I had a wonderful weekend of food, fellowship, fun, and worship this weekend! The weather cooperated as 80 ladies traveled up to the mountains to gather together in the heart of Montreat. The ladies from First Presbyterian were so welcoming – they made me feel right at home!

Our theme for the weekend was titled “Praying through the Seasons of Life.” There is a season for everything under heaven… a time to laugh, and a time to cry, a time to be silent, and a time to rejoice! (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4, 7) No matter what season we are currently experiencing the Lord invites us to come to the throne to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:12)

Dressed to impress for each season… M&M (Molly and Mary – a mother – daughter duo) were our MC’s for the weekend. We laughed until we cried at their dry and witty humor. They divided all the ladies into groups by our birthdays according to the four seasons, and then the competition was on! My favorite game was a rendition of name that tune – or something like the season of songs (through the ages) bong game. Whichever team knew the tune and hit their bowl first with a spoon, won points!

Our time of worship was lead by Cindy Johnson (a local artist and worship leader from First Presbyterian). She so giftedly prepared our hearts to hear my messages about prayer. God was so faithful to speak through me and give me the stamina for the entire weekend. I shared about the many seasons in my life from my single days to parenting to my new journey of publishing. All of these seasons were persevered through prayer.

We discussed God’s pursuit of us in every season of our lives since we are designed for a relationship with him. We all experience seasons of silence – when we don’t see prayers answered or we perceive he does not hear our prayers. But God is on his throne and hears every sincere and earnest prayer. He hears our cries in our “belly of the whale” circumstances (in reference to Jonah 2) that become beautiful prayers of transformation that results in our being broken for what breaks God’s heart. And through prayer, the Spirit of our God can take our despair and fill us with songs of praise because he has saved us and will come again to establish his kingdom on earth forever, when there is no more pain or suffering. We are chosen to be a royal priesthood that we may declare his praise!

We all returned home; some more refreshed than others! Smile! But hopefully, all of us came home renewed in our commitment to prayer – knowing with every season God is with us.