Hello Dreamers,
It has been a few days since I have shared with you. I've had to go into my cave (some of you may understand that) to regroup and redirect my focus. I had to go back to my source to really figure out what my true dream is. Why do I exist? Clearly it wasn't to meet Maya Angelou and I know that but after she passed I lost my focus. For so long that was all I really wanted to do, thank her for writing. That was my dream for so long that I didn't really recognize other dreams stirring in me. Her passing felt like an earthquake in me.
As I have been reading old prose and poetry on my flash drives. I came across some great things I had written. Things about my dreams, my testimony of coming to know Christ, my goals to obtain a PhD and write books. One of those testimonies was written in my Board of Directors application for God's Gurl. One line that struck me is "I feel called to work for the benefit of, and create programs to strengthen women."
What's funny is that I am doing that already. My books, retreats and extra curricular activities are all in line with this statement. Ironically, Charice, the Founder of God's Gurl had a vision to reach and teach women when she was just 7 years old. The reaction of the girls was so phenomenal, even though she lives in IL they face time chatted her and they were exclaiming how awesome she is! I agree, to have a dream, let it lie dormant and dig it up in such a way that it impacts women and girls across states is truly an awesome act of God. Recently St. Louis has adopted a God's Gurl chapter. To watch how her legacy is spreading is so encouraging.
So as I close for the day I would like to share one of the testimonies from the Girl, Pray for Me Retreat. I think for my own courage I need to reconnect with people who can help me understand that I am unpluckable too.
Girl, Pray for Me.
PLJ
Girl Pray for Me Retreat Experience
The retreat venue was so perfect for what was encountered
the weekend of May 2-4th. It
got off to a late start due to some unforeseen circumstances but it was God’s
timing which is totally out of our control.
I arrived with my roommate sister/friend both of us extremely excited to
be away and to find out what was in store for us. We got settled into our room
where there we already two fabulous women in there that embraced us with love
to join them. We met some other lovely
women in the house then once we were all unpacked and had our beds made it was
the time for to go to the meet and greet in the main lodge. Name badges were given to each of the ladies
and we got our folders with the itinerary and we were briefed on what to expect
for the weekend. It was such a wonderful site for all of us women to come
together for the common goal of getting what God had called us to the retreat
for.
Dream Day One! We jumped right into the Workshops I get
goose bumps just thinking about the first Workshop titled Girl, When I Write I
Breathe that speaker put up large post it notes all around the room and if you
had an thought you wanted to write down you could do so on these large size
writing boards. She started the retreat off with a bang!
The next speaker’s title was Girl, Count the Cost.
What a powerful reflection of why each woman that attended was there for
a purpose. We ended the evening with a
Panel Discussion titled Girl, I Have a Dream Now What? Very Powerful the first
night was just wonderful we ended up staying up late just taking and getting to
know one another.
Let Go…Day two was even more eventful because this was the
first full day of the retreat. Some of
us got up early and attended morning prayer in the cabin that was strictly for
prayer. I felt so wonderfully blessed in the house of Mary. Once the prayer was over we went down to the
main lodge and attended the first workshop of the day titled Girl, Move Your
Body it was so much fun exercising. The
speaker was very energetic and just made it a wonderful experience to give you
a sweat that you didn’t realize could be so much fun.
After getting our bodies in motion it was time to fuel the
body with breakfast in which was a great experience as well in the dining hall
with many other Christians at the retreat campsite it was great just breaking
bread with so many different walks of life and we got together for each meal.
After breakfast it was back to workshops that included so many wonderful
titles. Girl, Who Are You? Girl, It’s Not Your Fault, Girl What’s Holding You
Back, Girl Take Care of Your Temple, Girl, Sharpen Your Iron, and in between we
had lunch and dinner and even got into some Group Activity of Fun. With each Workshop layer upon layer was being
peeled from the women and there was so much hurt, pain, shame, etc. that was
being addressed to cleanse and free us from what was keeping us bound. The final installation of the evening was a
preached word by the minister and her message Girl, I Need a Breakthrough
opened the floodgates of freedom for many of the women including myself it was
such an awesome experience that I don’t have enough words to express. My God!!!
I can’t even share what happened the rest of the evening because that spiritual
experience was one that you just had to be there.
Now What? The final day started with the early Morning
Prayer in the house of Mary, Breakfast and a special thank you from the woman
who birthed the retreat based of the book Girl, Pray for Me. Mrs. Penda L.
James what a beautiful woman of God. I had to depart early this day and was not
able to get the full final day experience but what I got filled with before I
left is still with me to this very day.
I am so overly blessed that I was able to be a part of the wonderful
experience and so looking forward to the next one because if this was the first
one that was way more than I expected I sure can’t wait until the next one.
Forever
grateful
Tirzha
A. Moore
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