fellowship great and teaching anointed.  Many who came provided feedback.  I hope you enjoy reading these comments.

“God needs to be in my heart, at my core, so He is with me in everything I say or do.  This weekend strengthened my resolve to truly have God in my heart.  Thanks for a great weekend.”

“This was a great weekend to come apart and draw closer to God.  The music was great and the teaching was excellent.  I pray that God would continue to be in my heart so I could be used by Him.  The food and fellowship were wonderful.  Hemlock Inn has been a perfect place for this retreat.”

“The Lord revealed the value of relationships to me this weekend.  He was gracious enough to place very dear brothers and sisters into my life this weekend who showed the true love and kind heart of God.  I really experienced Christ this weekend through Him directly and through the staff at Hemlock Inn and through my fellow retreatants.  I praise the Lord for His love and mercy and for the Fishhook and for the folks at Hemlock Inn!  Hallelujah!”

“It is amazing how interconnected the Body of Christ is and how our lives are intertwined.  Our live are also interconnected our brothers and sisters around the world.  We are part of the family of God.  How can we who have plenty of this worlds goods see our brothers and sisters in need and not share with them.”

“Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good earth, these are the good heart who seize the word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there is a harvest.  Obedience does not always lead to “success”, sometimes we get disappointed when it leads to tribulation.  But we are to seize the word and hold on no matter what, do not turn back, do not give up, we know bay God’s word there is a harvest and we stick with what we are called to until that harvest comes, knowing full well it will, we believe it so we will see it.”

“Faith without works is dead and when we speak to the mountain “MOVE!” we also go after it with a shovel and pick.  Thankfully God will bring others along side with their shovels and picks, because God has not created us to walk alone.  Praise Him for that.”

“It would be good to have some personal testimony from people who have been to India and know and support Richard and Ghuna so others are encouraged to go and be supportive.”

“Wonderful Spirit, Wonderful mix of people, Great revelation in the teaching and reflection.  Would like more time to get to know and be in small group.  More people of color, Indian and Black.”

“I need to spend more time being “Quiet”, turn off some of the “stuff”.”

“God had revealed to me that I am not alone and that I have nothing to fear.  He is great!  And I am part of a larger community of believers that love and care about my spiritual growth.  Thanks for a wonderful spiritual retreat.  My heart, body, and soul is filled.  I will leave a better, grateful person than when I came.   I hope to return.”

“This will be a special year of the Lord’s favor.  He has shown me how He works in and through people we would have least expected.  He gave me my story.  He showed me how through His leading He could give me love through an unbeliever and then years later lead us to a love for the Indian people.  Through a friend, and also the loss of that friend, the Lord confirmed our support for India and Fishhook.   I have seen His hand in and through those who are and aren’t His children.   I also know that He can use our country’s leaders for His purpose and that we will see Him and His favor.”

“I released disappointment around a miscarriage “again” from 11 years ago.  My heart was in a metal box from first love.  The Lord opened the box and now a river from Jesus runs through it out of me.”

“God cares deeply about every aspect of our lives.   He refines us through our suffering”

“God taught me about the value of relationships, the value of God’s call on each of our lives, the value of missions at home and away, and the value of ministry in the workplace.”

“I learned that the heart is the command or control center of who I am, success may not be God’s purpose for me, I need to bring my disappointments to the cross (It’s a safe place), it’s OK to bring my disappointments to God, sometimes we have to express our disappointment to God before we can surrender them to Him.”

“If anyone desires to be closer to God, Hemlock Inn with Fishhook leading will allow you the opportunity  of your live.  “Be still and know that I am God.””

“In the body of Christ is where we grow closer to God and that body of Christ is all over the world.”

“God revealed some resistance within my heart to openness to His love and care due to past hurts and disappointments.  This would come from fear that tenderness once again revealed would be hurt again.  I believe trust started to be restored and great healing began.”

“It was made real to me that it is God’s desire that I receive and live an ABUNDANT life on this earth.  Often I don’t live out this gift, I “muddle” through when I could be so much more victorious.”

“The teaching was anointed.   As redeemed sons and daughters of the most high God we have good heart.  We really need to trust God with our whole heart as we learn that we can entrust our whole hear to God.   I have been impressed profoundly that believing is seeing.”

“Most of I enjoyed the atmosphere, it was open, optional, and full of opportunity all weekend.  The singing was wonderful, no words needed since they were songs we knew, and it was great to have Ben share his songs and well as the special from David Waits.  Listening to Tim on Friday night talk about his story made me wonder what my story was and how it would read.”

“It was a great time of reflection, evaluation and rethinking.  The emphasis on the heart spoke to me and affirmed many things in my life.”