We just got back from our Family Vacation which is why I haven't blogged in a week. We attended a Joni and Friends Family Retreat which is a five-day summer retreat where families affected by disability can find hope and get a break from the challenges of everyday life.
What an awesomely blessed week we had! One of the attendees said it best, “These retreats are a little piece of heaven on earth!” Someone else referred to the retreat as, “A place where there’s no stares, no points, no questions…Just Love!” That is what the Turner family & many other families experienced this past week. It was definitely a week of relaxation, refreshment, & rejuvenation.
The Top 10 Ways God Showered His Favor on us this week
1) He gave Christian & Carysse an abundance of peace & rest.
2) He mightily used Kempton to proclaim the truth of His Word to the families.
3) He gave me a greater love & appreciation for my son.
4) He blessed the moms with the privilege of getting a FREE massage.
5) He enabled me to not have to cook or clean for 5 days! Our food was actually brought to us. All we had to do was sit & be served.
6) He provided each family with a STM (Short Term Missionary) that humbly, wholeheartedly served the family the entire week. Thanks Elisa & Talitha!
7) He allowed me to encourage another sister in Christ and she in turn encouraged me.
8) He blessed us with a date night that started with appetizers on the beach shore, then a ride on a yacht, and ended with a delicious steak dinner.
9) He gave us the opportunity to take the kids to the beach for the 1st time. We had so much fun!
10) He blessed us with many new friends who share our challenges, but also share our joys of being privileged to parent a precious gift from Him!
Thank you Father for once again, "you have blessed the righteous and covered us with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
(See Pictures below)
What an awesomely blessed week we had! One of the attendees said it best, “These retreats are a little piece of heaven on earth!” Someone else referred to the retreat as, “A place where there’s no stares, no points, no questions…Just Love!” That is what the Turner family & many other families experienced this past week. It was definitely a week of relaxation, refreshment, & rejuvenation.
The Top 10 Ways God Showered His Favor on us this week
1) He gave Christian & Carysse an abundance of peace & rest.
2) He mightily used Kempton to proclaim the truth of His Word to the families.
3) He gave me a greater love & appreciation for my son.
4) He blessed the moms with the privilege of getting a FREE massage.
5) He enabled me to not have to cook or clean for 5 days! Our food was actually brought to us. All we had to do was sit & be served.
6) He provided each family with a STM (Short Term Missionary) that humbly, wholeheartedly served the family the entire week. Thanks Elisa & Talitha!
7) He allowed me to encourage another sister in Christ and she in turn encouraged me.
8) He blessed us with a date night that started with appetizers on the beach shore, then a ride on a yacht, and ended with a delicious steak dinner.
9) He gave us the opportunity to take the kids to the beach for the 1st time. We had so much fun!
10) He blessed us with many new friends who share our challenges, but also share our joys of being privileged to parent a precious gift from Him!
Thank you Father for once again, "you have blessed the righteous and covered us with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
(See Pictures below)
4 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful retreat. I found your blog via Noel Piper's blog and was so touched by her descriptions of the week.
I also found your blog through the entry on Noels' blog today....I want to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing our daughter Emilie to get to know your family last school year when she was an INSIGHT student. She leaves on Thursday to return to Minnesota and says she will be making that Turtle Cheesecake for you. Your family means a lot to her and she LOVES your kids. I hope to meet you all one day!
Caryn, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the week. I was so blessed by Kempton's talk on Sunday and I know some of those thoughts came from you!
In an effort to keep all of us together like a box of spaghetti I started a group on Facebook. If you don't have a page on Facebook, please consider it and come join us! The name of the group is Joni & Friends Family Retreat - Minneapolis '08 Alumni.
Love in Christ,
Brodie (STM)
brodie@brodiehackney.com
thank you for making your blog, and thank you so much for being apart of the camp. you personally blessed me. raising your children the way you do, and everything else. that's so awesome. thanks for doing so much, and being a beautiful role-model, stay encouraged! and here's the link to my blog if you ever want to check it out: www.rebeccacatherine.blogspot.com
thanks for everything!!
love,
Rebecca
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