Refreshed at a Retreat

Oh friends, every time I get the blessing of sharing God’s Word with a group of women, I am in awe that my great God that would use a small, insignificant person like me!  Going to speak to women is ALWAYS more about what God has taught me as I’ve prepared than it is them hearing from me.  I am nothing, but God’s Word is EVERYTHING and I love being His messenger!

Last weekend I got to travel to Grass Valley, CA to speak at Wolf Mt. Camp.  There were around 65 women who filled the camp and came to fellowship, rest, have fun and get refreshed in their spiritual lives.  I loved every minute of being there and thought I would “take you along” via my pictures today.

My sweet husband took me to the airport.  He traveled with me the last time I went, but due to his recent eye surgery, I made this trip alone.  Let me rephrase that – I went without his company.  The Lord was my companion and truly guided and helped me every step of the way.  I was not afraid or nervous to travel because He was at my side.

I flew into Atlanta and then had around a four hour flight to Sacramento.  The views were beautiful!

The best part of that flight was that the Lord opened the door for me to share the Gospel with the man on my row.  Here’s a picture of him reading the tract I gave him after we had a Gospel conversation.  I wonder who has been praying for him?  I believe there are people burdened for this man.  He works for a Christian who has the Romans Road on the back of his business cards. Has his boss been praying for him? I learned he plays basketball at a church each Sunday afternoon.  Have the men at that church been pleading to God for his soul? I don’t know, but I know that it was an answer to my prayer to have the blessing of telling him that God loves him and provided a Savior for his salvation!

The camp is so pretty.  Fall colors greeted each lady.

This was a rough group to speak to – see why?! Ha!!

Our sweet hostess for the weekend – Audrey was so busy all weekend.  Here she is taking the ladies’ photos.  What  a sweet servant she is!

On Friday afternoon the ladies crafted outside.  The weather was perfect and they made some beautiful things to take home!

The whole reason we gather is to open God’s Word. The theme was “Be Strong.”  We had five opportunities to open the Scriptures together to be reminded that we can only be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.  God sends situations and difficulties to remind us that we are indeed weak and can only have strength as we run to Him.
The picture below is half of the room praying together after one of the sessions.  It was precious to my ears to hear their voices praying for one another.  I know that sound is even more precious to the God to whom they were praying.

The men of the camp grilled meat for our dinner Friday night.  The Tri-tip beef I enjoyed was delicious!  All the meals were super good and not typical “camp food!”

One extra blessing of the retreat was getting to see an old friend that I hadn’t seen in many years.  She and her husband served at the same Christian school where Dale and I served.  They attended our wedding, so we’ve been friends nearly 40 years.  Isn’t it a blessing when you can pick right up and enjoy fellowship together?  She is a precious woman who serves alongside her husband in a ministry in California.

Lastly, here is our sweet hostess, the wife of the director of the camp, Audrey.  I’ve known her all her life and it is a blessing to see how God is using her and her husband in this ministry.

Camp has a special place in my heart.  God is using Wolf Mt. to reach souls and I am so very blessed to have had a small part in serving with them last weekend!

Thank you to those of you who prayed for me!  I’m grateful!

Do you attend retreats where you can be refreshed?  There’s something special about getting away with a group of women for a night or two in a place where you can hear God’s Word directed towards the needs of women.  Why not pray about a time when you could attend a retreat in this upcoming year?  The Wilds in North Carolina or New England have retreats as well.  Check out their schedules if you’re in the east!

Refresh yourself this weekend in God’s house!