Women's Breathe Retreat, 4/30-5/1

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Women's "Breathe" Retreat: St. Edmund's Enders Island, Mystic CT, April 30th - May 1st. 

When? Friday, April 30 @ 5:30 - Saturday, May 1st @ 4pm
Where? Enders Island www.endersisland.com
How Much? $90 (Includes dinner, breakfast, and lunch.)
How Many? 5 out of 20 spots remain.
Sleeping arrangements: Two to a room. 
Purpose?: A time to be encouraged and refreshed by God and to be encouraged and refreshed by other women. This will be a multi-generational event with women from all ages already signed up. 

The Breathe Retreat will be an opportunity to get away from the general craziness of everyday life, and spend time praying and hearing from God. We will also be learning about Healing from Jenn Hill as well as her mom, Susan Lally. We encourage attenders to know that it will be less busy than a "conference" would be.

Rough Schedule:

Friday
You are allowed to arrive any time on Friday. 
3:00 - Overnight rooms available
5:30 - 6:30 Dinner
7:00 - Welcome and Introduction
7:30-9 - Time of personal prayer and listening with God
9-10 - Optional worship time

Saturday
7:45-8:30 Breakfast
8:30:10- Time of corporate and personal Confession, alone time with God, clean out bedrooms and pack cars
10-12 Worship, Teaching on Healing by Jen Hill
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-3:30 Teaching on Healing (Healing through Creating with Susan Lally)
3:30-4:30 Wrap up, Next Steps, and Closing
5:00- Travel Home- You are allowed to stay on the island until sundown!= if you'd like!

Spots are available on a first come first serve basis. Please email beth@stpaulswired.org to confirm that you would like to attend.

A Jagged Boulder Made Smooth

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For an hour I laid on a large boulder, face yearning towards the winter sun while waves crashed around me. With two layers of pants and a tightly zipped parka, I could almost convince myself it was summer. 50 degrees in February is certainly something to praise God for. 

During our women leaders' retreat at the Mercy Center, we spent hours silently praying and listening to God. It was amazing for me to realize how long it had been since I'd spent hours with Him. Minutes, yes. An hour, occasionally.  But hours? 

During our time of prayer and reflection, we mostly went our separate ways. Some walked along the shore gathering shells, others stayed inside watching the view from their window, and others went swimming. (Ok... Maybe nobody went swimming.) But I found myself of a rather uncomfortable boulder, taking in as much sun as I could, and listening for God to speak.

As the waves flooded in and away from the shore, I began thinking about the slow erosion process that beaches go through... wave after wave after wave. A slow and never ending process by which the rocks are made smooth.   

And then I start to think of these verses:

"... but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17

Taking a day to slow down and listen gave me a chance to hear a message from God that was simple yet profound:
Like waves washing over the beach, so God wants to wash over our minds with His truth. If we immerse ourselves in His truth, then we will certainly be transformed and sanctified. We will be like a jagged boulder made smooth by the ocean's tide. 

Post by- Beth Clements

*If you are interested in a personal retreat for prayer and listening to God, you may consider going to the Mercy Center to do this. Getting away from our day to day activities can be incredibly helpful in hearing Gods voice in our lives. Click here for more info.