First steps...

In the last two weeks every few days I hear of a girl taking the first step in saving herself for her prince charming.  Some feed back I've received:

Shandy,
This retreat has changed my life already, I'm so glad I was able to come. The Lord has really blessed me in putting you and Strong man in my life.

Dear Shandy,
Thanks for sharing your story and everything you guys did for us this weekend. Everything you told and shared with us made me understand and realize some things. Thank you so much.

Dear Shandy & Military wife,
This weekend was amazing! God has been doing great work in our family for many months. I thank God for leading us to the church family He planned for us. There are so many things I feel the Lord is calling us too and look forward to making Him proud!

Shandy,
Thank you for this weekend. I had an amazing time and I learned a lot from you both. Thanks

Dear Shandy,
Thank you for helping me understand more about this. I feel I have more to live for.

Some have returned some not so modest clothing and begun looking at there wardrobe with a new perspective. Some have had guys tell them how uncool the purity ring is, only to respond with, well to sum it up-get lost! (that's my kind of girl!). Others have learned of an unending Love that they didn't understand before. While some of the mothers too were challenged and encouraged.

First steps are hard, but good--even necessary. I'm incredibly proud of these girls for the life choices they are making now. The reward will be beautiful!

Reminders

As I've spent the week processing and debating what to tell about this weekend.  I can't think of a single thing I might have taught the women, because I am still processing all that they taught me. 

This is good. I think that if one plans to teach without allowing themselves to be taught then I wonder how can they, the unteachable, can truly teach.  Just a little theory I have in the forefront of my mind anytime I go to teach.

Of the 35 ladies that attended I think each one challenged me in one way or another.  Some were so personal I will not record them here, but I left loving each women more even those I had just met.  It has been difficult to put these gifts into words as I write in my list.  Actually I'm still writing and reflecting on all of these things.

I learned once again that the real work is done by the Holy Spirit.  Military wife and I planned, prepared, organized, and talked it up big to the girls and yet still some came kicking and screaming (I'm only slightly exaggerating.  The girls did not want to be there).  You could watch the girls change over the weekend.  They softened and allowed the Holy Spirit to change there lives.  We're still learning the impact He had over the weekend.  We were simply the tools He chose to use.  While we obeyed by giving our best, our best was nothing compared to what He did.

If you look closely at every body's facial expressions they are great!

Never once heard this little man

Mother and daughters bonding.

I also learned or rather relearned that if I'm convicted of something then I should speak up about it.  Something that comes naturally most times, but as of late it has been difficult.  After this weekend those convictions have been renewed.  This weekend we did not please everybody, but the truth was spoken and for that we have no regrets.

Military wife and I are very different people, but as a team God allowed us to do big things.  I'm planner, she's a procrastinator.  She cares about peoples feelings, I'm a get the job done and hope we don't have any causalities.  I taught Grace she taught God's Love.  They went hand in hand.  They were taught very differently.

Her session began Saturday at dusk with worship and the glow of candles.  She told the girls of His love and then let the Holy Spirit speak to there hearts.  She allowed them time to process all that they had learned and seen.  She allowed Him to move.

The night ended with communion.  It was beautiful to watch the girls come and go as they were ready and wanted to remember what kind of Love Jesus had given...I learned that when the body works as God wants it too, great things can be done, not just good things.

A verse given to me this weekend:

"All of this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern."  then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you.  he will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished."

~ 1 Chronicles 28:19-20

2081.  Good back and forth with the mom's.
2082.  Short times of quiet and rest through out the set up day.
2083.  Driving the church van alone leaving me lots of time to talk with my Creator.
2085.  Jenny more then willing to run here and there for us as we set up.
2089.  The mothers noticing how safe the campground felt.
2090.  The need to pray.
2091.  A husband who prays.
2092.  entering each session seeing the girls hearts softened just a little bit more.
2093.  Watching the mothers stand back and love the daughters.
2094.  Seeing the mothers and daughters working together (turning a one hour session into a three hour session).
2095.  Tears of understanding overwhelming Love.
2101.  Many laughs over the dinner table.
2102.  A candle lit session.
2103.  As soon as I prayed for spiritual protection, the girls began to pour out to the communion table.
2104.  Realizing all the important work is done by the Holy Spirit.
2107.  All the encouragement from the mothers.
2109.  Just being another late comer to every meal.
2111.  Sunday morning worship.
2126.  Reading all of the notes the ladies wrote to me.

