Cottonwood Spring Retreat

Palette of a Woman’s Life

A life of Purpose, A Life of Persevering, A Life of Passion, A Life of Pressing On

March 4-5, 2011 Elegante Suites Hotel, Abilene

God created each of us to have a life that is rich, abundant, and full.

A life of Purpose: Presented by Libby Skaggs

Libby desires to chase after all that God has in store for her life. From mundane mommy moments to following God's call to third world countries, to advocating for orphans worldwide, Libby wants to live everyday with the purpose that God ordained for her life.

A life of Persevering : Presented by Melody Warmerdam

We know that James 1:2 states, “Consider it all joy whenever you face trials”, but we all wonder... How? Melody has learned to persevere in her walk with the Lord through years of infertility and loss. A life of perseverance will bring freedom and joy, even in the midst of pain.

A life of Passion: Presented by Katy Davis

The dictionary describes passion as any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, but what does God say about passion? Hear Katy as she shares her insight on the passionate life God is calling us to and how we all can choose a life of passion in obedience to God.

A life of Pressing On: Presented by Jeannette Maxwell

Jeannette believes that we should always live a life of pressing on, leaning forward, ready for whatever God has for us, never satisfied with life as it is today or held back by anything of the past. Be inspired to live, "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal.”

Times of celebration and worship in music led by Ashley White.

The retreat is a wonderful time to connect with other women of all ages and all walks of life, providing a great opportunity to make new friends. More than that, it is a time of true ministry from God’s word, and worship that will encourage and strengthen your faith. Be sure to invite your friends. We love having guests with us, and this is a relaxed time that anyone can enjoy.

Cost:

Discount if paid by Feb 01

4 per room: $60 per person

3 per room: $80 per person

2 per room: $100 per person

1 person in a room: $140

After Feb 01

4 per room: $70 per person

3 per room: $90 per person

2 per room: $110 per person

1 person $150

Price includes room, full hot breakfast, lunch, and all retreat expenses. Retreat price does not include supper Friday night. There are a number of good restaurants near the hotel.

In order to get the reduced rate, be sure to turn in the registration form with payment by February 1.

This retreat is a special time for the women to get away together, so we ask that you not bring your children, with the exception of very young nursing babies.

Girls at least 16 are invited to register.

You may check in at the hotel any time after 3pm on Friday, March 4. The First Session will begin at 7:00pm.

We will end around 4:00pm Saturday.

Bring your Bible and whatever you need to spend the night. Plan to dress for comfort.

This is a great hotel, with an indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness center. All rooms are suites, with refrigerators, microwave ovens, hair dryers, and extra sofa beds.

For information, contact Jeannette Maxwell 254-485-6539 maxwells2565@embarqmail.com

To register, complete the form and return it with payment: Mail to Jeannette Maxwell 273 CR 527, Dublin, TX 76446 or turn it in to church office, or put it in the box labeled “Ladies Retreat” on the buffet at church.

Make checks payable to Cottonwood, with notation, Ladies Retreat.

__________________________

Cottonwood Ladies Retreat 2011

Registration form

Name ___________________________

Address _________________________

Phone___________________________

Email____________________________

Number in room______________

Amount included $ ____________

Room-mate request (not required)

______________________________

Jesus Came to Reveal the Father

During the month of December, as I continued to contemplate and study about the reasons that Jesus came to earth, one wonderful reason for His coming was to reveal God to us, and to make the way for us to come into relationship with Him God the Father.  Before Jesus came, very few people knew God. Abraham and Moses were described as being friends of God. God said that He spoke to Moses face to face, personal and intimately. Those were the exception. In the Old Testament times, God was not easily accessible.

Jesus came to change that.

In Matthew 11:27, Jesus said, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 14:7-11 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Even more amazing is that Jesus came to make a way for us to come to the Father. 

Every religion has the goal of trying to get to God; through works, ceremony, sacrifice, rituals…they try to get to God by their own means. Jesus came and said, I will take you to God. I will make the way for you.

In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.?

Do we know how much we need him? Have we become so used to the idea that God loves me and Jesus died for me that we have forgotten that we were hopeless and helpless without Him?

Paul describes our condition in Ephesians 2:1-4“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Dead…following Satan and his ways…living in the passions of flesh…carrying out the desires of the body and mind…children of wrath…not a pretty picture. 

Isaiah 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. 

Without Jesus we were dead, separated from God, living a life of futility, without hope. Jesus came and to change all of that. When He paid the penalty and took away our sins, He opened up the door, and said, “

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Rom 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

SINCE we have confidence…SINCE we have a great high priest…LET US DRAW NEAR. Jesus has done it. We can come to God. We don’t have to grovel. We are not worms. We come with confidence, boldness, as dearly loved children.

