Ladies Retreat

The last weekend in September was Ladies Retreat with our church district.  Clearly this post is somewhat overdue.  I started it the week after retreat but struggled for some reason this year to get my thoughts out of my head.

Wednesday night our Pastor's wife texted asking if I would want to say something at the brunch on Saturday... I was annoyed and anxious and waited nearly 12 hours to respond.  

So the below is a mash up of the post I started and the "something" I shared on Saturday. 😊

I’ve been going to ladies retreat for several years now. I always leave retreat with a full and happy heart.  This year was no exception. Sometimes getting there is another story.

I took Friday (of retreat weekend) off but we didn't end up leaving until later in the afternoon any way. That freed me up to take a nice long walk with the pups. Finish laundry and packing, bake some muffins, run some errands and even have an impromptu coffee with a friend. 💙

My sister in law picked me up around 3(ish) and then we headed to pick up another friend. We chatted easily about all the things on our two hour drive.  I was feeling a little disappointed and sad about some of the people who were not able to be there for one reason or another. I tried to put aside the disappointment and just focus on the good. Yet I arrived at Chambers feeling slightly out of sorts. I had some PB m&ms and prayed for my mood to lighten.

Friday night still left me feeling a little ambivalent. But Saturday! God was on the move for sure.

Three of us shared this little cabin. 

One of the great things about retreat is being surrounded by Christian sisters. Chambers feels sacred and if you go there ready to meet with God…meet with God you will. There’s nothing like being joined in worship with all the ladies under the tent- I still find myself calling it the tent even though they have now built a permanent actual building. I love the cabin chats and campfires- go expecting to be a little sleep deprived. It’s worth it. 

I am happy to say God worked on my heart and poured in peace and joy and renewed hope as the weekend progressed. The overall theme of the weekend was Coming Before the Throne with Boldness and the Speaker talked about Powerful Women.

Some nuggets I took away from retreat were- 

• Life isn’t meant to be sweet and comfortable. In this world there will be plenty of troubles. But God is with us through it all. He can take our hurt, our anger, our frustration. 
• Powerful women fall but we get back up. Nothing is wasted with God- he will use it all- your whole messy story- if you let him. 
• Powerful women know who they are… why does it matter to know who you are? 
• God has entrusted unique things to YOU! You bring things to this world, this church, your community. Your family NO ONE else can. Be proud of who God made you to be and is continuing to make you to be. 
• On Sunday we were reminded to help make and encourage strong men. Having strong men in your life does not make you less. Powerful women engage strong men. I loved how she encouraged us to give our sons and grandsons room to grow- space to be who they are and also allow the men in our lives to challenge us and speak into our lives. How can we encourage our men- ask open questions, listen. PRAY! and pursue gently- not loud. But STRONG.

Sunday morning in the space between breakfast and the last session/worship service I spent a good bit of time here....

I chose a spot where it felt quiet and peaceful and I could feel the warm sun on my back. I pulled out my journal and spent the time praying and reflecting. 

I’m always reminded how important and powerful prayer is. A lot of times recently I’ve struggled with prayer. Giving into fretting, worry and anxiety instead. But there is nothing greater in this world we can do than pray for one another. 

As we traveled home from Retreat we talked about the weekend. Church. Our husbands and kids and came up with this action plan.

1- pray for our church and our pastor and his family. For vision and unity for our future

2- pray for our husbands and children

3- pray for another woman (or women) and encourage her throughout the year and maybe even bring her to retreat next year 

I hope you’ll join me in doing these simple things and consider going to ladies retreat in 2026- I don’t know any details about it yet but you won’t regret it. 

Ladies Retreat - Fully Known

This entry has been in progress for weeks, every now and then I open it look it over and think- I really should finish this... and then don't.  I'm not sure why I am having such a hard time completing this entry- but let's give it another shot today.

The last weekend in September was Ladies Retreat for our church district. It is one of my favorite times every year. I haven't made it to every one but it is always a blessing when I do. 

I wore my new church shirt. Perfection.
Next I'll be needing the cap and hoodie.

My Friday morning didn't go how I imagined but I still managed to get myself packed and ready to go before Mom and Becca came to pick me up. We then trekked to Syracuse to pick up another old friend for the weekend.  Our trip down to Chambers was smooth sailing. Last year my parents purchased a camper at Chambers and we were all staying with Mom there.

I wish I took pictures of the weekend. I took virtually zero.

I cried through the worship portion of the first night, my heart was so anxious and sad. I am thankful I was standing next to my mom who just wrapped her arms around me and kept on singing. I am so thankful for my mom, for her on going presence in my life, her story and her testimony, her love, compassion and encouragement.  I am thankful we share a faith and church. 

