Last Thursday I headed to Nova Scotia.  This was my second trip, and I was excited about returning to minister to the ladies who would come to Forest Glen Bible Camp for their annual Ladies’ Retreat.  I’ll share more about that later, but I have to say that one of the biggest blessings of the trip was that God provided a friend to go along with me.

What does a friend do who accompanies you on a trip?  They simply go with you, right?  She did far more than that!

• She walked through the “muck” (deep, sloshy mud) to run off my outlines when they didn’t make it to camp in our  luggage.
• She made sure I had a coffee drink while traveling and insisted on buying it for me.
• She walked through the muck to give messages to others on my behalf.
• She reminded me of details – “take your water bottle to the podium, don’t forget to tell the ladies about your blog, that ladies’ name was _______.”
• She encouraged me.
• She prayed for me.
• She served the other ladies who attended the retreat.
• She snapped pictures of everything that happened and of the ladies I talked to, so I’d remember them better.
• She always put herself last.
• She was always concerned more about my needs than her own. “How’s your head?” was a common question!
• She laid my clothes out for me before the first service and cut all the tags off and opened the containers of the new items I had to buy because our luggage came a day after we did.
• She made it easier for me to serve God in this retreat!

I could go on,, but I think you see what a blessing she was to me.  She was such a joy to travel with!

I thought about Paul in Philippians 2 when he said,

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

My friend, Kellie was just like Epaphroditus was to Paul.  She was my companion in this labor at the retreat.  She ministered to my wants and was a fellowsoldier; also caring for the souls of others.

I’m writing this post to say what a blessing to have friends like her!  I know other women who would do that very kind of service for me or other friends.

Do you have a friend like that?  Maybe today would be a good day to get a hold of her and say thank you!  Then, are you a friend like that?  Kellie makes me realize that I could do a whole lot more for others!

We are like Christ, and like Epaphroditus when we put others before ourselves.  How’s that going in your life?  Who are you seeking to serve today so that they can do more effectively what God has called them to do?  Let’s be an Epaphroditus to someone today!

With love,

A trip to the ER for stitches in my husband’s finger wasn’t exactly what I had planned for my day yesterday, but my plans are often changed by the Lord, who knows exactly what I need in order to trust Him, do His sovereign will, and grow in Christlikeness. Hence, a blog post wasn’t allowed in the busy events of the afternoon.

I’m headed to Nova Scotia today where I will speak at a ladies’ retreat this weekend. I’m SO excited at this opportunity, though I feel so unworthy of it. I’ll be back here Monday with a yummy recipe for Double Chocolate Biscotti!

What will you be doing this weekend?

With love,
Denise

Sifting flour makes me feel like a professional baker. I dump in huge amounts of flour into the canister, turn the crank, and when I’m finished, all that’s left are the clumps – the little nubby bits that I push through the sieve with my fingers.  Now the flour is so fine; perfect for use in my recipes!

That process reminds me of what I need to do after attending a ladies’ conference, which I was privileged to do last weekend. The time went so fast, and I received so much, so fast. It’s as though all that wisdom has been poured into the reservoir of my heart.  I’ve wished I could go back and redo it all again, but of course that’s not possible.  So to get the most from all I heard, it’s necessary that I sift through it all, letting a little at a time go through the mill of my mind and then fall into my heart, so that it’s ready for use.  Here’s how I do that:

• First, I try to take lots of notes on the things that seem to “jump” out at me during the conference.
• I mark with an * the things that really spoke to my heart.
• During the next week or two when I’m having my devotions, I read through my notes, a little at a time.  I write into my journal things that were important.  The rewriting process helps me remember those points!  I may even draw a little picture to aid my memory or make the note more visual.
• I pray about that point, asking the Lord to help me to incorporate that into my life and make the changes I need to make.
• I continue to make my way through my notes until I’ve reviewed it all.
• I sing the song(s) that was a theme song, as I have my prayer time.

I won’t remember everything that I heard, but using these steps, I will remember the points that were especially convicting or helpful!  After a couple of weeks, I’ve taken that short weekend away and milled through the material, getting the most out of my retreating period.  The Word has become smoother and is now ready for me to use.  It’s like getting a double blessing from the conference!

If you’ve been to a retreat recently, I trust this will encourage you to try to get the most from what was shared.  The speaker was led by God to deliver those sessions and God knew you’d be there!  Sift through the material and get the most from your time away!

With love,