I am reminded of pictures taken when John Kennedy was President. It is often said that the President of  the United States is the most powerful man in the world. That was probably more true in 1960 than   it is now. As President, Kennedy was surrounded by security. He was important. His time was very valuable. Not just anyone could get in to see him. If even another head of state wanted to see him, he would have to go through security points to get to him. But, there were 2 people who had easy access to President Kennedy, his young children Caroline and John. His children did not have to go through security. They were welcomed into his presence because they were his and he loved them. If you look at pictures taken during that time, there are many pictures of Kennedy sitting at his desk, with a small boy sitting next to him.

That is the picture I have in my head right now. God is (of course) the most powerful person in the universe. The Bible says that He dwells in inapproachable light. Yet, we have access to Him. We are His children and He loves us. So, let’s enter in. Come into His presence with confidence and joy!

Christmas Confusion

I love Christmas.  However, I am confused about Christmas.
I love going to Christmas programs. Last Sunday, I watched two of my grandchildren perform in a children’s Christmas musical in a church, which was so fun Friday, I watched Lexi, our kindergartener sing in her school program. (You should hear a bunch of 5 year olds sing Feliz Navidad. “Falee Navida, Falee Navida, Falee da du dum num falee nevah”…VERY cute.)We also went to Gateway Church to see their wonderful presentation of a very Christian version of A Christmas Carol.Our Women’s Night of Worship was very moving and sweet. I love all the Christmas programs.

And, I like Christmas movies, even the ones about Santa Claus. I like Christmas movies about a grumpy old man who learns how to love and be happy because a sweet little girl with cancer reaches out to him, or something like that.

I like Christmas lights, and Christmas trees, and Christmas packages…One of our favorite traditions is looking at Christmas lights in the richest areas of Ft. Worth.

I really like buying Christmas presents for the grandchildren and then watching them open them when the family gets together.I LOVE the special time to get together with my family.

Now, the part that confuses me.
I don’t quite understand why we feel pressure to buy things that we cannot afford. A single mom with very little money feels horrible if she cannot put a tree in her living room and decorate it. An unemployed father gets an ulcer from worrying because he cannot buy his son a bicycle. Why is it necessary to do these things at this certain time? You understand what I’m saying.

I get emails that I am supposed to boycott certain stores because their employees have to say, “happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”. People tell me that we should remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season”. Really?
I love Jesus, and I am very glad that we have a time set aside to celebrate His birth. Still, we don’t know when Jesus was born. Jesus told us a lot of things to do, but He never told us to celebrate his birthday. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we SHOULDN’T do it, I’m just wondering.

Another thing, why do lonely people feel so extra lonely during this month? That is pretty sad.  This is a time when we are supposed to be extra happy because Jesus came to bring peace on earth and good will to men. People who are depressed tend to sink into deeper depression, addicts struggle a little more with their addictions, the suicide rate is higher than at any other time.Stress levels are higher than usual.

I get letters and phone calls constantly asking for money for different organizations wanting to help someone have a better Christmas. What about the rest of the year? Nursing homes are bombarded with groups who want to sing Christmas Carols or bring cards, groups that don’t think about nursing home residents any other time.

I am not a grinch, and I don’t go around saying, “Bah, humbug.” I am just sorting my thoughts.
Sunday, we will have a special Christmas service at Cottonwood. The children are going to sing, and the service will be centered around the birth of Jesus. That is the part of Christmas that I love. I love that we do have a month when there is some extra attention given to the God who came as a baby “to save his people from their sins”.

Jesus came to give us LIFE

I am still pondering the reasons that Jesus came. After looking at the fact that Jesus came to “save his people from their sins,  (you can read that post from last week if you want to) my mind immediately went to what Jesus said in John 10:10 “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”.

When Jesus said that He came to give us life, He used the Greek word “zoe” which means life as a principle, the essence of life, the life of God, life that is eternal, indestructible, divine.

Jesus was not promising just a better human life. He was offering to give us the very life of God, the eternal, indestructable, incorreuptble, divine life.

This is the life that is in God Himself.

John 5: 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We get the Divine life when we come to Jesus

John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus does not just promise that we will live forever, but that we will receive the life that is eternal

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is life that is like nothing we have had before.

Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Paul said 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. We are a new creation, new to this world, new like nothing that has existed before. New creation does not mean just a new person. We are new in a sense that we are no longer just human, but we are now human with the life of God inside.

This zoe life is active within us

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Rom 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Rom 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

A Dream from God?

I can’t say for sure when God speaks in a dream and when it is just an active subconscious imagination, but I do believe that sometimes He does speak to me in dreams.

Last night I had a dream that just might have been from God. I was having a kind of nightmare. In my dream, a kind of homeless man was trying to kill another homeless man. The bad man was laying on top of the good man, with a rock between their stomachs, pressing the rock into the stomach of the man on the bottom. (Of course that was not truly life threatening, but it was a dream, ok). Other homeless men were shouting for the bad man to stop hurting the good man, and finally pulled him off. The good man got up and began to try to get away. The bad man picked up a rock and began to shout after him, threatening to hit him or throw the rock at him. He just continued to pick up rocks and threaten, and the good man kept walking and trying to find a way out. The dream felt like a nightmare, and when I woke up, I felt afraid.