The last couple years my relationship with Alive Wesleyan has been up and down and a little rocky.  I am happy to say its starting to feel like home again.

Our church ladies on Saturday- next year I hope we have oodles more with us.  Next year, I'll be staying in camp housing so my mom can invite others to enjoy her accommodations.  So if you'd like to go to retreat and room with me...let me know 😉 Mark your calendar and block it off- Sept 26-28, 2025.  I can even drive us if need!

Our speaker this year was Suzanne Eller. She was phenomenal. She was real and funny and encouraging. The theme was Fully Known. The team did a great job incorporating the theme throughout the weekend. There were even Tshirts! I love me a "free", super soft, comfy tshirt. 

Theme scripture for the weekend was from Psalm 139

Some of my take aways from this weekend-

• God is always aware of me, my thoughts, my feeling, my actions, my motives
• He is near , a hedge around me, he guards me as a treasure (Psalm 139:5)
• Our calling is not what we do but what we are becoming
• Our thoughts are powerful- we get to choose what we believe
• Fix your thoughts on what is TRUE (Philippians 4:8-9)
• 
  
  
  
  
• We are invited to detach from our current sphere of influence and attach to JESUS 💖
• We become identified with Jesus when we step from what we feel to what we KNOW.
• Biblical JOY- is consciously walking into God's Love and care... right where you are.

All the ladies on Saturday night.

Stolen from the PennYork Womens Ministy FB page

At the main session Saturday night we were invited to write down something we needed to lay down and do so, then pick up a crown instead. I'd be lying if I said this was a one and done thing. I have had to remind myself multiple times in the past weeks that I laid those things at Jesus feet.  I do not need to pick up those burdens again. Not that I don't care any longer, not that I am not praying any longer. But to not let it consume me, to wallow and mull it over and over with an anxious heart. God has a plan, he sees far more than me. He is working. I have to believe it and trust. 

I made a playlist of the worship songs we sang- it is HERE.

Read about past retreats here:

2023

2022

2020

2019

2018

2013

2011

There are two or three of my first retreats that are missing. They were posted on my old blog which one day just disappeared. Aimee and I had an epic adventure getting to retreat our first year- I wish I still had that entry. We only had the aid of printed out directions from google or mapquest or whatever and got lost, as we tend to do. We hit a deer and then later we almost hit a truck and trailer on the side of the road.  It was after dark when we made it to the campground and dropped our stuff in our cabin and headed to main session- no idea who we were rooming with. (We didn't even realize it was our own church ladies until after session- why it didn't occur to us we would be with our own church- I don't know! We were first timers). 😆

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

You have searched me, Lord,

    and you know me.

 You know when I sit and when I rise;

    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 You discern my going out and my lying down;

    you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

    you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

    and you lay your hand upon me.

 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

    too lofty for me to attain.

Psalm 139-1-6 niv

Looking for the good =)

I've been in a bit of a funk. Maybe it's the weather, rainy and dark.  Or the disruption of my routine- trying to figure out a new one that works. :-/

BUT here are somethings making me disproportionately happy! 😂

This morning I made this Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Cold Brew from Half Baked Harvest! Oh my! So good! Try it!!

One of the happiest things in life is seeing cream swirl into coffee!

I, of course, made cold brew in my cold brew pitcher, made the chai simple syrup last night and stored in the measure, mix n pour... maybe a better use than salad dressing! :P (Alaina, I used the Autumn Chai to make the simple syrup.)  This morning I mixed the cold foam ingredients in the Whip Cream Maker! Voila!

Did some sourdough baking this past week.  It made me super happy to have Betty back on my countar again!

I tried this - sourdough sandwich bread recipe.  Same results bit maybe rushed this one just a little.  I am going to try again.  The recipe looks light and fluffy and mine just always seems more dense than I'd like.  It tastes OK- this loaf was not overly tasty. 

Then I tried Bagels! They came out a little wonky but better than expected! They tasted pretty yummy.  I am anxious to try again!

I also made another loaf to go with soup on sunday...again not my best but looking forward to perfecting over the fall and winter!

I ordered my next two book club reads yesterday and can hardly wait for them to arrive.

Tomorrow is Mikayla's birthday and she is coming over so I am able to make her birthday dinner! 

This weekend I am headed to Ladies Retreat with my MOM. I am very excited and looking forward to being back at Chambers Camp.

My favorite fall study was announced and beginning October 1. Making your Home a Haven.  I can not wait.  This year the theme is Don't Let Go.  Just ordered my journal!

Ending with one of my devotionals from last week...

(from Jesus Listens)