It was the first not-rainy day in ten that a group of 76 women, mostly connected to Living Water Community Church, gathered for a two-night weekend conference titled “Whatever is True”. The crew was a respectable cross section of single women, young moms and empty-nesters, crossing racial and demographic boundaries. And everybody brought something; their stories, pain, wisdom, and talent. And then...in the safety of The David Center, over a meal in the dining hall, and probably in the quiet of our sleeping quarters before turning out the lights, we shared of ourselves in a way that couldn't be done elsewhere. Existing friendships were strengthened, and new ones were formed. In discovering our shared experiences through our individualized perspectives, we found more ways and reasons to love one another.
If I came away with nothing else, that experience alone made the investment of time and resources worth it.
But it was so much more than that.
At the Bongiorno Conference Center, located just four miles from the Cumberland County Courthouse in Carlisle, we put down our phones and focused on one another as though we were cut off from the rest of the world. It was an opportunity to dig into the scriptures without feeling we’d swallowed a Strong's Concordance: you didn't need a fancy degree in theology to understand it. There were messages of rest, peace, and eliminating distractions. Women from the audience shared vaguely familiar scriptures that lit up the dark corners of my mind, waking me up to the possibility that I am worthy of God's love. Like this beauty:
"But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name. You are mine, '" Isaiah 43:1 ESV
But best of all, there was no racing from one class to another, and the biggest challenge we faced was deciding if we wanted to do a prayer walk, play tennis, paint a pretty picture, or take a nap. The planning of this event started in late November of 2023 by Sisters at the Well, the women's ministry at Living Water. This ministry lays claim to many events that appeal to all women, with the prayer that all of us find our place to use our gifts and to edify our souls within our beloved church. While the leaders will say that this all came from God, (which it always does) this event didn't happen without the visionary leaders and the humble servants who came together with their talents and time to make this what it came to be. And it was beautiful.
If circumstances prevented you from coming or you fell into the “No Boys Allowed!” category, allow me to take you up a winding but front-wheel-drive-friendly road to the modern but rustic-feeling campground. While this program was designed with women in mind, there is something about the timelessness of scripture that crosses genders, generations, and political biases—or at least it should.
The messages, emphatic, repeated, and told from tender places of the heart, were taken straight from the passages of Philippians 4:4-9
Tabitha Deller is a local gal and our keynote speaker. Most of her messages came from the several books she's written, including "Called" and "Near". Check out her website here:
Another class was given from a book by Jen Wilkin's book "Women of the Word" which gave us some tools on how to read our Bibles.
Finally, author John Mark Comer came up twice during our retreat. I encourage you specifically to check out "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry."
Women, I hope you will find a way to one of the spirit-led events that Sisters of the Well puts out all year long. You will be blessed.
Janet! The retreat was wonderful and the way you captured it in this article caused me to revisit fond memories of a weekend so very much needed. Blessings.