Written by Tawni Miller
After months of preparation, the day has finally arrived. Thirty women volunteers and staff coming together for one purpose. Our mission to serve the body of Christ is not taken lightly by Thrive Ministry. They began this retreat by serving us – the volunteers – so that we can, in turn, serve the 41 attendes arriving on Monday. From the minute we checked in, we felt seen, heard, and cared for.
Despite all of this equipping going on, as women, we are often duped into believing lies that we aren’t good enough, qualified, or ready for this type of ministry. Not knowing what to expect, we sometimes let doubt creep in and take residence in our souls, and this fear can hold us back. Driving up with some other volunteers this morning, one veteran volunteer shared her story of the first time she served at a retreat. She explained how she felt overwhelmed. She had to remove herself from a training and stepped into the restroom to try and collect herself from the tears forming. She questioned her ability to be effective in the lives of these women. Walking back out, one of the early arriving attendees stopped her in her tracks. She expressed how thrilled she was to attend the retreat and for the next several minutes Karen engaged with this woman about where she was from and listened to a bit of her story. Right then she knew she was called to be there. She realized that these women just want to be heard and cared for.
What an honor it is to be a part of this ministry! Global Women are known and cared for. Ministering to their needs holistically: spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4