Saturday, September 08, 2007

Board Retreat

The first night Glen and I introduced ourselves with testimonies to 50 pastors and their wives. The next morning I spoke to everyone on Holy Habits and sent them off for a directed time in the Word. They loved that. Then Glen and I had two hour and a half sessions, Glen with the men, and I with the women. Glen's throat and coughing made it difficult for him to speak sometimes-his voice would just stop. They told us repeatedly that we had no idea how significant what Glen was teaching was-we could only imagine. Why else would the battle be so intense? He only had to stop one session early for lack of voice...the Holy Spirit gave him only what he needed. The men were so excited about what they learned and are eager to implement it. It was fun to see them standing around after a session, talking animatedly.

I started teaching the women from I Thes. 5:16-18 but asked them to interrupt with questions, etc... and used that as a springboard to teach on what they needed. I spoke 14 hours on the trip and gave them a lot of stuff–taught the first ever Kitchen Table Counseling seminar in Spanish! They all took detailed notes-preparing to teach it to their ladies. We got into things like boundaries, protecting their husbands, sex and challenges to the marital relationship with the demands of ministry. We talked about broken dreams and slowly, as I spoke, God gave me their hearts. Each resonated with different things. They all said that they were going home different. I was awed that difficulties I faced over the years and principles that God taught me through them were what they needed for their situations! Even down to little things like having lived without electricity and water, struggling with the fishbowl existence of a ministry family, etc...There were many tears, and lots of sharing.

Glen gave them his fruit of the Spirit meditation and the corresponding exercise. The time of confession after that exercise opened up a level of honesty and sharing rare among leadership. We had communion and a foot washing to close the conference, many heart decisions were affirmed as we knelt before each other.

One sweet thing was that we women held Glen up in prayer so he could get through his teaching without an attack. I wish you could have heard them pray! It was so good for them to seek God for something outside their daily grind and see Him work-even if it was to quiet the cough just for the session!

As significant, was our time with our missionaries. We talked, counseled, encouraged and prayed with them. We left the couples encouraged and they blessed us with their commitment and dedication in that difficult place.

Glen was invited back to work more with the board and they asked me for a pastor's wives' conference not just for leadership.

Thanks so much for your prayers. Lives were impacted, people were equipped to multiply what we taught! It was costly for us, but so very worth it.

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