Retreat Reflection: Choosing a Road - Guest Post

Waking up Monday morning, my mind and heart were full from the past weekend at the ladies retreat. I did not fathom what God would do this past weekend . I was at a place of such JOY and amazement. Our Heavenly Father had helped us (the Retreat Team) plan, prepare, and present what He had laid on our hearts. On Sunday morning, ladies shared about their experience and I saw how He had WORKED all weekend --lovingly,mercifully, and graciously in each individual lady.

That place of Joy, Awe, and Fullness was where I was when I sat down to attend to my emails on Monday morning.

I shared the weekend with 33 amazing ladies. One of those ladies, my precious friend, Amy, sent me a note sharing how she had awoken this same Monday morning.

After reading her words, I realized she was ahead of me. Reveling in God's awesomeness was a great place to be but He had a message to give me through her.  I had not yet gone to the place of thinking about what unfathomable things He was going to continue to do. By her email, I was reminded,

God takes NO BREAKS,

He continues the work He began and I praise Him and thank Him for letting me see it by the words she wrote.

May you be blessed and encouraged by the words of wisdom she has allowed me to share.

This is kind of weird, but for some reason God has prompted me with these thoughts to share. Perhaps it is just part of my healing process and I SO want to listen to the adversary right now who is telling me I am a fool to share this with you, if 32 women filled your inbox with messages like this, how could a lady ever get anything done? But, as my note states, I want and WILL do my best to follow His lead, even if I feel like a fool while doing it.

Just like I didn’t WANT to stand up in front of the ladies, I did not WANT to get out of my warm cozy bed this morning. After all, it was 4:30 am - don’t I deserve more rest and sleep after such an emotional weekend? It doesn’t take long for the adversary to creep into our thoughts.

Well, I didn’t get up right away - I laid there with all these thoughts running through my head, words that I felt God wanted me to share. I didn’t mind them while I was laying there KNOWING I would finish listening to them all and get to go back to sleep (yeah!) and when I got up later I would make sure that I put them down on paper and share them. They kept coming….

God informed me that I have not always followed through on His leading…. If I don’t get up right now I would not be listening to Him. Isn’t that what we just spent the weekend discovering? I tell myself that THIS is different - I just WAS obedient to HIM, spilled my heart and opened wounds for all to see, I am sure HE is okay with me getting some rest.


               I AM SO BLESSED that HE kept prompting me.

      " Why am I here and what is my purpose in life? To glorify HIM."

So easily said, yet here I am in such a simple matter and I want to glorify myself with more sleep. Well, I am tired of living a lukewarm life - which I didn’t think I was doing. As I said, I am a prideful person - and good at it (more pride). I think I have been a good Christian, but right now GOD is calling me to the next level. I accepted mediocracy.

All of this is a heart issue - it isn’t measured by the deeds we have done. That is how we get stuck in this pit. By deeds I may place myself in retirement and live off of my current Christian salary, after all I am secure in my faith and content with what I have. HOWEVER, unlike the material world of money - I WANT MORE. God has more to give me, more HE wants of me and I want my FULL retirement. I want to listen to His EVERY call. And just like in the real world, we have to work for that retirement. The difference is that we will never be laid off, we will never lose our pension, and we get continuous raises paid out in blessings.

None of this so far is what God was prompting me with.

I woke up feeling vulnerable and yucky.

I realized that this is when Satan was going to start setting his traps for us. I have been here before and I am blessed to recognize it. Yet my heart is concerned for all the ladies at the retreat who exposed themselves. We have opened the wound - we lay
vulnerable. We were surrounded by 33 ladies and the Holy Spirit and it was THICK.

Yet, now we have left the safety of our sisters (physically) and in a sense we have lost part of our safety net. This is why some of us didn’t want to go home - not because we don’t miss our families, but because we know what is coming. I know that we will all continue to hold each other up in prayer. I also pray that we follow God’s leading when He prompts us, when He puts somebody on our hearts. It is for a reason - obey Him and take the time to reach out to them.

After reading this again I realize that all the thoughts He woke me with didn't reach the paper and when I try to remember what they were I cannot find them. God used them to wake me and get me out of bed and take action - perhaps He is just testing my obedience, I am not sure and it really doesn't matter. I am thinking right now of Robert Frost's poem

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I want to get off the main path, the easy route and take that road with Jesus. I keep hearing Vicki's words, God's words to us in

Revelation 3:16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.'

Lord, let that not be me.

