Retreat

Just back from our annual women's retreat. Exhausted, yet so very content. We 21 women had a really fabulous time.

It it incredibly stretching to commit to such an undertaking...and yet I knew that God was ultimately the Coordinator. He allowed an amazing week end of worship, of fellowship, of learning...everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was so incredibly receptive. Each woman appeared connected and content.

We discussed unity in the body of Christ (we are SISTAS), accepting one another in spite of differences, and treating each other like the princesses we are. We are daughters of the KING! Ephesians 1:2 in the Amplified Bible provided a focus word: undisturbedness. (LOVE that word!) We discussed how being right with God allows undisturbedness, which then allows us to receive His love and pour it out to our sistas. We discussed the enemy of our souls, and how he is prowling about planting trouble, trying to undo that peace. And finally, this morning, we learned that we need to trust God with the hard stuff. Pages of Bible verses accompanied the sessions which were based in the book of Ephesians.

We also did some scrapbooking of verse books (more on that later...), a group puzzle, some hiking and horse back riding, and a whole lotta eating. The weather was absolute perfection - sunny and 75 degrees. Our retreat center was perfect in that our meeting room, game room and sleeping rooms were all in one building, and we had it all to ourselves. And the campground - TimberLee Christian Center - surrounded us with 600 acres of beauty.

We bonded. We laughed. We cried. We sang. Some of us even slept!

Most surprising? How well the women took to tiaras from the dollar store. Photos will prove that those tiaras were on our heads ALL week end. It was amazing. The women I thought most likely to resist such silliness were the ones who had them on from sun up to sun down. Still makes me smile.

Most amazing? How God pulled all of the pieces together. I've noodled the basic topics for months, but had to trust A LOT for the final arrangement...definitely stretched me.

Favorite moment? Listening together to "What do I know of Holy?" by Addison Road. That song moves me.

Favorite spoiling? A room to myself. The "speaker's room." I slept 8 hours both nights with the help of a huge fan from home to provide white noise. My life has been on overdrive lately and it was such a JOY to sleeeeeeep.... and just lay on my bunk and think and pray...

All in all it was pretty close to as good as it could have been. The comment cards are amazing. Funny how a few people had no overt reactions to the sessions, but then wrote the most gracious and moving comments. Such lovely rewards for the efforts invested - their appreciative words. It is so gratifying to know that they heard God speak.

For over a decade I've facetiously commented that when I grow up I want to be a retreat speaker.

It just might happen!