women’s ministry
What I learned while being brave
I drove to Lake Geneva, WI with two lovely young women I had never met before. I quickly found out they didn’t know many people if anyone that was going to be on this retreat either. It was somewhat comforting knowing I wasn’t alone in my attempt at bravery :-)
It was a wonderful weekend, one in which my God met me just as I needed Him. I also learned a few things that I thought I would share.
Women are brave
I was amazed at how many ladies came to this retreat barely knowing a soul. They may have known a few other ladies, but even still, it seemed virtually every woman was there to meet with her Savior and meet other godly women. No one seemed interested in hanging with their same group of friends {if they were there} but rather to make new friends and share stories. It was such a refreshing way to spend the weekend when typically, as females we tend to stick to the tribe we know best and rarely venture out in situations like this.
My own skin is mine
I might be 31 but that doesn’t mean the feelings of the 12 year old girl being rejected by her peers don’t come back to haunt me at times. This weekend however, I was comfortable being alone. I was comfortable being me. And I was comfortable with whatever God might have for me. I felt such a liberty in just being and not expecting anything of myself or anyone around, only expecting my God to show-up as only He could.
Vulnerability is never anything less than beautiful
I have never been with a group of women who were so willing to dive deep and be vulnerable so quickly. And truly, it was so very beautiful. No one seemed to hold back from expressing struggles and trials {and joys too!}, and oh how I was so blessed by their courage. They each had an authentic walk with their Abba Father and it radiated from their testimonies and faces.
It was an incredibly blessed weekend and I encountered some amazing women of faith. It reminded me of how much I love women’s ministry and why women are beautiful.
Thank you for your prayers for the weekend!
Read MoreBe Brave
Whitney Justesen on Flickr
I’m an introvert. I’ve found most people don’t believe me when I tell them that but once they get to know me they see it more and more. I remember one Saturday when Mr. Z was in tax season, therefore working on the weekend, he came home and asked me what I did all day. I told him I ran errands and took care of some things around the house. He asked, “Did you talk to anyone today?” I smiled and said, “Nope.” Almost in a proud way. He looked at me seriously puzzled, “Really? You didn’t talk to anyone?” And I said, “Well, I said ‘Hi’ to the cashier at CVS and asked how she was going.” He looked at me dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe I could spend an entire day alone and not talk to anyone.
I loved it! And I love days like that. When I can wake-up when I’m ready to, spend time reading my Bible, praying and just being in the presence of Lord and then wandering through the day running errands and doing chores, whatever needs to be done really. I love it.
Well, this weekend I am stepping way outside that solo comfort zone of mine and I’m going on a women’s retreat. This is a BIG deal for me. I know ONE person going on this thing. And typically I don’t attend things like this unless I have some kind of responsibility. If I have a role to play then I can hide behind that and not worry about the awkward moments when I need to initiate conversations with people I don’t know and try not to worry if I come off strange. I can be horribly insecure in these situations. Not to mention I am awful at small talk, which is pretty much the death of anyone when they’re in a place that requires small talk to open the door to deeper conversations that lead to long-lasting relationships.
But I am going to BE BRAVE. My prayer for this weekend is that I would be bold enough to step out of my comfort zone and just let God do His thing. I know I need time with my Jesus and I know my soul has been longing for ministry opportunities, both to be poured into and to pour into others.
So if you think of me this weekend please feel free to pray for boldness and peace :-) I’m pretty sure there are going to be some incredible ladies at this thing, they’re probably all a lot cooler than me (I know I’m a total nerd and I’m okay with that), maybe their coolness will rub off on me. I’ll let you know how it goes ;-)
When was a time you purposely stepped out of your comfort zone? How did it go?
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