25th Annual Women of Worth RETREAT
September 17-19, 2021
AS TIME GOES BY…
Berlin Resort - Berlin, Ohio
Poems:
“To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under heaven.
Eccl. 3:11
Friday 7:00
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Sheila Wolf
I. Why “in the world” is this time a good time to “Reach Out and Touch Someone.”
a. People need the Lord and You represent Jesus to them
b. People, especially the younger generation are questioning everything.
c. Jesus was with the people. Walked with them, cried with them, ate and talked with them.
II. 20 % of Americans move each year.
a.Many people are lonely.
b. Raising children with no help from family.
c. Children Living away from grandparents.
d. You can be the grandparent, sister, or daughter.
e. Offer to babysit for the couple with small children
III. What tools has God given you to help accomplish His will?
a. Clean windows are not the priority so just pull the curtains and Be available.
b. What is the goal? To Help and encourage people through Such a time as this.
c. Work on listening and not always talking.
d. Be sensitive and let special times happen.
IV. It takes time to respond to “ For such a time as this.”
Ask the Lord who needs time with you.
Invite someone for coffee or tea or a meal. Or take something to them.
Prepare a menu you feel comfortable with so you won’t be stressed.
Expensive is not necessary. Fellowship is the goal. Popcorn and ice tea.
What is a dish you are known for and fixed often.
V. Don’t forget your family
a. Set aside special time with your companions, kids, grandkids
b. Enjoy your children and grandchildren “For Such a Time As This” will be gone too soon.
c. Eating together allows them to…
1. share opinions without being judged.
2. learn how to articulate.
3. build self-confidence when someone listens to them.
4. share about their day with people who care.
5. learn how to laugh together and make fun of each other.
d. Sitting in front of the TV “eating together” is not the same.
e. The more evening events you say yes to the less time you have with your family.
f. I recommend even if it is a can of chicken noodle soup, eat it together
VI. All of this takes time. Think of 3 time- wasters in your life right now.
SACK LUNCHES AND MIRACLES
The young lad watched, unbelieving.
It was incredible!
He hadn't thought his sack lunch would really help much,
but the man was kind, and said he could use it.
Now he was breaking the bread and passing his lunch around
and passing it, and passing it, and passing it!
When would it stop?
Men, women, children were eating.
Hundreds of them...thousands?
He tugged at the disciple's sleeve.
"Yes, lad?"
"Mister?" His voice betrayed his wonder.
"If he can do that with a sack lunch, think what he could do if I gave him everything!"
- David Schultz Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc. 1975
I’m just a feather
I will be the best feather I can be. I will flap, I will soar. And then….someday, I will blow away.
It’s not all up to me.
The world will go on……without me holding it all together.
STONES & GEMS
Life is a collection of stones and gems. Stones are hard places. Gems are God moments, sparkling through the hard places.
I have a tendency to look back at a day or week or season and say, “It was just hard.” And God is reminding me not to miss all the sparkly gems - God’s glory shining through the cracks.
Saturday 9:30
When time seemingly stands still
Sarah Fry
I. Babies
Ask specifically what someone wants and offer specifically.
Don’t say let me know if there is anything I can do
Be respectful of their space and comfort zone
II. Hospitals
Coffee or tea
Presence - Just being there shows you care
Short visits are best!
III. Grief
We don’t just grieve the death of loved ones. We grieve things that don’t turn out the way we wanted or expected.
Stages of grief - DABDA
(This is NOT a formula. It is simply some of the stages of grief that have been identified as common. You can do them in any order, at the same time, and cycle back through multiple times. The value of this is just to understand that each of the stages is real, valuable, and healthy.)
Denial - It can’t be true. Is it real?
Anger - It can come out in random places - on those we love, or God, or ourselves. (Suppressed anger is a recipe for depression.)
Bargaining - “If I would have” “If only” “Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if”
Depression - Deep sadness and darkness
Acceptance - Things will never be the same, but they can be good.
FEEL. DEAL. HEAL.
Don’t ever put pressure on someone to rush grief. That’s not how that works. Let them talk and cry and process in a safe place. Gently encourage them to keep on living.
Don’t assume you know how someone feels when they are going through a hard time. You’ve never been exactly in their shoes.
IV. Depression
Safety.
Ask the question.
Check in.
Make sure they aren’t alone
Presence.
Reassure them that you aren’t leaving.
Show up with muffins. Don’t stay forever.
Help them identify their circle of support.
V. Talk less, listen more
Active listening – help them to feel heard
Don’t try to talk them out of their depression.
Speak truth gently, in time.
Do not give reassuring phrases.
“At least” is a sure sign you’re getting ready to say something stupid.
Do Say “Wow. That is so painful.” “I’m so sorry.”
“I wish I could make it better, but I am praying, and I am here.”
When I Have Time
When I have time, there’s a poem to be written, a song to be sung.
When I have time, there’s a child to be led, a prayer to be said.
When I have time, I’ll tell you a story, I’ll visit a friend.
Alas, time is gone.
The poem’s unwritten, the song unsung,
The child is a man, grownu p unled.
The prayer, ah the prayer, it went unsaid.
The story is ended, the friend is dead.
For what momentous affair did I neglect
A poem, a song, a child, a friend
Was it a dirty dish? An unmade bed?
Ida M. Walters
Sunday 9:30
Times to Treasure
Sheila Wolf
Making happy memories
Holidays- your expectations of your kids and the families they are juggling.
Entertaining
What matters
Friendship
Mentoring
Being safe
How we talk about others
What covid taught me
TIME WITH FAMILY
Sharing with your companion
The most important gift you can give your children is a great relationship with Dad.
Husband “The Husband Store”
Sharing Time with your children and grandchildren
Time for teaching children. Deuteronomy 6
Most profound things are simplest.
ii. Like making cookies with grandkids
TIME WITH FRIENDS Encourage
TIME REACHING OUT TO OTHERS
TIME WITH YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
Spend time with God so you are better prepared FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Your devotional life is probably being hammered right now.
a.Make a plan.
i.When? Morning? Evening? Figure out what time is best for you.
ii. Give God your Day, your time. He can stretch it like the boy’s lunch.
iii. Ideas: Use a devotional book, Keep a notebook,
A prayer list with a place for answers to those prayers,
B. Be sensitive to time spent watching TV or listening to radio or Facebook.
Consider spending that time in studying a current issue like abortion or with an uplifting fiction book
Ideas for Devotions
YOU DIDN'T ASK
I got up early one morning
And rustled right into the day!
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn't have time to pray.
Problems just rumbled about me
And heavier came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered;
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I tried to come into God’s presence.
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"my dear child, you didn't knock."
I wanted to see joy and beauty.
But the day toiled on, gray and bleak.
I wondered why God didn't show me.
He said, "But you didn't seek."
I woke up early this morning
And paused before entering the day,
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.