A Fab Weekend
***UPDATED TO ASK: In case you don’t make it to the end of this post, I’m dying to ask you about your own retreat experiences. Does your church do one, attend one, etc? Since we are continuously evaluating the format of our own, I’d love to hear the logistics of yours as in where you go, what you love, and what you don’t love. Attendees of ours are welcome to share the same! I won’t get upset if there’s something you don’t like – unless you say you can’t stand the teacher in which case I will cry.***
I want to thank all of you who prayed, sent emails, and Facebook messages to cover me during the retreat I taught in Pigeon Forge this past weekend. God – as always – was faithful to work through His Word in spite of the girl He had deliver it.
It was a treat being able to spend time with some of my most special friends in this world as well as my MIL Frankie and SIL, Laura Beth. Please keep Laura Beth and her husband TJ in your prayers. They had to relocate their business which was totally destroyed in the flooding in North Georgia last week. If there is anyone who needed time on a mountain, it was her!
Many of my worlds collided this weekend. In addition to my family being there, Candice and Kelly who have been my best friends for over 20 years came along. My MIL invited Jenny, a friend from our current church, to lead worship. Debbie, Tara, and Cindy came from our last pastorate. I couldn’t tell ANY of my good church stories. Dern.
The weekend was great but I enjoyed the drive home almost as much. We drove through Wear’s Valley and stopped at the most fabulous pumpkin patch. I didn’t buy anything but now that I’ve touched mums and gourds, I’m officially in the fall spirit.
Here are a couple of pictures. There are lots more on the retreat recap on my ministry website. Y’all check it out!
{Debbie, Cindy, and Me. These two girls make me laugh harder than anyone I know.}
{Kelly, Me, and Candice. My BFF’s forever. Girls, you are my constants.}
{Jenny and me at the most awesome punkin’ patch ever.}
{Me sitting on what I thought was a very large pumpkin. Seems my backside is larger.}
{Candice and Me at, you guessed it, The Pumpkin Patch.}
{Me and Tara. Girl, I love your non-discerning self.}
{Beth, a wonderful fellow PW, Ms. Ruth, and Ms. Ann. Y’all, I want to be all of these women when I grow up. Practically single-handed, Beth put together a wonderful bonafide Tea for her women a couple of months ago. I pray my church girls never catch wind of it. And then there’s Ruth and Ann who have the most fabulous accessorizing skillz you have EVER seen. I told Ms. Ruth (middle) that I wanted to be just like her one day and she said, “Well, I hope you can be. I hope you live as long as I have and that you have the wonderful life I’ve had.” To the law and to the testimony. I love this precious woman. And Ann? She spoke the most wonderful words of encouragement over me after the retreat that I will take to my grave. True southern belles in a world of ding dongs.}
Again, thank all of you for supporting me in every way. You have no idea how your prayers keep me from melting into a squalling heap of insecurity.
Love,
Lisa
Uhm, can you give Ruth my phone number so that we can start being friends? I don’t know that I have ever seen someone so darling! And darn it if she isn’t even wearing a bolder color lipstick than I would be courageous enough to wear NOW!?
On another note, why did I not go to your sweet awesome retreat weekend? I get lame points for that. Nate was gone, in Uganda land, and I was cleaning our apartment. I so could’ve forsaken that wifely duty (uhm…not really!) haha.
Lastly, your comment on my last post made me want to spew my coffee laughing. I have much to learn, and could learn much of it from you I believe. If the Lord provided, and gave me the green light, I would jump. I don’t know what would happen after my jump (perhaps a lot of staring at a blank page before me), but darn would I jump for Him.
Will you be in Memphis? I think we need a conversation!
Love you!
You know I love ya. You know I’m thrilled to pray for you. And, i’m covering you always as you go do the thang that God is equipping you to do!!!
He’s glorious at work in you!
Such fun. And I will tell you you are well on your way to taking your place among those precious ladies.
Humble request for prayer. A couple months ago we laid out a womens retreat at church. Everyone was pretty excited. Had to change the date due to an unforseen church calendar issue. Now our retreat is three weeks from today. Our womens team has fzzled and I feel a lot of pressure (oh, I’m a pw with a big plate piled high right now) and I know I need to get my butt in gear but I am have shut down issues would you please remember me and us and our retreat in your prayers. Thanks.