When I was fully awake and thinking clearly, I realized that the dream was really not scary at all. It was rather funny the way the bad man picked up a rock and threatened but never actually did anything.

Now, for the reason I think that God was showing me something. I have been keenly aware lately that we are in a battle. The dream reminded me that Satan uses threats, fears, and accusations. He has no real power.

One area of attack lately has been Celebrate Recovery. We have had computer problems, a plumbing leak that caused a flood in the auditorium, illnesses, misunderstandings; just a lot of problems. God has been faithful and we are not discouraged, but, still we recognize that things have not been easy lately.

Then, this Thursday night, a young man gave his heart to Christ. He became a follower of Jesus! Proof that Satan can’t stop the work that God is doing.

Why Jesus Came

 

Several weeks ago, I began to ponder this question, thinking it would be a good thing to study during the Christmas season. I picked up my Bible and began in Matthew, and just jotted down statements that explained reasons for Jesus coming. The first one I found was in Matt. 1.

Matt 1:18-22

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

There are many reasons given in the Bible for Jesus coming, but the very first one mentioned is that he will save his people from their sins.

God always planned to come and save us.

Isa 35:3-6  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

Zech 9:16 On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

I especially like that verse, because it says that we will be like jewels that shine on his land!

Then Jesus came to save us from our sins

From the guilt of sin by his death,

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Gal 1:3-4 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Ps 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Isa 38:16-17  O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live! 17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

He also saves us from the bondage of sin

John 8:34-37  Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Rom 7:15-8:3  I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

PRAISE GOD!  He has set us free…free from guilt, declared us not guilty! Because of His death, I am free from the condemnation that my sin would bring.  

AND free from the trap. As Paul said, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Because of His life inside of me, I am free from the cycle of sin that held me.

Mary’s Prayer

On Sunday night, we had a beautiful time of worship with the Cottonwood Women. We enjoyed wonderful music led by a group of college women, worship expressed through painting and through dance. I cannot express how meaningful and moving the evening was.

As part of the worship, I had asked a number of women to read Scriptures and other writings that proclaimed the wonder of the birth of Jesus. One of those was a reading of the following piece written by Max Lucado, entitled Mary’s Prayer.

God. O infant-God. Heaven’s fairest child. Conceived by the union of divine grace with our disgrace. Sleep well.

Sleep well. Bask in the coolness of this night bright with diamonds. Sleep well, for the heat of anger simmers nearby. Enjoy the silence of the crib, for the noise of confusion rumbles in your future. Savor the sweet safety of my arms, for a day is soon coming when I cannot protect you.

Rest well, tiny hands. For though you belong to a king, you will touch no satin, own no gold. You will grasp no pen, guide no brush. No, your tiny hands are reserved for works more precious:
      to touch a leper’s open wound,
      to wipe a widow’s weary tear,
      to claw the ground of Gethsemane.

Your hands, so tiny, so white—clutched tonight in an infant’s fist. They aren’t destined to hold a scepter nor wave from a palace balcony. They are reserved instead for a Roman spike that will staple them to a Roman cross.

Sleep deeply, tiny eyes. Sleep while you can. For soon the blurriness will clear and you will see the mess we have made of your world.

You will see our nakedness, for we cannot hide.

You will see our selfishness, for we cannot give.

You will see our pain, for we cannot heal.

O eyes that will see hell’s darkest pit and witness her ugly prince . . . sleep, please sleep; sleep while you can.

Lie still, tiny mouth. Lie still, mouth from which eternity will speak.

Tiny tongue that will soon summon the dead, that will define grace, that will silence our foolishness.

Rosebud lips—upon which ride a starborn kiss of forgiveness to those who believe you, and of death to those who deny you—lie still.

And tiny feet cupped in the palm of my hand, rest. For many difficult steps lie ahead for you.

Do you taste the dust of the trails you will travel?

Do you feel the cold seawater upon which you will walk?

Do you wrench at the invasion of the nail you will bear?

Do you fear the steep descent down the spiral staircase into Satan’s domain?

Rest, tiny feet. Rest today so that tomorrow you might walk with power. Rest. For millions will follow in your steps.

And little heart . . . holy heart . . . pumping the blood of life through the universe: How many times will we break you?

You’ll be torn by the thorns of our accusations.

You’ll be ravaged by the cancer of our sin.

You’ll be crushed under the weight of your own sorrow.

And you’ll be pierced by the spear of our rejection.

Yet in that piercing, in that ultimate ripping of muscle and membrane, in that final rush of blood and water, you will find rest. Your hands will be freed, your eyes will see justice, your lips will smile, and your feet will carry you home.

And there you’ll rest again this time in the embrace of your Father.