When a writer is at a loss for words…you know this is some serious business! But seriously, I have been trying to find the words for several days now, and they just don’t do it justice. But I will try…
We held our third SLFH Women’s Retreat this past weekend and what an amazing event. I am still processing all that took place, and my lips haven’t stopped praising God!
How do I even begin?
Well, you all know that the past two years, these events were beyond my expectations-you can read about it here and here. But this third one was even more beyond! How is that even possible?
God.
You see, when women come together to simply seek Jesus, it is one of the most beautiful things! This year, 35 women came together from all different walks of life, all different parts of the country (two even came from SEATTLE- all the way across the country!) and all different stages of life. Some of us may never have the opportunity for our paths to cross in real life…
But God.
We all shared the most important common thread- Jesus. And that was enough.
Our theme this weekend was Jesus is Enough and throughout my sessions, I talked about how God has always provided for us (not just physically, but spiritually) and He will always provide abundantly for us. Because He has provided the One and the Only thing we need- Jesus. And His death and resurrection are what our very being is centered on. Our life is found when it is lost. When we empty ourselves of us and fill up on Him, Jesus is Enough.
I didn’t record this year’s sessions but I think that is just how God wanted it. Some of them got pretty personal and I shared some of the darkest parts of my testimony. But I did so in order to share that I am TRANSFORMED on the inside because of Jesus. After years and years of searching in all the wrong places for purpose and for life, I finally found it when I found Jesus- and now my purpose is to glorify Him. And as I saw this photo taken of me in Gettysburg, I couldn’t help but think of my favorite Psalm.
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
One of the most beautiful parts of our weekend was that we all came together to share our love of Jesus. And we all have a story to tell and at the center of those stories is Jesus. He has redeemed.
Our retreat was blessed with the most perfect weather. The sunrise on the first day was spectacular. Pictures will never do it justice.
And the sunsets in Gettysburg with the amazing fellowship was icing on the cake.
These ladies are so much fun. We laughed, we cried (cleansing tears and happy tears!) and hugged, we prayed, we worshipped…I could go on and on…
Here are some more glimpses of our time together:
The future Simply Living for Him ladies- my daughter with another attendee’s daughters!
Women pondering what it means to be satisfied. Jackie Foster gave a fabulous session!
Worship was led by Robin Miller once again. She is amazing! And my dear friend Jackie gave a session- she is so wise.
Friends for eternity!
The 2018 ladies.
Thankful for these people! Their support is essential and they go above and beyond.
Last year an attendee was struggling with infertility. We prayed for her. A few weeks later this beautiful boy was conceived…and this year he attended the retreat! BEYOND BLESSED!
As I look to next year, we are not hosting a July 2019 retreat, however, it is not the end of the retreat. I am seeking God’s leading on when and where to hold the next one and how it will look. I know this is just the beginning of what God will do through Simply Living for Him. My mission here is to point others to Jesus and I believe this weekend that mission was accomplished. It’s not to hard to do when your love for your Savior is great!
I went Live on Facebook today talking a bit about the retreat. You can watch here:
As I look ahead to the future of this ministry, I am excited to see what God does. To Him be the Glory!
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