In His Love,
Amy

Ladies Retreat

                 Spots still  availabe to join us for a wonderful weekend

                                   MBC Ladies Retreat
                             September 23-25

            I have never been to a retreat before and am really excited
         to spend the time being encouraged and strengthened in
         my relationship with God.
.
         There has been so much praying, planning, and preparing
         going on for this retreat , that the joy of being with Him there,
         is all I can think about lately. Partly because I know what is
         planned for everyone,  but mostly because I don't know
         what He's planned just for me. I can't wait to discover it !!!
         I'm confident He has something special for each lady coming
         that is just for Her.

 Recently I sat down to hear a"sneak peak" of one of the presenters

 I can't let you in on who she was
but I will say --- her presentation left me unable to move.

Her openess and honesty led me to a place of humbleness and worship --
-- a place I wanted to stay and not move from.

                Our God is Faithful


***See the Side Bar for contact information to Register

Meet Kelly: Author of Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy

Kelly Minter is Author, Speaker, Songwriter, and Singer,
She is passionate about women discovering Christ through the pages of Scripture.

We will be using Kelly's book -  Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy
at our Evening Cafe session.  For the details: click  Cafe - Part 3

In this short video clip, Kelly inspires us to delve into the wonderful
Book of Ruth that speaks so tenderly to a woman's heart.

If are receiving this post by email-click on the Title "Rebekah's Well" to
take you to the actual page where you can view the video


Greeting from Kelly Minter from LPV on Vimeo.

The Sunday Message and A Loyal Sister - Cafe part 3

Fall Cafe Sessions   Sipping Coffee and Studying the Word

For an explanation of Our Cafe Studies click Cafe - Cafe - Part 2

Cafe Bible Studies offered Wednesday Mornings and Wednesday Evenings This Fall


1. Wednesday Mornings

Rabbit Trails in Romans

Starting September 11th, we continue the sermon series in Romans, starting with Romans 12:1 & 2.  Rabbit Trails in Romans is designed to prepare our hearts and minds to receive what God is saying by exploring the Scripture text for next Sunday's sermon .  Let's follow where the Spirit leads.  Join us as we meditate on the Scriptures, explore each others insights and see on which 'rabbit trail' we find ourselves!

Self -led, inductive study
Wednesday mornings 9:15-10:45
Laura Roth's home, Albany, Wisconsin

No cost, no workbook
Questions:  contact Laura @ lroth09gmail.com or 862-4334

2.Wednesday Evenings

Ruth

Do you trust God enough to follow Him?  Journey with Ruth through unbearable loss, redeeming love, and divine legacy in Kelly Minter's second study of the Living Room Series: Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy.  Learn more about the virtuous character of Ruth, her unique relationship with her mother in law Naomi, and her blossoming love with Boaz.

If you ever felt devastated, struggled as a stranger, longed to be loved, or wept along the way, you'll find a loyal sister in Ruth.

Come Explore the book of Ruth with us in this relational Bible Study that merges Scripture and everyday life.

Workbook Study

6:30-7:50 pm

Registration Begins Sept. 14-September 28

Study Begins October 5

Cost $20 - After Sept 28 $22

This workbook is normally completed in 6 weeks BUT for our

study purposes we will be meeting for 15 weeks and have

shorter assignments.

Contact Tracy @ctsigner@tds.net or 214-4976

Awana for kids K-6th grade also meets at this time

Quiet Time - Cafe Part 2

Sipping Coffee and Studying the Word

For an introduction Click on -cafe-part-1

When I was in college and just beginning to realize you could "study" the Word of God I was very excited.  Yet I struggled so much with reading the Bible and understanding it.  Even more, I had no idea what it could possibly mean to me.  Reading the story of Daniel in the Lions Den really didn't apply to my college life because, well, there were no real lions on campus.

One thing that really helped was a college girlfriend who met with me and provided me with "a place to start. " She gave me a little pocket size book titled "Quiet Time with God".  It contained a Scripture passage and questions to answer.  We'd meet to discuss what I had been reading through and gradually I saw how the Bible could be applied to my life.

Our Cafe Bible Study began as just that -- giving ladies a "place to start"  (in the Bible) and then coming together to discuss it and see how we could apply it to our lives. With coming together, our understanding grew, our faith became stronger, and our friendships blossomed.

In the past we simply assigned a portion of Scripture and then came up with this accrostic to help us while we spend the time in the Word.

C.A.F.E.


