Valley Forge Battlefield

My freshman year of college I saw a poster that the Senior class was planning a picnic at Valley Forge Battlefield. I found it rather amusing because a simple Google search would inform you that there was no battle at Valley Forge, it's just where George Washington and the troops spent the winter of 1777-1778.
I was running in Valley Forge the other day and chuckled to myself as I thought about that erroneous poster.
But then starting thing that the lack of a battle does not mean a lack of significance. In US History my sophomore year of high school, I learned that the winter at Valley Forge was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The troops were unified by the time together and trained by Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. It was during this winter that they were transformed from a group of colonists to the Continental Army.

Which got me thinking... the turning points in life are sometimes winters of preparation, not battles.
Through Sunday School classes, friendships, Bible studies or even vacations, God can teach us and prepare us. Over the past 3-4 years, God has used Beth Moore Bible studies to prepare me--to make me more loving, more patient, more compassionate, less judgmental. He has used friendships prepare me--to make me more emotional, more trusting, less selfish. He has used Sunday School prepare me--to deepen relationships, grow in knowledge of Him, see faith lived out in the lives of his servants.

The quiet winters of preparation aren't often mentioned in the Bible, we just see the results of them. In Genesis 6, we learn that Noah walked with God which prepared him to live a holy life during such an evil time.
In Genesis 39, Joseph does not sleep with Potiphar's wife--because of a winter of preparation.
In Exodus 2, Moses has two different seasons of preparation. First, his own mother ends up raising him even though he becomes the child of Pharaoh's daughter. Then after murdering an Egyptian, Moses spends many years as a shepherd preparing to save his people from slavery.
In 1 Kings 17, Elijah hides by the brook Cherith where he is given daily provisions and prepared for ministry. The disciples who never really seem to get it throughout the Gospels, who even deny Jesus at the time of His crucifixion, have winters of preparation before preaching at Pentecost and writing various epistles.
In Acts 9, Saul has a winter of preparation between seeing the light (his salvation) and his ministry starting.
Sometimes we see people intentionally getting alone to prepare. In Esther 4-5, Esther has a time of prayer and fasting (for three days) and requested Mordecai to do the same.
In the Gospels, we often see Jesus leave the crowds or disciples to pray (Mt. 14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 5:16, 6:12).  They were His own seasons of preparation.

So I as finished my run, gave von Steuben a good game, and got in my car to drive home, I thanked God for lessons I've learned off the battlefield.

What other Bible characters had winters of preparation? What lessons have you learned off the battlefield?