Come Ye Apart; Women Beach Camping Retreat

We were truly blessed to have a successful women’s beach camping retreat, and we give thanks to God for this. The purpose of the retreat was to step away from our routine lives, focus on ourselves, and draw closer to God.

For years, we’ve held women’s meetings and conducted outreach activities, from house-to-house visits in villages to city-wide events. But this time, God led us to spend some days in His presence, focusing solely on Him. When we create space for God in our lives, we see Him in action and no longer struggle to know or feel His presence.

This was our first time hosting such a retreat, and we relied entirely on God’s faithfulness. Therefore, the event was steeped in prayer and fasting. Women often carry many burdens and sometimes don’t know how to handle them. As women, we also need wisdom, perseverance, patience, and many other virtues to be complete. Our challenges aren’t limited to family matters, parenthood, mental health, personal development, or maintaining good health. We also face the challenge of being godly, dedicated, and prayerful women. With God’s guidance, we trusted Him for the success of this retreat.

We had a lot to cover during those three days, from exploring what it means to be a complete woman to being a Spirit-filled woman and learning relaxation in God’s presence. We thank God for the willing and highly committed ladies who made the meeting a success. While prayerfully seeking the right venue, we visited several areas before deciding to combine two locations: Buffalo Lake and Big Knife. We set up our tents and parked our trailers at Buffalo Lake Campground and spent most of the second day at Big Knife for hiking, canoeing, and workshops.

We were fortunate to have secret intercessors from near and far supporting the retreat with their prayers. We pray that none of them will lose their rewards in Jesus’ name and that God will answer their prayers as well even before they ask.

When someone asked why the retreat was held far from home, we explained that we wanted a place where women could focus on themselves and God without distractions—a place where they could look inward, cry if needed, and share their burdens in an atmosphere of love, kindness, and godliness.

Sunday morning beach prayers and fellowship

Before we left for the retreat, Gordon, Myrna’s husband, prayed for us with all his heart, even though some of his prayers were a bit intimidating in a fun and relax mood—like asking for grace to endure the sounds of crickets, rustling branches, and growling coyotes. In that happy moment, we let him know that our minds were already made up so nothing could stop us now. We were ready to hit the road, feeling empowered by Gordon’s love, sacrifices, and care.

Surprisingly, on our first night, we heard coyotes growling, prompting us to clear all the food from the tables to keep them away.

Setting Up the Tents

With the help of some of our children, we set up our tents. We were grateful for the experienced women among us who assisted in raising the tents and the capable young ones who pitched in. While we were setting up the second tent, Pastor Jonathan drove hundreds of kilometers to help set up a large tent. It was amazing to witness the teamwork, willingness, and dedication of everyone involved.

Jacob’s Ladder
Although we were a bit tired and hungry after setting up our tents, we couldn’t help but discuss the purpose of our retreat, God’s word to us, and our expectations. God had given us a prophetic message about Jacob’s ladder. He assured us that He would be in our midst and that a ladder, like Jacob’s, would connect our gathering to heaven, allowing the heavens to interact with us. We could feel God’s presence as we discussed His word. We ended the session with prayers and then prepared for dinner.

The Campfire
One of the highlights we anticipated was the campfire, with songs and prayers. Gordon and Myrna had loaded our vehicle with logs for the fire. As we chopped the wood and lit the fire, we gathered around, feeling warm and happy. However, the camp guard soon informed us of a fire ban due to the Jasper wildfire, which meant we couldn’t have the campfire or cook our food as planned. Despite this, God gave us the strength to carry on. We ate our food cold but with love, unity, and without complaints.

The Rainy, Windy Night
That night, rain and strong winds sent us to our tents. Many of us had never been to a dry camp or slept in a sleeping bag, but we managed. The wind was strong, blowing against our tents, but the presence of our dear Lord was stronger. The night passed, and the sunrise brightened our day, though it was accompanied by some rain.

Health Talk
Despite the drizzle, we began our day without stress. Saturday was a busy day for us, but we didn’t let the rain slow us down. We started the day by speaking to God personally and preparing ourselves for what lay ahead. After breakfast, we jumped straight into a health talk that was both interactive and enlightening. It was fulfilling to see God in every aspect of the activity. Among many other insights, we learned the difference between the facts of medical science and the truth of God’s word. We discussed chronic diseases affecting women, and participants were free to ask questions, especially with experienced doctors among us. Afterward, we spent time in prayer and then headed to Big Knife Park, a 45-minute drive away.

Canoeing
With our canoeing instructor, we successfully launched the canoes after a brief lesson. Many of us were doing this for the first time, so we had to put our faith into action. One of us became scared when she saw the endless expanse of water and wanted to turn back, but we were all on the lake, two per canoe. Here is Joy’s experience:

“What an amazing experience at the Women’s Beach Camping Retreat organized by the Ambassadors of Faith Foundation! One of the highlights of the program was the Canoeing Training. Initially, I refused the training because of my fears. However, I eventually accepted the challenge to learn something new.