C. Come to God
     -- Greet the Lord in your private Cafe
     -- Acknowledge God for His Greatness and your need for Him
     -- Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal what He has for YOU in the passage
                you will read
A. Ask about the Scripture
     -- What is the passage about? Who are the people?
     -- What are they doing? Where does it take place?
     -- Is there a principle? A warning? A command? A promise?
     -- What does the passage reveal about God's character or attributes?
F. Find out what it means to YOU
     -- Have I seen something new revealed?
     -- What verse or verses stand out to me today?
     -- How can I apply this in MY life?
     -- Is there something God is asking me to do? Change? Remember? Or pray?
E. Echo it through the Day
     -- Meditate on what He taught you as you go On ..... and On..... and On
              with your day

Devotional Books and Bible Study workbooks can do the same thing--Give us a "place to start" in the Bible and then ask some questions.

C.A.F.E - a place to join a small group of ladies for a cup of great coffee, search the Scriptures together, and apply it to our lives.

We have been truly blessed by the past 4 years of Cafe studies and we are excited to continue them this fall.

Part 3 will give you all the details on the Fall Cafe studies available

Empty Cups, Full Hearts-Cafe Part 1

Sipping Coffee and Studying the Word

Our Fall Cafe session of Bible Study is just about to get started. In case your new to the "Cafe experience" the next 3 posts should help explain.  As an introduction I'm posting one of my favorite cards I found at the Christian Book Store this summer.

 

                             Two Women met for Coffee
                            They talked about life-
                                     things they were working through
                                                      and things they were learning.
                            They showed each other grace
                                      and gave each other courage.
                            Even though neither of them
                                       had all the answers,
                                                       they knew that God sure did.
                            So they laughed and cried
                                        and shared their lives.
                            And in the end, when their mugs
                                        were empty....
                                  Their hearts were full.
           

Monkeys

Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed one fell off and......

As I took on the new task of creating a Blog, there were so

many things to learn (and still are). I was excited about
"jumping" into the world of blogging, but quite a few times it felt like

I was falling off and bumping my head.

It seemed multiple times I’d click on something I shouldn’t

Bump

Or I’d get something right but couldn’t remember how I did it so

there was no sense in trying to do it again

Another bump

And the worst was when I knew exactly what to do but

couldn’t get my computer to do what I wanted

BIG BUMP

I’d think to myself 

“Wait a minute, everyone said this was so easy to do”

I thought it would be. 
After all, jumping on a bed isn’t that hard
if you see the other 9 monkeys doing it.”

But bump after bump came and then came the

Bruise

“ maybe this is just too hard, I’ll give up”

“maybe no one will read it anyway, so why try”

Perhaps those words sound familiar to you too -- not only about blogging but whatever

circumstance you find yourself in

We have all been bumped lots of time in our lives – often times over and over

until there is

--a big bruise. 

You no doubt have experienced it first hand

or listened to a fellow sister while she told of her bruises

Bruises hurt

Rebekah’s well is:

 For the times we are Bruised-

                     and need the water from the well to be soaked on a
                     cloth of compassion and applied by another sister

 For the times we feel so very dry and without connection to another women

                     and need to know what’s happening
                     and where to find a cool cup of living water

We hope you visit  Rebekah's Well  often and find encouragement from the water offered

Remember how fun it was to jump with your girlfriends on the bed  when you were little

Laughter, screams, huge smiles

And when one monkey (sister) bumped her head

We held out a hand to get her right back on the bed and ENJOY it all over again

The Holidays are approaching-time to create

The Holidays are Approaching and will soon be upon us.
How would you like to make something special for someone? The beautiful arts of knitting and crocheting have become increasingly popular again. Maybe you’d like to make a soft, warm scarf to ward off the chilly winter winds, or create some lovely handmade dish cloths for gifts, or a cozy wrap to cuddle in!

                          Ladies Kniting and Crocheting Day

                                      Join us Saturday, September 10^th 
                                                  9:30-11:30 am
                                                Nehemiah Center. 
                                              Monroe Bible Church

We spend girl friend time chatting, helping each other with our crafts, and enjoying some wonderful treats together. Bring some yarn, your pattern, and either needles or crochet hooks, whatever your preference.
Feel free to bring along any extra yarn you may have to share or trade.

If you’re new to this and not sure what you’ll need, feel free to contact either

 Shar Zuhlke (325-7559) or Kristi Bruehlman (543-3980) ahead of time, and we’ll be glad to help you determine what to bring.

Even if you have never tried before,

but maybe just a little curious to learn,

come and join us—we’ll teach you how!