Bloom Where You're Planted is a retreat packed with activities focused on the seeds that God plants in our hearts, what we do with them, and how we share them. Because of this subject matter, each woman will start the process of sharing her story. Therefore, all teaching/speaking portions of this retreat are geared around personal testimonies.

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about drama. The women will break into groups and act out the key scripture of Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (The Parable of the Sower). There is much laughter and over-acting opportunities to have a really fun evening. The evening ends with a personal testimony.

Saturday Schedule:

1) Discussion-oriented Bible Study on key verse.

2) Lunch and Free Time

3) Seed-Planting Activity: This activity is a fun illustration of God's seeds planted in our lives.

4) Dinner

5) Listen to a personal testimony

6) Testimony Workshop

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.

Crossroads focuses on making decisions that bring us closer to God. The teaching explores Peter's decisions when he was a disciple. Some of them good...some not so good. But always, he eventually focused on what God wanted him to do.

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about making decisions. The first activity is “Would you rather....” which allows the women to make a choice between two activities. The second activity is called a game of Decisions! The women will break into groups and will spend time agreeing on decisions which will send them down a certain path. There are fun activities within this game and eventually, it is interesting to see where each group ended.

Saturday Schedule:

There is material for two workshops in the morning. This retreat has 4-5 hours of free time during the day (optional).

Evening Session: The teaching is geared around Peter's life and decisions. The leader will choose 4 women to provide the 5-minute teaching and then share a 10-minute testimony regarding decisions they have made in their lives. 

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.

A Fragrance That Lingers is a retreat that focuses on being infused in God's love. Because of this great love, our lives are changed and different in a beautiful and fragrant way. The key verse is 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (...we are to God the fragrance of Christ...)

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about fragrance. The activity is to prepare mysterious fragrances. The women break into groups and then try to guess the fragrance by smelling each one. The women will then answer the following questions: 

1) What is this scent?

2) What memory does it bring?

3) How does your attitude (fragrance) affect others?

The evening ends with a personal testimony.

Saturday: There is material for two workshops in the morning. This retreat has 4-5 hours of free time during the day (optional).

Saturday Night: The evening teaching focuses on the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50. The teaching includes drama, singing, an anointing oil ceremony, and ends with communion. Breadmakers for the communion are started early in the day so that when the women enter the meeting room, it smells like homemade bread.

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.

Mary Christmas is a one-day retreat that focuses on Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was a young woman who was given a frightening, miraculous challenge and she said yes. This retreat focuses on Mary's response to God; it also teaches us to reflect on our own responses when God challenges us.

One-Day Schedule

Icebreaker: Enjoy a singing challenge using the “12 Days of Christmas.” Bible Study: The women will break up into groups for a leader-guided Bible study on Mary's Song (Luke 1:46-55)

Two Workshop Sessions: There are four Bible Study workshop materials provided in this retreat booklet. There are also ideas for other types of workshops.

Christmas Ornament Craft: The women will spend time working on a craft.

Sugar Cookie Fun: Each woman gets two sugar cookies. They are to decorate for a woman on their right and on their left. Then they present and share why they value this person.

Teaching: Provided in this retreat is teaching material on “Mary Said Yes.” At the end of the teaching, the women are provided an opportunity to say yes to God.

Reflections of His Love is a retreat that focuses on having a vibrant and open relationship with God and others. The teaching material is geared around the verses in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 and also focuses on Moses in Exodus 34:29-35.

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about wedding veils. The activity focuses on veils of different cultures which then relates to a discussion on how veils impact our lives, relationships with others, and our relationship with God.

Saturday: There is material for two workshops in the morning. This retreat has 4-5 hours of free time during the day (optional).

Saturday Night: The whole night is a wedding ceremony. Each woman who enters the room receives a blusher veil and a program and is escorted to her seat. The schedule is similar to a typical wedding. At the front of the room is an altar. At the beginning of the ceremony, it is explained that there is a special guest here and it is Jesus sitting behind this altar. At the end of the ceremony (which includes teaching), each woman is asked to place the veil over their face. They are then (one at a time), to walk through the altar, meet Jesus, and then return to their seat.

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.

Rest in His Embrace is a retreat packed with personality. Each teaching session concentrates on embracing who you are and how God sees you. The key verse is in Matthew 11:28-29 (Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest...)

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about personality activities. The first activity is having the women take the Gary Smalley personality test. Then each group will come to the front while their personality is described. It is hilarious how each group acts like their personality. The next activity is to list four activities and then to stand up when their favorite activity is called. The women can then look around the room to see other women who enjoy the same activities.

Saturday: There is material for two workshops in the morning. This retreat has 4-5 hours of free time during the day (optional).

Saturday Night: The evening teaching dissects the key scripture (Matthew 11:28-29) that is mostly discussion-oriented along with journaling/sharing. Some of the teaching/discussion questions are: --What are some ways God reached out to you? --What ways are you weary or burdened? --How has God given you rest? --What ministry is your perfect fit?

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.

Ruth is a retreat that focuses on replacing our own negative labels with God-loving labels. Ruth was a widow and a foreigner; but because she embraced God, He made her loyal and noble. The key verse is in the Book of Ruth (...Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me – a foreigner...)

Basic Schedule

Friday Night: Since this is the first night, it's important to help the women relax and have fun. This night is all about drama. The women will break into groups and act out the whole book of Ruth. There is much laughter and over-acting opportunities to have a really fun evening. The evening ends with a personal testimony.

Saturday: There is material for two workshops in the morning. This retreat has 4-5 hours of free time during the day (optional).

Saturday Night: The evening teaching focuses on dissecting the Book of Ruth. At the end of the evening, the women have an opportunity to write down and share their own negative label on a large piece of paper. Then they have an opportunity to write down and share the label that God gives them on the other side. This is a powerful time that will bring women joy to embrace their new label. There is also an opportunity to show these labels to the whole group.

Sunday: This is a time to worship, rejoice in the memories of the weekend, and give time to say goodbye.