This upcoming weekend, I am helping put on a retreat for 18 women at my home church. It is a time for them to truly be away from the world and to be in silence while in the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a weekend for them to be without their beeping phones, their responsibilities, and their busy, busy lives. It is a weekend of reconnecting with Jesus.
As the weekend approaches, I am full of many emotions. I think back to last year when I was solely a participant and how much I got out of being there. That’s how much I want everyone participating. I want them to get more, even. I am so excited because I cannot wait for these women to all become sisters in Christ. I can’t wait to see the shared love for serving Jesus. I am nervous because I am doing a talk about my spirituality and speaking in public scares me. I am scared that I won’t convey the message I hope to, whatever that message ends up being. More than anything, though, I am so, so thankful.
I am thankful that I will have the chance to meet so many new people that are sisters in Christ. I get to talk to people I already know on a level I have never had to chance to before. I am thankful to be among the presence of the Holy Spirit working in so many people in one place. I get to share what God has done for my life, how He has held me up through it all and how He continually gives, even when I fall. I get to renew the spark inside of me that this retreat gave me last year, and for that I am beyond thankful. It isn’t easy for me to keep the spark on my own. It is hard work when everything else is calling for my attention. This weekend, I know I’ll find new ways to take my days back to Jesus even when they feel far from Him.
To the ladies coming to the retreat, the best thing you can do is come with an open mind and an open heart. Let the Holy Spirit work in you and renew your life. The time you’re taking from your bust schedule is the best time you could ever take. Use this weekend for your full advantage… it is truly for you! I hope that this retreat fulfills everything you hoped it would and I hope you can continue it long past this weekend. Know you’re in my prayers today, at the retreat and you will be after! I am so, so excited for you!