My other half

Now that I've had a little over a week of processing all that happened at the conference I still have no idea where or how to write about.  Actually I have no idea how to even give the church an update

Military wife, and I spent months preparing for this conference.  We prayed, laughed, cried, and lost much sleep in preparation.  Still the morning of we were wondering what was going on in our minds when we decided to do this.  Her a newly wed and me just beginning this phase of motherhood were about to teach girls and there mothers.  But God was good, as always.  We had an idea of what the other was teaching but didn't really go over it before hand, and didn't always sit in each others sessions.  There were times when we would say almost word perfect what the other had said in the last session, only reinforcing the concept.  God knew what he was doing when he put us together as a team.  So many things I could say about how He used us not her and not me, but us...

 Friday night when the ladies went to there rooms they had cake pops, champagne glasses and sparkling cider waiting for them.  There was a bottle left over so we treated ourselves Saturday afternoon as we continued on studying for the next two sessions.

It was good to have people come in and out of our cabin.  I'm not sure how much studying we got done, but it was worth it to be with people.

After the ladies left the meeting Saturday night we both sat down completely exhausted urging ourselves to move on for the night.

We did what we needed to do and then decided that going to the campfires with the ladies would be a bit of stretch for us, but having a fire in our cabin would bring us great rest.  It really did!  For the most part we sat staring at the flames in silence.

Therefore I, a prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all...But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what ever joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

~ Ephesians 4:1-6; 15-16

2084.  Military wife organized and ran registration.
2087.  Military wife and confiding in each other.
2088.  Our own rooms.
2096.  Girls painting my nails while we chatted about life.
2097.  A broken toilet.
2098.  Cabin 6 our haven.
2099.  Sitting with Military wife working out our next step in the conference while sipping sparkling cider.
2100.  Being interrupted by the girls.
2105.  having Military wife to balance me out.
2106.  Fires to watch while resting for the first time.

Encouragarms

A postcard sized paper that simply said “Encouragram”; notes for the ladies to write to each other as the weekend went on.  Each lady had her own envelope that was decorated with ribbon, flowers, and jewels. 

We printed off 300.  I was pretty sure that was a bit of over kill.  By Sunday morning we were searching for more paper...

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

~ Proverbs16:24

2123.  300 encouragrams used up in two days.

2124.  Women to put time and creativity into the envelopes to show the ladies they are special.

2125.  Watching the ladies write notes of love to each other.

Our toilet broke...O Darn...

Of all the cabins the we only had one teeny tiny problem, our toilet didn't flush.  So we were upgraded to this:

Now the other cabins were cozy, warm, and simply invited you to connect with those around you.

When we moved into this one, we had a little more space to have visitors.  It was nice Saturday to have people always in our space as they pleased to be.  It was nice to have some time where they came to us.  For the most part it was just to say hello and can I do your nails.

Not a very deep post for today.  I'm still processing all the blessings and lessons I learned over this weekend.  More to come...

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

~ Ephesians 3:20-21

Gifts to come...

An overview

The weekend has begun.  No I don't have a free second to myself let alone an internet conection to blog, but I do have Strong man and some pictures of the prep work.

We have three goals for this weekend.
1.  Each persons worth can only be found in God; He values you. "A good women is hard to find she is worth more then Diamonds." ~ Proverbs 31:10 (The message)
2.  They are not alone.  We want both the mothers and the daughters to know they don't have to walk this path alone.
3.  Practical ways of protecting there worth, by abstaing from wrothless relationship.

This weekend we will celebrate the mother daughter relationships with lots of pampering. 

We will celebrate the gift of friends, with campfires and cabin time.

We will celebrate God through music, teaching and learning.

We will celebrate the ability to leave as different people; ladies with more value than anything on earth.

This weekend we will celebrate Grace & Love, the two greatest gifts wrapped into one: Jesus.

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

~ 1 Corinthians 6:20

Gifts to come...Thanks for praying us through this weekend.

The spiritual world & our conference

In the past weeks I've been reminded that the spiritual world is real.  As I prepare for this conference, I prepare to talk of relationships.  I'll speak of the worst kinds and of the best kinds.  Unfortunately I know the extremes of both. 


As I've spent over two months working out my sessions, I keep coming back to that word; relationship.  I've spent time pouring over scripture I've learned much and been encouraged to keep on keeping on.


In the past few weeks my closest relationships have had a lot of tension.  It wasn't until a jr. high-ish fight with Strong man last week that I began to look at things from a spiritual standpoint.  What better way to defeat me then to send all of my relationships into a spiral spin just before I go teach 35 women about relationships!

