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Author Archive

New Year, New Beginnings

Posted by Debby on January 7, 2014

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday. If you are new to this website, welcome! Having heard from a few of my readers over the holidays, I know you are already thinking ahead to this new year and the ministry opportunities it will hold for your women’s ministry. This is a great time to prayerfully consider your schedule for the year, and determine events that you want to include. For us, if we can sketch out a preliminary schedule of women’s ministry activities for the year, we then have an idea where we are headed and leaders are all on the same page as we pray and plan.

For this first post of the new year (sorry for the accidental post sent out on Jan. 1!), I want to share something with you that I have been thinking about since reading an article online (no, I don’t remember where I read it). What I want you to think about, as you begin this new year, is this: How can you show your women that you love them this year? What is it that will speak to your ladies as a whole? Of course we want to see our women growing in the Word of God, in their walks with the Lord and in fellowship with one another–that is our primary focus. But the article I read suggested that pampering your ladies speaks of your love for them–the time spent planning and preparing for special events, going above and beyond for retreats and events with little gifts and special attention. Do you agree? How do you do that on a budget?

I would love to hear your input on this.

Posted in: Inspirations, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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Taking a Break

Posted by Debby on December 3, 2013

For the weeks surrounding the holidays, we are taking a break from the weekly blog in order to concentrate on adding content to the Retreat-in-a-Bag website. We have new downloadable skits which will be available as soon as I can get them onto the website. Have a wonderful and Christ-centered Christmas! See you again in January, 2014!

Posted in: News & Information, Website News

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Promise Verses – Revisited

Posted by Debby on November 26, 2013

Just about every women’s retreat I have attended, no matter where, uses the idea of giving each woman attending their own promise verse. The time and manner of distribution varies from place to place and year to year, but our women now expect and look forward to receiving their own individual promise verse each year. The Lord often uses this promise verse to speak personally to our ladies.

Where do you find these promises? Each of our books in the Retreat-in-a-Bag series has a comprehensive list of promise scriptures that we have used from year to year. But you can easily compile your own list as you go through the Bible. You can select from books which are devoted to Bible promises, and even find lists of promises on the internet. We then ask God in His sovereignty to make sure each woman gets His intended promise. We don’t try to determine through our own human wisdom who needs what promise; instead, we trust God to work through our random distribution of the promise verses.

Most often, we put the promise verse on their retreat nametag, but we have also been known to affix the promise verse to the retreat booklets, which may seem more random, as the ladies can pick up any retreat booklet when they arrive. While your group is small, everyone can have a unique promise, so no one has the same promise as another; as your group grows, this is not possible.

Two notes of warning:

Many promises read better in one translation than in another; be sure you are using the translation used by most of your women.
Check and double check your promise verse references; the smallest error in the scripture reference could direct one of your ladies to verse of judgment, reproof or warning, instead of a promise, which could be upsetting, to say the least!

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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On the Way to Minister

Posted by Debby on November 19, 2013

One story I love in the Gospels is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Found in Matthew 9, Mark 5 and Luke 8, all three versions record that Jesus was on his way to minister to the seriously ill daughter of a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus. The situation was grave, and Jesus’ presence was needed. In the minds of the people at least, time was of the essence.

But before reaching His destination, Jesus was “interrupted.” Or at least it appeared that way. A desperate woman touched the hem of His garment, praying to be healed. Jesus took time out to minister to her individually. Some of those at the scene questioned this; how could Jesus stop when the need was so great for Him to be elsewhere?

I’m sure this wasn’t the only time this happened to Jesus. He had important people to see, place to go, ministry to perform. But even “on His way to minister” Jesus takes time for ministry. We can learn from His example

Posted in: Developing Leadership, Inspirations, News & Information

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What’s For Dinner?

Posted by Debby on November 12, 2013

Depending on your venue, you may be called upon to make and approve a menu for the retreat. Of course, there are retreat centers that just feed everyone the same thing, cafeteria style. But if you are going to a hotel setting, you will be called up for menu selection. Normally, a hotel will give you some menus to choose from that are in your price range.

Considerations:

Be sure you have some form of protein available for every meal, otherwise your ladies will fizzle out before the next meal. This is normally not an issue, unless you are looking at a continental breakfast. But we try not to skimp on breakfast, and make sure eggs are available.
I hate to say it, but some form of chicken is normally the safest choice to make.
Be sure your registration form clearly states which meals will be included and paid for with their registration; often, when we are arriving Friday night, we do NOT include Friday dinner in the cost of the retreat. Make it clear that women must eat that meal on their own.
Hotels will work with you on special dietary needs, but special diets must specified on your registration form, so that you can inform the hotel well in advance.

Posted in: News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

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