refuge. bodrum.

this weekend i went to bodrum, another city in turkey on the mediterranean for a women's retreat. i wanted to go to get away from the city, see somewhere new, relax, meet some new women, and spend time with a few girls... i am so glad i went. i honestly was worried that it would be cheesy or over the top woman-ish.... and that's not me, but it was a really great weekend. we heard from a lot of amazing women who have worked here before there were many believers at all. some who have lived here 20 or 30 years. some who are new like me. it was amazing to hear the stories of how even though the work seems to us incredibly slow, it has come pretty far in just the past 30 years... from a handful of workers to hundreds. from hardly any known believers to more.... He IS working here. it was so encouraging. it was themed "refuge" and that's what it was. it was amazing to hear from some women who had been on this journey of faith for twice as long as i've been alive and to hear the things they still struggle with. and the things they have learned. i loved being around wise women and learning from them. it was so good to sing corporately too.. i sang loudly and freely. it was amazing. it's been a long long long time since i've worshiped in that type of setting.

the day we left, we had a session on ministering from a place of refuge. we read from luke 8 about the man with demons called "Legion". jesus called to the demons and made them leave. he healed the man. and after he healed him he charged him to "return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you"... he healed him and immediately sent him out. then the woman speaking shared a situation she encountered several years ago. she shared how her marriage was a wreck but He still used her. He didn't heal her, make everything right, and then use her. he just used her in her brokenness... she said "God wasn't going to heal me and then release me into ministry but He was going to heal me through ministry"....

we also rented mopeds. (a few friends)... went on a boat ride... watched lots of youtube videos... watched several episodes of the office... laughed a lot... bonded through riding double on mopeds... played phase ten and speed scrabble... it was a good weekend. but i AM happy to be back in my city & my home for a while... no vacations planned for at least 2 and a half months, anyway... :) here are a few pictures... more on facebook.