Interesting enough as all this had just come into focus my Shepherd pointed out this verse from Acts during his teaching this past Sunday;  This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.  But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.(Acts 13:7b-8).

I'd appreciate your prayers as my partner and I go into this weekend.  Pray that the opposition will be held off for us and the women who hear us.  That the Holy Spirit may have much freedom to work without hindrances.

Here are some amazing ways we have already been blessed:

2061.  We've had an over abundance of financial support to the point that we've told people to stop giving.
2062.  Many are already holding this conference up in prayer daily.
2063.  We've asked different women to be in prayer for a specific girl and they are taking it very seriously.
2064.  We've had many volunteer to cook, help put the material together, & buy supplies.
2065.  A church of 200 people has made this conference there own, the entire church has been involved in someway.
2066.  Every bed is full, but we did not end up needing to search for extra corners to sleep people.
2067.  The teaching times have come together beautifully.
2068.  Almost all of the supplies cost less then they should have, everything purchased was a deal, but all of it quality; exactly what we had in mind.
2069.  The conference center its self invites rest and spiritual searching.  It asks for quiet, but deep conversations.

A brief pause.

I'm really excited about the conference coming up. It's going to be a great weekend! Today I get 7 hours of prep time!! So thankful to Nana's and Grandpa's that randomly call asking to play with the boys.

When we moved and life was busy I forgot to sit and savor the wisdom of the Bible. But for now I have learned that the busier I am the more I need to sit in quiet with God and His Word. So here's just a bit of what I'm reading these days:

O LORD, how many are Your works! 

In wisdom You have made them all;

The earth is full of Your creatures...

...They all wait for You

To give them their food in due season.

You give to them, they gather it up;

You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

You hide Your face, the are dismayed...

Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;

Let the LORD be glad in His works...

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;

As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

~ Snippets of Psalm 104

2004.  A reliable God.
2017.  Man dates leaving me home to quietness.
2018.  Unexpected requests for the boys allowing me extra time to prepare for the up coming conference.
2019.  The Psalms

Purity Retreat Promo: "God's Grace"

What a wonderful problem we have!!  There's a good chance we won't have enough beds!!  We're doing a bit of scrambling with the conference only a month away, but we're working on making more space.  It's going to be good.  Thanks for all the prayers and support as we make this happen!

It's coming together quite nicely!

Last week we were able to go out to the retreat center to get a first hand look at the grounds and how to set up.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera, but it is beautiful.  A lovely drive with great scenery, that only got better when we parked the car.  Each cabin is directly on the waterfront.   The sounds of nature were all that we could hear as we walked into the cabins that will sleep the mothers and daughters.

The lodge where the meetings will take place has a cozy, family setting.  I can just imagine us sitting in front of a fire place that begs us to sip warm drinks together as we search God's Word for direction in living life pure while coming to know His endless grace.  I can't imagine a better place to search out God. 

Not having even reached our first deadline we're already half full.  While only two of us will be the face of our church during this conference, the ladies will honestly feel the touch of the many hands that have put this together.

May this weekend be a weekend of growing, searching, and healing.  It's already begun for me.

A good women is hard to find, and worth more then diamonds.

~ Proverbs 31:10 (The message)

1863.  A good ride with friends that value purity.
1864.  A great spot to have the conference.
1883.  The way nature brings healing to the soul. 
1884.  A church that values family and those close relationships.
1885.  Many hands to make light work.
1886.  Strong Man the director of the youth ministries holding our hands as we get ready to dive in.
1887.  A God who can take my brokenness and turn it around to be used for His kingdom.
1888.  I've said it many times, but GRACE.
1889.  Being humbled by the honor these women are giving me as they allow me to teach that what I am most passionate about.

Come here to find out more...

After six years it's happening!

Since moving back to the states I have had a dream.  I have prayed for five years asking God to allow me to organize a purity retreat for teen girls and there mothers.  After five years of saying, "No".  This year, year number six, I didn't not ask for a conference.  I knew with my health issues that it would be a no.  It just didn't seem possible.  More and more mothers were talking with me about purity and the fear they had for there daughters lives.  Within just a few weeks all the pieces came together quickly.  Here I am watching my dream come true.  God's timing is perfect right?  Not only am I organizing this conference, but I'm co-hosting it!  It reminds me of the verse in Ephesians that says, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..."

I'm terrified of this assignment all the while jumping with excitement.  I hope that all who attend our conference, China Dolls in a Barbie Doll World, will be challenged to know God better.  I know I am learning much about Him as I prepare!

Check out the website here.