Last weekend 14 women from our church had the opportunity to go to Covenant Heights in Estes Park for our Midwest Conference Fall Women's Retreat! We had a great time of teaching, rest, fun, and fellowship! Ruth Hill, the national Covenant Women Ministries director was our speaker. She did an incredible job of teaching us about our identity in Christ. She taught us that we as women are accepted, precious, loved, and chosen. Cheryl and Kinsey both did a great job giving their seminars!
Saturday afternoon we had the opportunity for free time. Some of us napped, hiked and shopped. Check out these pictures from Lily Lake:
Our wind blown look:
View from Camp:
Group pic:
Our friends from camp:
Several women from our church took a step of faith and came not really knowing anyone. That is a difficult thing to do! For example, Glory, a new member at our church, took the weekend away from her husband and three kids to come up to camp. She felt God's tugging to come and took a step of faith to come to the retreat not knowing any of us. The following is her testimony from the weekend:
I went to the Women’s Ministries retreat a bit scared but with an open heart. I moved to Colorado six months ago. My husband and I have just become members of the church; I had heard about this retreat for a few weeks but was skeptical because I really did not know anyone at the church. My thoughts were – “How am I going to go there without knowing anyone? I’m going to feel left out and all alone." I had asked my husband if he thought it was a good idea and he said for me to go that he would take care of the kids. I really needed some time alone with God and thought this would be good for me. I really needed to know where God was leading me.
During this series of messages God spoke to me in many ways; first by reminding me that “I am accepted” with the first message. I have often felt that I would not be accepted by anyone if they became aware of my past. But I was reassured that I am accepted by God because He called me by name and He has a purpose for my life. The second message reaffirmed my worth because “I am precious” in God’s eyes. I had issues when I looked at myself in the mirror because I often believed the lies of the enemy who constantly told me that I was not worth anything; that I was not beautiful that I was ugly because of the things that had happened in my life, but I learned that in God’s eyes I AM PRECIOUS! Then the following message really hit me when the sermon was titled “I am loved” because I often thought that God could not love me after all the things I had done, but God in his mercy loves me just as I am. My sins have been forgiven just like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. I am a new creation of Christ all of my sins have been washed by the blood of the lamb! On the final day I acknowledge that “I am chosen” –I believe God is sending me on a special journey all I have to do is be willing to do His will.
I recently learned that Women’s Ministries will be working with abused women. The program is called Advocacy for Victims of Abuse (AVA). Having been through this situation I would like to become an advocate. This is something that is close to my heart.
I have to say that the women at this retreat made me feel more than welcome. At every meal someone would ask me to come join them because they wanted to get to know me. My God is a wonderful God! I felt right at home with my sisters in Christ.
Thanks for sharing, Glory! We hope that her testimony will encourage everyone to think about coming to retreat! This fall retreat was one of the best retreats up at Covenant Heights! Join us next year!
