Retreat is coming!

Yes, I know that I have posted the details of the retreat with a link to register. It just that now, with it one month from today, I am really excited. I love our Cottonwood Ladies Retreat. I know, there is a place for the big ladies conferences like “Women of Faith” and Beth Moore’s “Living Proof” conferences, with the big-name speakers and worship leaders, but the Cottonwood retreat is so dear to my heart. The retreat is small and intimate. It is not exclusively for Cottonwood members. We welcome, invite, encourage, sometimes beg, other women to come, and many do. But, still, there is a feeling of family. I try to get there before anyone else so that I can register the women and give them the keys to their rooms, but no matter how early I arrive, the desk attendant tells me that some women have already checked in. Our first session starts at 7:00pm, but many women take the day off work to spend the extra time with the other women. I love that they are so eager to get there. We have the best time at the retreat. One year, a young woman with a somewhat wild life-style came, and afterward said, “I didn’t know you could have so much fun where there were no drugs, no alcohol, and no men.” That statement meant so much to me. I was so glad that my friend could see that being a Christian does not mean that you cannot have fun. I was so glad that she was able to see that being with Christian women did not have to be boring and stiff. At our annual retreat, women relax and enjoy being together.
Yesterday, I met with our speaker, Arnita Taylor. She is as excited about the retreat as anybody, maybe more than all of us. We planned the schedule and she shared some of what she plans to talk about. I will share a little bit as an “appetizer” for the retreat. The topic is “More to See”, so every session is based on the fact that God is always ready to show us more of Himself. Arnita plans to share that God will show us more of Himself when we surrender more of ourselves to Him. We see more of God when we walk with him through times of suffering. We are able to see more of God when we experience freedom from anything that holds us. And, we see more of God when we go to Him in honest, open prayer.
If you are reading this, and you haven't made plans to attend the retreat, please consider joining us.