Marc is right! What a weekend I had. I went with the ladies of Grace Community Church and some of their friends to Montreat for the Women's Retreat. I can honestly say after the argument that Marc and I got into on Thursday I did not want to go. I wanted to be able to spend time with him. I knew that I needed to go because I had a dehydrated heart.
LuAnn Prater is an amazing woman and speaker. She talked to us about the "Woman at the Well". She had been through so much in her life that she didn't think she deserved much of anything. Jesus, a Jew, came to her as a Samaritan woman and asked for a drink. She wondered why he would speak to her since she was a half breed and not like Him. Jesus told her to go get her husband and this woman was open about how she was living life and Jesus was glad. He knew everything about her already. He offered her something she could not comprehend to begin with. This is paraphrased of course but he said, "I can give you water that will allow you to never thirst again." Well when she heard this she wanted to drink of this water. She went and told everyone in the town that this was the Messiah and that he had spoken to her. Others believed her and came to see Him as well.
Well I learned that as this woman had a past and things that hurt her heart I did as well. I needed to completely and utterly give it up to the Lord. I felt that I had in the past but recently it has been coming back into play. Well I can tell you I left that on the cross at Montreat. LuAnn had made a cross and we nailed our pain to the cross to leave it there. It was amazing how I felt after that.
Well another woman shared about her past. She had never confessed it to anyone and she shared it all with us. Her story was amazing and everyone in the place was crying. She had made a picture of her crying out "Daddy" to the Lord with a big red heart and said she struggles still with the fact that God loves her. We had free time after lunch that day and my room mate and I went to town to go shopping. We went in this little store and I was looking at some jewelry. One stuck out to me in particular and it was a Red Heart. I knew I was supposed to get that for this woman. I had not been thinking about earlier that morning while shopping but I knew I was supposed to give this necklace to her. When I did see her and had the chance to give it to her she teared up and told me that earlier, after she shared her story, someone spoke with her and told her she needed something to remind her of this weekend. Remind her of the freeing event that is was and something to help her to know it was truth when Satan tried to make her believe it was a lie. When I heard this I just thought, "Wow! He picked ME to help her remember. She picked ME even with my past to help someone else"
I will tell you what the weekend just got better after that! I shared with others what had been holding me back and actually was comforted by the outpouring of love and support. I can now say that I have a story that I can share with others. I am a Woman of God and he loves me as I am. No matter my past or my size. He loves me! His Princess. He loves me enough to place women in my life who are going to lift me up. I had not met my room mate before this weekend and it was amazing just how much we had in common. He put us with each other so that we can form a bond to not only help heal our hearts but help to heal other hearts as well. We are actively seeking a Bible Study for healing. We would like to find a book that talks about women's pain in general and healing and leaving on Lord for comfort. If anyone knows of a good book let me know! Of course if any women reading this would like to join let me know as well. No matter your struggle or pain we want to be there. Isn't that was friends are for?
I know this one was long but so much went on this weekend! I can't right it all down here but I know that I am a new creation in Christ and he loves me! That is one thing I will never forget! The Lord works in ways we know nothing about and for that I am grateful.
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