By Jackie Thomas
BRADENTON, Florida--The Clearwater, Florida, church sponsored a women's retreat at the Christian Retreat in Bradenton Nov. 6 to 8.
Shortly after the retreat we received a letter from Annabel Dayhoff of Fort Myers. We feel she really tells it all. Excerpts follow.
I have just returned from an awesome conference that our great God gave us through the gifts of the Clearwater church.
I have never seen such dedication to our Father in action as I did at the Bradenton Christian retreat. We women of the Fort Myers congregation were all inspired and greatly uplifted.
Our little conference of 70 people gave us new sisters in the body of Christ. It gave us growth and help in praying for each other and bearing each other's burdens. It gave us appreciation for each other and a love I cannot explain.
It taught us new techniques of giving our hurts and problems over to Jesus, to let go of them, to lay them at the foot of the cross. How many of us let go of them, then take them back from God, as though he can't handle them and we can? Thankfully he is there for us and loves us no matter how imperfect we are.
My great desire from being given so much by my Savior, is to be there for each and every one of you. I want to overcome my shyness and inabilities so I can hug you and pray for you in your pain, in your need for healing--spiritual or physical.
We have learned at the retreats the blessing of getting together in groups of four or five to pray for the needs of each person.
We have items available with the "Women, Arise and Renew the Spirit" name and logo. Small, medium, large, XX and XXX T-shirts are available in white, yellow and beige. A few scoop neck shirts in shrimp and pale blue color are available too.
We also have a few tote bags 15 inches by 16 inches natural color with black ink for the logo and words. Ceramic coffee are available too.
For more information call Roberta Lashua at 1-727-895-8702 or send e-mail to roberta@arise-renew.com.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998