With my travel schedule one of the challenges is staying connected here in our home town. For the past few years I have missed out on the Woman’s Retreat at our church because by the time the dates came out I was already scheduled to travel. So this year I made sure to get those dates early and block those days out in my calendar. However just a few weeks before we heard the news the the retreat was canceled this year. I was so sad to miss yet another year. I was traveling when I heard this, but I told Joel’s mom that she should encourage the ladies of our church to still meet during this time. I was so pleased when I found out that they would in fact get together. It was a different type of retreat as we were a small group and we did all the cooking and cleaning ourselves, but it was still so good to spend time together.
Here are some highlights of the time..
- Based off of the last retreat I was at the states, I made an effort to hear each lady’s story. It was so great to get to know them all a little more as they shared with me what they wanted to about their lives.
Every heart has a story to tell and it was so fun to hear them during free moments we had - Joel’s mom led the devotion time on faith and it was really good
We read through Habakkuk and talked about faith - One church woman’s group in the states had given us gifts for the ladies of our church and I had saved them for this event. It was so fun to hand them out and see their delight.
It touched them a lot that a group of women from the states had been thinking of them. - I learned for the first time a card game known by many here that I had never even heard of, but can now play.
We played lots of different games and even did a puzzle together - Some of them entered the ocean for the first time and it was fun to see them stand on the edge and gradually enter in.
They went from sitting on the edge 
To entering in - We played soccer on the beach, which was humorous in so many way, but absolutely no pictures!
- We cleaned, cooked, ate and talked side by side and it was just so amazing to have them time together.
There was so much good food, more than we could eat 
Day and night! - The woman listed the challenges ahead and then handed those over to God in pray in a time that was quite touching to all there.
They shared from their hearts 
And lifted all these things before the Lord
It was a great weekend. I wish more could have made it and hopefully next year the larger retreat will take place. But for this year I was just grateful for these moments we had together.
Perfect timing as our women’s retreat starts this afternoon. Sounds like a truly blessed time – so glad you were able to be a part of it! You have reinforced what God has been speaking into my heart – leave the distractions at home and focus on getting to know others more intimately! Thank you for sharing!
Hugs and prayers for all!
Cassie