2016 Women's Retreat

Happy Friday, sweet friends! The temperature's are in the 40's this morning here in Oklahoma and it is finally beginning to feel like fall. Unfortunately it's going to be short lived as temps are supposed to be back in the 80's. Oh well, I'll enjoy the high 60's today while I can.

Over a month ago, I flew back to New York for the wedding of my brother, Cael, and his now wife, Kirstin. When I found out the wedding date, I realized that it was the weekend after a women's retreat at one of my favorite places on earth! 

Mission Meadows is near and dear to my heart. I grew up going to camp here for a week each summer and then was on the summer staff for my first three year's after college. I have had some of my most memorable encounters with the Lord at this place and it's very special to me.

The annual fall retreat is a gathering of women from several church's from all over. It is a fun weekend of worship, fellowship, and a great speaker. I attended the retreat in 2014, a time that was a test of faith and trust for me. I had moved back to the United States in July and was in the process of applying for jobs. I think the retreat was about 2 weeks before I applied for my job at Dillon!

The bell tower, where I spent many mornings drinking coffee with friend's during the summer months. The summer of 2008, I met here several mornings with 3 other ladies to drink coffee and pray for one another.

I had fun taking pictures as I reminisced about all the wonderful memories this place holds.

Me and my mama! We braved the rough waves and went kayaking. It was short lived since our arms were so sore from paddling against the waves but we did make it out when there was a break in the rain which was our goal.

It was such a wonderful, relaxing weekend spent with my mom and women from my home Church. I was sad to see the weekend come to a close although I was ready to sleep in a real bed again! Until next time, Mission Meadows!

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Psalm 46:10-11

What a WeekEND {2014 Women's Retreat}

Wow... a week it has been. Or perhaps I should say two weeks!

Once again, no I have not dropped off the face of the blogging world, I'm still here!
I will write more about that later.

What a wonderful few weeks it has been! Honestly, my week days are rather slow, except for my WONDERFUL Friday morning women's Bible study that recently started. I love, love, love it! But most mornings, I wake up, eat breakfast, have my quiet time with my cup of coffee on the porch (the weather has been GORGEOUS here lately and unseasonably warm for late September), go for my daily walk, and then the rest of the day is negotiable. 

My weekends though? Well, just let me tell you about my weekends! Not this most recent weekend but a week ago from this weekend (does that even make sense?), I spent the Friday afternoon through Sunday morning at one of my favorite places on earth. 

Camp Mission Meadows.

This place is very near and dear to my heart. The Lord has met me numerous times over the years here. First when I was a camper and then during the three summers I was on staff. Actually, it was in the chapel at Mission Meadows in the summer of 2008, when I felt the Lord very clearly nudging me and speaking to my heart, telling me that I would go to China. And it was during the summer of 2009, when He once again, nudged me in that direction and this time, I couldn't say no.

Yes, this place is very special to me. I have learned and grown there and He has met me time and time again. 

Once again, He did not disappoint. 

It was the Fall Women's retreat with my Church conference. This was my third time going to this retreat (2009 & 2010), although it had been a few years. 

I had been looking forward to this for months, knowing that if I was still in the area, I would definitely be going. 

The theme for the weekend: "Strength for the Journey"

Wow, something I and many of the other women needed to hear!

Ginger Millermon, was our speaker and she was fabulous! God used her so much to speak to my heart through her words and her music. What an amazing woman she is. Friday evening started out with her sharing her story which included the adoption of their daughter from India. She then sang a song she wrote about adoption and showed a video, including a video from her and her husband meeting their daughter in India for the first time!

Yes, I was a mess.

I was completely wrecked.

But you know what?
Through that wrecking, tears, and heartache, I found healing.

On that day, it was my 2 month anniversary of being back in the United States. 

And I had not yet cried or grieved leaving China.

Not once.

Except for the day that little Matthew passed away. But even then, I wasn't grieving leaving China, I was grieving the loss of this precious baby boy.

And so my moment of heartache and tears and sorrow, was a good thing.

God met me there and through that weekend, I began processing all that I had experienced in China for the last 2 1/2 years. I began to let go of that part of my life in order for God to move me forward to whatever He has next for me. 

Don't worry, the weekend wasn't all tears and heartache, there was also a lot of fun, fellowship, getting caught up with old friends, making new ones, and good food! 

I had planned on telling you about my most recent weekend as well but it appears that this post is getting rather long so I will leave that to another post.

I brought along my camera but it was just one of those weekends when I didn't feel like taking pictures. Just soaking in the time of relaxation, worship, and refreshment. Without trying to captuer it all on film (once I start taking pictures, I don't stop). So.... I only took two pictures. The cornucopia pictured above and this one:

Thankfully, a sweet friend of mine took several of my Mom and I climbing the rock wall. Thanks Crystal!

 I got the chicken!

My cute mama.
She is not going to be happy with me for posting these... :)

Several of us with our speaker, Ginger Millermon.

Until next time!