Retreat

We had our annual Women's retreat last weekend, it was an awesome weekend filled with laughter, tears, hurts and hopes. Dan asked me what I thought was the main thing I took away from the retreat.

I felt like there was a linking of arms.
Throughout the whole weekend I saw and overheard conversations all sharing the same theme. Empowering, encouragement, and hope.
I saw women who have gone through tremendous struggles and pain and have come out the other side with healing and power for whats next. I saw these women coming along side others who are hurt and in pain and they were lifting them up and empowering them to keep going.
I felt like God was showing us how powerful we are together, when we link arms and push each other forward we have so much strength!
I saw how our words are literally life and death to each other.
What it means when we encourage and lift each other up, brings hope and life to one another. And unfortunately when we hurt and are angry with our words it brings destruction and death.
This weekend I saw so many women reaching out and linking arms, giving hope to one another! So amazing, I was so blessed by it!

Hangin with the ladies

Went up to Weaverville this weekend for Women's retreat.
First of all never been to Weaverville, thought it was so cute and quaint, antique stores and historic town, i love places like this.
I loved just being with the girls, so many friends and new friends it was awesome to just be together.
We did a Beth Moore video series, and I had never heard her before. She cracks me up and the series we picked, Loving Well was perfect for our ladies, I think anyway!
I had some really great times of prayer with a couple of girls and I was so thankful I could be a part of the process that God is taking them through.
I am so so so proud of Rebecca, she did an awesome job planning and pulling the whole thing off. I know she spent a lot of time in prayer for the weekend and the ladies going, it was so sweet to see what God did through the weekend.
It is cool to think back at last years retreat where there were 40 of us in a cabin, now 72 of us got to come together and just love and encourage each other through in this crazy life. So thankful for friendships that a year ago were non-existent! I remember feeling like I was never going to feel at home here, never going to have deep friendships, I am so thankful for The Stirring!
Anyway love all you girls and can't wait to see what next year will look like!!

shout out

Just wanted to give a shout out to all the people who have been bringing us food.
Thank you so much it has been so amazing.
By the end of the day I am wiped out (let's get serious I start the day that way!)
anyway it has been so great not having to think about cooking a meal.
Thank you Stirring family for blessing us.
The food has been yummy!!

women's retreat

We had the first Women's retreat for the The Stirring last weekend and things were so crazy when I got back this is the first time I have had to debrief and mull over the weekend.
For me the retreat was amazing, it was so nice to have more than 5 minutes to talk with girls from church. It seems on Sundays my time is limited to really sit and talk with people because of my responsibilities as a mom. Which is one of my favorite jobs!
But to really hang out and laugh with other women was so nice for me. It has been hard for me to adjust and find my spot here in Redding. I know these things take time and I also know my role as mom and wife is priority, but it is hard to make new friends and new relationships.
The retreat was so awesome to just sit and meditate on God's word. I love that Jesus can use one word or one phrase and show me what things in my life I need to work through in order to become more like Him. I loved to worship with so many other women, the feeling of our hearts calling out to Jesus to meet us to change us. It was so what I needed and I am so thankful I could be a part of it.