More than halfway to our destination—a beaver’s hut on one of the riverbanks—I became really afraid despite wearing a life jacket, the reassurance that the river was shallow, and the presence of a professional trainer. My companions encouraged me to finish the journey, and true to their words, I reached my destination and paddled back to the take-off bank

After getting off the canoe and out of the river, I reflected on the experience, and the following life lessons stood out to me:

1. Courage: Courage isn’t the absence of fear but the strength to persevere and venture into the place of fear, danger, and difficulty. This experience taught me to be courageous in taking up challenges and trying new experiences, as long as they align with God’s purpose for my life.
2. Support Systems: This reinforced the need to surround myself with the right people who have the positive energy to support me on my journey. Having a strong support system is crucial for overcoming obstacles and achieving our goals.
3. Never Give Up: Life’s journey presents opportunities to learn, stretch, and grow. Only those who persevere to reach their goals experience the fulfillment and rewards that come with such experiences. This canoeing adventure reminded me of the importance of perseverance.
4. Faith in God: One of the things that encouraged me during this adventure was the expertise of the instructor, the shallowness of the river, and the life jacket—things that are seen and temporary. How much more should I trust God Almighty, the expert on life issues, who, though unseen, is eternal and REAL? Shouldn’t I trust Him more with my life, knowing He will see me through and bring me to my expected end.

Dear friend, courage is inevitable on life’s journey. Constantly ask God for His grace to courageously face situations, establish yourself in the right support system, and trust God continually.

Call to Action: Embrace courage in every challenge you face. Surround yourself with supportive people who lift you up and never give up on your dreams. Above all, place your faith in God, trusting Him to guide you through life’s uncertainties and bring you to a fulfilling end. Rise up with courage today, and let God lead you to new heights!”

Another testimony from Big Knife Park was how God touched a lady’s heart. She had struggled with understanding the story of Jesus and couldn’t make sense of it. Speaking to her on the phone, I suggested we meet at Big Knife Park while I kept talking to God about it.

When we finally met, I explained that trying to think God through to our reality would be a futile effort. Just as we cannot comprehend the source of our blood or brain formation (not talking about Scientists and Doctors explaining what was already in existence), we can never fully understand the mystery of Jesus with our minds alone. She was made to understand how much God loves her and has been patient with her, but that God wouldn’t wait forever. As I was making this point, another participant walked over, and I quietly stepped away.

Later, that participant came to me with a heartwarming testimony: the lady had started crying as I was leaving and confessed that no one had ever explained God to her in that way. The participant continued the conversation, urging her to open her heart to Christ, and the follow-up with this precious soul has been encouraging and we believe that God will perfect the work of grace and salvation in her heart in Jesus’s name.

Hiking
Hiking was another fun aspect of the retreat. Although we saw signs warning that it was a bear area, we stuck together, talking loudly to keep them away. As we hiked, we plucked Saskatoon berries along the way, probably leftovers from the bears. We saw the beauty of God in nature, and it warmed our hearts.

Some More Praise Report

CT
Good evening, Sis M, This is C. Thank you very much for those wonderful days spent with you guys. l learned so many things. I thanked God that He brought me into  this Godly smart women.. May God bless you each and every day to guide and help the women who need help mentally, physically, and spiritually. . I was touched by the Holy Spirit during the beach prayer and was convicted of something that made me start to cry. It was like the word was directed at me.

MN
… I had a good time with reconnection with God and all the work you do!

DO
Hi M, I just want to thank you and the ladies who helped with the retreat. It was so good for me to have gone. I realize now that if I don’t make the time for community, I will flounder in my life. Your group is so welcoming and grounded in faith. I need this. You probably know that I am an introverted person, so even though I was quiet, I was very comfortable and blessed to have been at the beach retreat. Your article/blog about the beach walk and the prayer and prophecy time was excellent to read about. During this time, I was reviewing and meditating on the messages from the previous talks and made a page in my book.
Hope to see you and the ladies again soon. Love, D

DN
I thank you for organizing this program. I was really blessed. I struggled with panic attacks every day. But since I joined the program, I have never experienced that panic attack. The prayer section was so powerful, and I could fill God’s power…

Available on Ambassador of Faith Foundation-theaffglobal.org are the articles on different topics that were covered:

Topics:

1. Conflict Resolution and Stress Management:
   • Techniques for resolving conflicts in a healthy and constructive manner.

• The impact of unresolved conflicts on mental health and ways to manage marital stress.
• The impact of financial pressures on marital relationships and women’s mental health.
• Coping mechanisms and financial planning strategies to reduce stress (Belle)

1. Parenting Challenges and Mental Health:

• The mental health impact of parenting in the digital age.
• Coping strategies for common parenting stressors. (Myrna)

1. Chronic Diseases and Women:

• Understanding and managing chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune diseases.
• Gender-specific risk factors and preventive measures. (Joy)

1. Cardiovascular Health: Risk factors and prevention of heart disease in women.
   • Recognizing symptoms and seeking timely medical intervention (Bunmi)
2. A Complete Woman in Christ (Margaret)
3. https://theaffglobal.org/women-beach-camping-registration

Thanks to the organizer;

Ambassadors of Faith Foundation; theaffglobal.org