Women retreats were synonymous with conversations about child birthing, menopause, and floral doilies. My sisters and I would look around and roll our eyes when my mother would invite! us! every! year! She spoke about the laughter, learning, and life-changing interactions she had with women and begged us to attend with her every time the retreat came around.
As the director and creator of our church retreats, she guaranteed us there would be no doilies and promised no one would talk about menopause. But it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with brain cancer that I felt the obligation to attend. I mean, how was I suppose to deny the woman who gave me birth her ONE wish of having a daughter with her at a retreat?!
People often ask when I knew I wanted to get involved with ministry or how speaking began part of what I do. There wasn’t a Damascus road experience or anything, but I can honestly say the women’s retreat I attended in 2003 changed the course of my life. Never an ardent supporter of women’s ministry, I realized my generation of women skipped out on retreats and events because we didn’t see the value, the need, or the benefit of attending.
I wanted to change that.
March 18-20, $199
God has a funny sense of humor. The girl who would writhe in pain at the invitation to attend a women’s retreats is now speaking at them. Oh, the irony! Though I can’t guarantee a lack of doilies or menopausal conversation, I will say that there is much to be learned from women who have gone before us, who can share their struggles, and rejoice in our victories.
I share this for two reasons: 1. I want to write a piece about women’s ministry and want to know YOUR experiences [good or bad], and 2. I’ll be speaking at a women’s retreat in Southern California next weekend for Grove Community Church. If you’re in area, join us at the Double Tree Hotel at the Block at Orange for a weekend with no doilies, children, or menopausal conversations. 🙂
Openly share your experiences, suggestions, or concerns about women’s ministry. Your story matters.
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