sharing God's love through testimony, drama, and song
Retreat Talks
Our retreat talks are designed for four-session retreats, with sessions running about an hour long. Sunday morning worship is also included, usually containing a presentation of the book of Philippians or other scripture from memory. But we're flexible--the time-frame and number of sessions can be adjusted to meet the needs of any retreat schedule. The topics available are listed to the right, and seek to fit any retreat theme.
One-Hour Dramatic Presentations
Our programs incorporate drama, testimony, and song to convey to women just how much God loves them, and that He has a purpose for their life. Presentations include:
"Mary: Ordinary or Extraordinary"
"Tea With Mary, Martha and Their Psychologist"
"That Face in the Mirror: Who Do You See?"
"Friendship: Got It In You?"
This series aims to help women accept each stage of life by avoiding the pitfalls and finding fulfillment.
--Living in the Dash
--Dashing off with Dora the Explorer
--Dashing off with Wonder Woman
--Finishing the Dash with Hyacinth Bucket (pronounce that Bou-Kay, please!)
This retreat challenges women to feel God's joy and follow God's path through serving others.
--The Job Interview: No Experience Necessary
--The Job Resume: Background Check
--The Job Description: Something for Everyone
--Signing the Contract: The Job is Yours
"If Our Closets Could Talk"
A retreat based on a subject to which women easily relate--clothes! You'll peek into your life closet too.
--What's in There?
--What Doesn't Fit?
--What Should We Give Away?
--What Should We Pitch?
Snapshots of Life: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love him and are called by him. Romans 8:28 Changes As I poured blueberries over my cereal from a bag I kept in the freezer, I suddenly realized I had grabbed the wrong bag. Green peas dotted my cereal. I didn’t feel like picking them out, so I decided to eat them. How bad could they taste? I nuked them in the microwave, poured milk over my unique concoction and dug in. The first bite tasted a bit “green,” but it wasn’t really that bad. I had no trouble eating my breakfast and the adult Sunday school class I taught that morning had fun trying to guess what I had eaten on my cereal. No one came close. I resist change. But change can be interesting. Sometimes we feel we need a change. Maybe it’s time for a different hairdo or a different menu or a different job. Other times change may be forced upon us. Who welcomes the change left in the wake of a tornado? In the wake of a broken relationship? But God can use change in our lives regardless of what caused it. I benefit from the vitamins in peas just as I do from those in blueberries. Why not change something today—just for the fun of it—and watch how God may use it in your life. Who knows? You might like it. Maybe tomorrow I’ll try broccoli on my cereal. Then again, maybe not. Week of July 19 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. Romans 1:9 “Breathe!” my fitness instructor commanded after showing us how to do belly crunches. I wanted to hold my breath. I couldn’t seem to crunch my muscles and breathe at the same time. She knew that was our natural tendency, so she went on to explain that bad things may happen if you apply pressure to parts of the body without breathing. Blood can be forced to the brain, resulting in stroke. After her explanation, I forced myself to breathe. So it is in our spiritual lives. When we’re in a crunch, we may want to stop breathing, to stop trusting God, to stop the rhythm of prayer and Bible reading. But just as in the physical realm, that might cause bad results. We may find ourselves dwelling on our problems rather than on our God. We may find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances rather than by a sense that God is in control. We may find ourselves ill-equipped for the pressures we face. We need to breathe. We need to pray.
Week of July 4 Quick! Catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love, for the grapevines are all in blossom. Song of Songs 2:15 Pull the Weeds My husband's backyard flowerbed is in full bloom. This spring a tiny plant sprouted at the top of the pond. As it grew taller and taller, it obscured our view of the flowerbed. We hesitated to pull it, however, thinking it might be a flower. As the weeks went by, the plant became unsightly. No buds appeared. We eventually decided the leggy green thing had to go. I balanced myself on the steps beside the pond and pulled. It didn’t budge. I pulled harder. The roots suddenly let loose, and I almost went sprawling. But that little effort on my part restored our gorgeous view of marigolds, petunias, zinnias and sage. Like that weed, little sins in our lives can creep up and grow until they obscure the abundant life. At first they’re hardly noticeable. Who cares if I take home desk items from work? Who notices if I eat a few grapes before I pay for them? Who cares if I keep too much change? But selfishness can grow into greed. Love for leisure can grow into laziness. Feelings of annoyance can grow into anger. As Solomon cautioned, watch out for the little foxes. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. James 1:23-24 The Poser by Kim A “poser” is someone who poses as something they are not. That was me! The meals served on the cruise ship had finally gotten the best of me, and I decided to exercise. So I put on a new lime green-and-white sweat suit, so cute with zippers on sleeves and pant bottoms. However, the fact is, I have never sweated in it. I am not even sure it was intended to wick up perspiration! But there I was, all decked out, marching off to the elevator. As I pushed the button, it dawned on me--I was a poser! I was going to exercise, and I was taking the elevator so I wouldn't need to walk! Are we posers in our Christian walk? Do we wear the Christian outfit so well no one knows we fail to lead lives of faith? Do we speak of God so well that people never suspect we neglect speaking to him. Just because I call my outfit a "sweat suit" doesn't mean it serves that purpose. Wouldn't it be sad if we have called ourselves “Christians,” yet never served that purpose? Once people saw me on that exercise equipment, they knew I was a poser. Do people suspect we are posers as Christians? May we always lead an authentic Christian lives. Week of June 21 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:14 Relationships Trump Rules by Janine As I walked into the lunchroom of our family business, I noticed a new memo on the table. You could not miss the lime green paper with “IMPORTANT HAND WASHING GUIDELINES” at the top. As I read instructions on how to “properly” wash your hands in light of the HINI (Swine Flu) outbreak, I have to admit that I thought we were going a little overboard. I believe we need to take every precaution possible to prevent an outbreak of flu, but isn’t it just commonsense to properly wash your hands? Do we really need to post rules? My thoughts turned to the Pharisees and their confidence in the rules and regulations they believed made them more “righteous” than others. In a parable in Luke 18, Jesus tells how a Pharisee followed all the “rules” of fasting and tithing—and was quick to mention that to God in his prayer. But a hated tax collector was too humiliated to even raise his eyes to heaven, so he prayed the simplest prayer possible: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” All he wanted was a relationship with God. Our behavior certainly matters in our daily lives, but it is not how to get “accepted” by God. The rules God gives us are meant to draw us into a personal, intimate relationship as we walk with Christ daily—even while washing our hands in consideration of others. Week of June 14 The Thrill of the Trill by Shirley I love to hear the trill of a jenny wren. I hear it when I walk for exercise in a church parking lot. I hear it in my backyard. I remember hearing it in the backyard of a different home where I lived 30 years ago. I know that distinctive birdsong. Of course, the same is true of cardinals, robins, The same might be said of Christians. We too have been appointed to sing a song—with verses of kindness, courtesy and encouragement. Foreign to our tongue should be four-letter words, divisive comments and cutting criticisms. There may be times when we need to express something negative, but we can speak with grace and consideration for the feelings of the hearer. Wouldn’t it be great if our lives were so consistently godly that those with whom we rub shoulders would be reminded of Jesus? God has given us a song. It’s the song of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The harmony of that song reflects the grace and peace of Christ and draws others to ask about Him.
Weekly Devotionals to Lift your Spirit and Warm Your Heart
Week of July 26
(from Shirley's Sun Porch)
(from Shirley's Sun Porch)
(from Shirley's Sun Porch)
Week of June 28
(from Kim's Couch)
(from Janine's Gym)
(from Shirley's Sun Porch)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2
