Woo Hoo!! Our ladies' retreat was this past Friday and Saturday. I've posted several times on face back in regards to the wonderful time we had this year. Our theme was "Showers of Blessing" and yes, God just rained down all sorts of wonderful blessings on us!
I'm always uplifted by events such as these. Love flows from sister to sister and joy abounds. I'm reminded of the last few verses of Acts 2, as the Holy Spirit guided Luke to describe the love and happiness among the Christians in the early church. They ate together, prayed together and stayed together.
The first Christians had a common purpose. Those brothers and sisters were unified in heart and spirit and were partakers of an abundant joy. What a huge change people around them must have observed. No wonder the church grew daily! Part of the reason had to be the sheer happiness and love they shared with one another.
This weekend was like that. Some 66 souls ate together and prayed together. We shared with one another and took care of each other. We had a common purpose. We were happy and we praised God. In my heart of hearts, I know that the church grows because of events such as these! And I am thankful for each and every lady who took the time to be there and share themselves with others.
God loves His people. He cares so much for us and longs to bless us as we obey Him. Our key scripture for the retreat was Ezekiel 34:26. "And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing." What a wonderful promise!
Actually, the entire covenant of peace found in Ezekiel 34: 25- 31 is a beautiful passage. It shows us how much God loves us and wants to care for us, not only spiritually, but physically as well. We have such a good God! He is our perfect Heavenly Father and He knows just what we need.
One of my biggest blessings each year is the ladies' retreat. God's gift of fellowship with other sisters is a huge encouragement for me. We come from all walks of life. We come in all sizes. Some of us drive for several hours to get to the retreat. A few of us come alone -- some of us come with a van load full of sisters. None of that really matters. All that matters is that we are there.
Most of us those who attend have been for several years in a row now. We make fast friends one another and eagerly anticipate seeing each other the next year. We are there with smiles on our faces and songs in our hearts. Hugs go round and round. I get so excited when people start rolling in around registration time. I can hardly wait to see my sisters stroll through the door and get a hug from each one of them!
This event is like a spiritual shot in the arm for me. It's one of my booster shots. I am so thankful God gave us the church so that we could be there to support one another! It is a comfort to know that women from different congregations in different parts of the state have the same concerns and struggles that we have. This is NOT a misery loves company thing. But it is so much a "strength in numbers thing."
My retreat sisters help me remember what being faithful is all about and why the Christian fight is so important. They help me realize how beautiful heaven will be -- how rich the "riches in glory" will be. This year through our speaker's lessons we were reminded that even in and through suffering and persecution, we are showered with blessings every day.
I am so thankful to those who bring the younger girls with them to the retreat. I am grateful that these mothers and grandmothers are teaching their young ladies the importance of Christian friendship and fellowship. They are learning how to have fun in a Christian environment.
Younger ladies learn the value of putting God first. They may even begin to realize there really is something to what their mothers and grandmothers have been teaching them. Perhaps they watch and remember the same women attending the retreat (and activities in their home congregations) and learn what being dedicated to Christ is all about. Probably the best thing they see is all that love and joy I've been talking about. Maybe, just maybe, they understand that no matter where you are being with Christians is absolutely the best place to be!
The older ladies that faithfully attend every year are lifted up with joy in seeing young ones love and appreciate the retreat every year. Perhaps their enthusiasm is renewed when they see the zeal of younger ladies. They are definitely setting a wonderful example for all. I have a great respect for these women who come to the retreat using canes to help them walk (or come even in wheelchairs).
Finally, us "in-betweeners" or middle-aged women gain great strength from the examples of the those both older and younger than they. Maybe we are still in the work world and we seek refuge from the pressures of having both a secular job and trying to be a keeper at home. It is indeed a blessing to be able to "get away from it all" for just a few hours. Some of us come to the retreat running on empty. Maybe we need to be reminded of what's important. Perhaps we need to feel that wonderful love that flows from heart to heart. I pray we go home filled back up to the brim!
Yes, this year we really were showered with blessings as we were reminded through our lessons just how much the Father loves us and blesses us. He is always there through the storms of life. We can sing in the rain because we know He cares for us.
We are so blessed sometimes we take our many blessings for granted. We become so casual about what the Lord has done for us, that perhaps we don't even see the blessings we have. And we remember that God blesses the meek, the peacemaker, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. We just have to hang in there.
May you be showered with blessings as you continue to walk hand in hand with Him through this life!
Christ above all things,
Robin
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