As the new year begins, you may be thinking about injecting more life into your quiet times with God. The busyness of the Christmas season can leave you feeling tired and stressed. Wouldn’t it be great to get away and spend a little time with the Lord – time of refreshing and rest?
At a retreat some years ago I met a marvelous group of women. Sheila Graham and I have shared stories from the retreats they sponsor, and both of us have been encouraged and spiritually nourished through them.
My association with NEWIM started back in 1998. A woman from a Southern California congregation gave them my name as a possible contact. It took some research to figure out how they got my name and address, but it was one of those God things that has blessed me ever since.
The Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM) exists to minister to women who minister to women. As a group, they have the most serving hearts of anyone I’ve ever met. From the beginning, it was a dream of mine to join them and become like them.
My dream was realized the past few years, as I first became a chapter president, then took on the role of newsletter editor (big surprise there). I later resigned as chapter president to be their website liaison, a challenging and big-learning-curve job for me. I’m still working on the part of becoming like them. I’m sharing this with you because I’d like you to get to know them and be blessed too.
Over the years, a team from NEWIM has put on a one-day retreat called The Oasis. Many of us from the former Pasadena congregation participated in an Oasis retreat on the headquarters campus.
It was a wonderful day, filled with Bible study, fellowship and most important of all – lunch with Jesus. We took a box lunch, found a quiet spot and spent time with the Lord, right in the middle of the retreat.
The Oasis team, in an effort to make the retreat available to a wider audience, now offers the retreat on DVD. It includes five sessions: “A Quick Look at Your Life” (clearing away distractions), 33 minutes; “Moments With a Friend” (all about quiet times), 16 minutes; “Journal Keeping” (writing for spiritual growth), 23 minutes; “Hidden Treasure” (walking with the Lord through Scripture), 47 minutes and “Lunch With Jesus” (enjoying extended time with the Lord), 2-1/2 hours.
I don’t normally advertise anything, and I wouldn’t be telling you about this if I didn’t believe it is a great resource, both for individuals and for groups. It’s a low-cost way to have a one-day retreat in your own church, and also great to do on your own.
You can find out more at the NEWIM website, www.newim.org. You can watch a video clip, meet the speakers and order the DVD, as well as learn more about NEWIM and their nonprofit, all-volunteer ministry.
The Oasis retreat is a drink of cool water in the spiritual desert of life. I encourage you to learn more and let NEWIM bless you as they’ve blessed me.