If you ever want to experience the wild up-and-down emotions similar to the ocean waves, collect a group of women from various churches, group them together in a house by the sea for a weekend, mix in teasing, joking, and hilarious surprise gifts along with heart-touching testimonies and personal visiting with one another, and you have the ingredients for a wild ocean of emotion. This was the experience of 35 ladies who met in April at Rockaway Beach, Ore., from numerous churches in the area: Gaston, Laurelwood, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Newberg and McMinnville. This event was organized by the Gaston Church and headed by Cherry Walsh, the women’s ministry leader.
Loretta Mix shared her touching testimony of how God took her from not even knowing that there was a God to a total commitment to follow Jesus and do His bidding, even to become a pastor’s wife. She shared the difficult times of her life through which God brought her, and she triumphantly declared His power to heal and restore. The group cried together, passing the tissues around as they felt with her the difficult journey she had experienced. She told about the numerous little seeds that had been planted along the way to sprout and grow faith in her life, even little things like someone saying, “God bless you.” One never knows what a small comment or a piece of literature can do to shine light into someone’s darkness. Mix's testimony encouraged others to be willing and brave to share their stories to help transform others’ lives.
The weekend was rejuvenating for all the ladies. The weather was for walking on the beach and collecting shells, sand dollars, rocks and driftwood. There was plenty of time for visiting, napping, reading, puzzles, knitting, crocheting and other crafts. The food was delicious, the singing heartwarming, the praying inspiring, the crying healing and the laughter like medicine.
If you have a chance to go on a women’s retreat, be sure to hop on for the wild ride of women’s sharing and caring, laughing and crying, and getting to know each other at a deeper level.
Thirty-five ladies met in Rockaway Beach for a weekend of rejuvenation and inspiration.
A gift exchange is a highlight of the women's retreat.
Loretta Mix shares her story with the group.
Thirty-five women enjoy a retreat at Rockaway Beach, Ore.
