[This article was previously published in our January newsletter.]

Coming together as a body of women doesn’t happen every day. I don’t know about you, but I long for those lingering moments when I am with my sisters in Christ. Times when I can pray with them, talk with them, read God’s Word with them, hear God’s Word with them, and sing His praises with them. There’s just something about it. Knowing the loveliness of sisterhood in Christ is…unexplainable.

Coming together in Christ is a way to respond to the Lord and rejoice and be glad with much thanksgiving, that our God has graciously allowed and appointed for us this very time to enjoy one another’s company, to see one another’s face, to hear one another’s voice, and to remember the bond of freedom in Christ we have and share (Life Together, p. 39). When the opportunity arises the gathering of God’s children tears down walls of sin and builds up strong towers of unity and love between us. Why go to a women’s retreat? Because we, daughters of the King, need this!

In the book of Philippians, Paul encourages believers to “press on” in life and “to imitate” those whose lives are worthy of the gospel. What does this look like? How do we do this? At the 2014 Women’s Retreat, we’ll hear from 3 women who live right in our midst and whose lives of Christ-centered living are worthy examples for us all to imitate as we press on towards our prize: Jo Coltrain, Jody Drevets, and Melissa Grier. Be sure and join us March 7-8 at the DoubleTree Hotel! Registration opens January 19---watch for details.

You can begin now to prepare for this retreat by reading through Philippians. Even if you have already been studying this book, take heart; God’s Word is alive, active and never dies! And though we may think we feel tired of “the same ‘ol truths,” His Spirit works to continue to feed us today and tomorrow and the next day by those very same pages we have read yesterday. Our minds are not illumined one day only, that they may see and understand all. No, our minds are continually in need of the Holy Spirit’s direction at every moment; otherwise we may decline in the knowledge that God has already taught us (Institutes, p. 285). God will surely restore to us the joy of his salvation with renewed vigor for his glory!

Press on, sweet sisters! I’ll see you in March!!

Jane Schaible
Retreat Chair

Sources:
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (1960, Westminster Press; 2006, Westminster John Knox Press).
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together (1954 Harper & Row).