This weekend I got to go the beach and meet an amazing group of ladies. “Girls Beach Weekend” has put on a Christian retreat for the last 3 years for their girlfriends and any woman interested in the Triangle area. They do it at The Southern Baptist Conference Site in Oak Island, NC. A beautiful facility. They asked me to speak on Lingering in God’s Word through Bible illustration and journaling.
The GBW leadership team was amazing. They were warm and hospitable the entire weekend. They welcomed me and 100 other women with open arms and served us through the entire weekend working so hard.
Everything this group did was top notch. Rooms decorated with adorable painted pineapples, cute schedules and notebooks. An adorable pineapple pencil pouch and colored pencils. And more.
This was their notebook – you guys look at that adorable coloring page. Could it get any cuter? I think not.
The location was fabulous. I’d never been to Oak Island before so it was wonderful to explore a new place. I loved it there.
I loved teaching on lingering in God’s Word and Prayer and we actually got to do some of it together. One of my favorite times was when God opened up a sweet time of prayer for us corporately and we prayed for each other. Such a beautiful thing to do among the Body of Christ – even with people you don’t know. The Spirit of God has a way of bringing us together through prayer in a way that is so intimate and can’t always be planned or scheduled. He gave us that gift this weekend. And I will always remember it.
The other speakers for the weekend talked about hospitality and among other things. Melissa Bell spoke about the Turquoise Table and oh how I love this concept! Melissa actually did this when she moved from her home in NC to Texas – painted a picnic table turquoise and it’s where she and her neighbors gathered. And guess what? One of them flew all the way from Texas to hear Melissa speak in NC this weekend. This is what community looks like – you do crazy things like that. Love it.
I also loved Emily Sexton with the Flourish Market who spoke on Radical Hospitality. She has a store in downtown Raleigh that I just might drive two hours to go see one day. She is adorable and what she’s doing is life changing for women overseas. I scored me some cutey-patootey, big gold leaf earrings this weekend. And I know that my purchase is helping other women. How cool is that?
The many conversations I had over breakfast, journaling and farewell conversations were instrumental in my own personal life. God spoke to me through so many different people this weekend. I went to pour into people and by God’s grace he helped me do that but I also left being poured into by those around me and I thank God for that as well.
Melody, I love that you heard the story of the Turquoise Table from Melissa this weekend! So glad to connect — virtually for now and hopefully at the table one day! xo, Kristin
Oh how cool – Kristin – thanks for swinging by!! I’m so very intrigued by the concept and look forward to reading more from you. I want to get the book really bad and read it at my own turquoise table one day.