Women's Retreat 09

On the boards we started a thread about our camp (nothing to do w/ here or J) or retreat experiences @ http://www.jeremycamp.com/boards/showthread.php?p=26632 Below is my entry.

Every September (the 2nd Friday after Labor Day) I go on a 3 day retreat to Trout Lake Camp in Pine River, MN.  The first year at the retreat (2005) I roomed w/ 2 ladies from Duluth, MN.  We had the best time.  They are silly just like I am. They turned out to be 2 prayer warriors.  2 weeks later a prayer warrior at my church passed away from cancer.  God had provided 2 people to replace that 1.  Every year on retreat we connect as we live about 3 hours apart.  And every year I let them know how they can pray for me.

God always teaches me something @ the retreat...this year, during the Saturday night bonfire, the lady leading the singing gave us the option of taking a stick and we had the option of breaking it or tossing it into the bonfire. It represented stuff that we had anger or forgiveness issues with (if I remember correctly)...I broke my stick up into several pieces. I broke off a piece for each area the devil was trying to get me down or take away (my husband, marriage, job, about 10-12 things total and the stick was not that long to begin with).  Then I took those pieces and tossed them in the fire.  My 2 friends from Duluth were already down at the fire for their sticks.  I tossed mine in and rubbed my hands together to make sure all of it got in as the pieces were kind of small.  Then I broke down crying in a total God moment w/ hugs and prayers from my 2 friends. It was soooo refreshing and a burden was lifted.

I'm looking forward to next year's retreat and what God will teach me.