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Biblical Families Summer Retreat 2014
- Thread starter Doc
- Start date
A BIG thank you to all the people who helped make this retreat happen. Thank you to all the adults who stepped in every time something needed to be done in the hall, with the children or in the kitchen. Thank you to all the wonderful teens and tweens who watched kids, helped in the kitchen, carried tons of stuff in and out of vehicles and helped clean up the grounds. Thank you to all the hard working ladies who helped with food set up and take down. Thank you to all the men who helped with trash pickup and disposal, in various ways. 
This retreat would not have happened without all of you!
I especially want to thank a few specific people who helped me this retreat. Thank you to the Platt girls for helping me with SO many things. You girls are awesome! Thank you to Christie, Monica and Eternitee for doing lunch. Thank you to Troy and Annette for cooking an awesome dinner for us. Thank you to Brian for loading and unloading his van for me several times so that I could have all the supplies I needed for this retreat. Thank you to Ginny and Ali for making tons of coffee, and to Jennifer for making tons of tea and lemonade. Thank you to all the families who brought cookies and cakes. Thank you to Eric and Holly for sharing their amazing cheese and yogurt. Thank you to the Bastardo Family, Lizzie and Sabrina for helping me put up the gumbo and rice. You saved me that night! And thank you to Nita who remembers all the things I forget and is willing to work with me day in and day out. I love you.
I have always desired to be one of the first to post after a retreat but usually I am too exhausted to do much of anything for days after retreat. It is really a miracle that we have just had the largest retreat ever and I only feel tired not exhausted…and that I am posting. Thank you to my husband who “demanded” that I get more help and actually use them. I have joked about being “fired” from cooking for future large retreats but I am really looking forward to fellowshipping more with those who come in the future.
After all the retreats I have been to, I am still amazed at how God works to make us family, almost instantaneously, for me it is a bit of His Glory being shown here on Earth. Thank you to all the families who took time and money to come and be a part of it.
This retreat would not have happened without all of you!I especially want to thank a few specific people who helped me this retreat. Thank you to the Platt girls for helping me with SO many things. You girls are awesome! Thank you to Christie, Monica and Eternitee for doing lunch. Thank you to Troy and Annette for cooking an awesome dinner for us. Thank you to Brian for loading and unloading his van for me several times so that I could have all the supplies I needed for this retreat. Thank you to Ginny and Ali for making tons of coffee, and to Jennifer for making tons of tea and lemonade. Thank you to all the families who brought cookies and cakes. Thank you to Eric and Holly for sharing their amazing cheese and yogurt. Thank you to the Bastardo Family, Lizzie and Sabrina for helping me put up the gumbo and rice. You saved me that night! And thank you to Nita who remembers all the things I forget and is willing to work with me day in and day out. I love you.
I have always desired to be one of the first to post after a retreat but usually I am too exhausted to do much of anything for days after retreat. It is really a miracle that we have just had the largest retreat ever and I only feel tired not exhausted…and that I am posting. Thank you to my husband who “demanded” that I get more help and actually use them.
I have joked about being “fired” from cooking for future large retreats but I am really looking forward to fellowshipping more with those who come in the future. After all the retreats I have been to, I am still amazed at how God works to make us family, almost instantaneously, for me it is a bit of His Glory being shown here on Earth. Thank you to all the families who took time and money to come and be a part of it.
My/our first BF retreat experience happened in January of this year. With cautious hearts, we went to Dallas and were blown away by the overwhelming love and acceptance we felt from those who attended. It literally changed our lives. After a long journey through a wilderness created to test us in every way, we found an oasis with the people of Biblical Families.
With January fresh in our hearts and minds, we went to Tennessee with high expectations and prepared to give our all in leading worship and in any ministry/prayer needs - without caution or reservation of any kind. As before, we were blown away by the fellowship, love, teaching, fun (and great food!) we experienced. In many ways and for many reasons, I felt like we were home.
Thank you to all who worked to make this event happen. It is certainly a labor of love. I am honored to be a part of Biblical Families - honored to worship with you, dance with you, laugh with you, pray with you, and talk with you. As our numbers increase, I'm honored to work alongside you to shine God's light in a dark, dark world. You have filled my heart with a new song and hope for our future. I'm forever grateful...
With January fresh in our hearts and minds, we went to Tennessee with high expectations and prepared to give our all in leading worship and in any ministry/prayer needs - without caution or reservation of any kind. As before, we were blown away by the fellowship, love, teaching, fun (and great food!) we experienced. In many ways and for many reasons, I felt like we were home.
Thank you to all who worked to make this event happen. It is certainly a labor of love. I am honored to be a part of Biblical Families - honored to worship with you, dance with you, laugh with you, pray with you, and talk with you. As our numbers increase, I'm honored to work alongside you to shine God's light in a dark, dark world. You have filled my heart with a new song and hope for our future. I'm forever grateful...
For someone who has been MIA from Biblical Families for a while, it was so nice to be able to return. It felt like coming to a family reunion and seeing people who love me and look out for me. A big thank you to everyone who was there and who helped make the transition back into this amazing community easy and worth it. It wouldn't have been the same if even one of you were missing! I don't know what I would do without the love and support shown to me by so many, especially after "all of the everything" that we went through together!
A huge shout out to the amazing people who made live worship music a possibility; I am so grateful! It was something we've been missing for a long time I think, and I'm so glad to have you as part of the "family."
Looking forward to the next time we can all fellowship and worship together!
The Carolina Butterfly
A huge shout out to the amazing people who made live worship music a possibility; I am so grateful! It was something we've been missing for a long time I think, and I'm so glad to have you as part of the "family."
Looking forward to the next time we can all fellowship and worship together!
The Carolina Butterfly
I had attended the Ladies retreat in 2012 and so blessed that I knew this would be a blessing! This one blew those expectation out of the water! It was fabulous, food, fellowship, worship, accommodations, weather all spectacular! Thank you all who participated in putting this together or presenting, helping with food, kitchen child care. Very well done retreat.
Blessings,
Kathleen
Blessings,
Kathleen
A wonderful family time. Great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. The worship was the icing on the cake. So many discussions with my brothers and sisters in Christ, from serious to ridiculous! Fervent prayer, worship that had me dancing to the Lord, valuable teaching, direct influence of the Holy Spirit evident in the same points being brought independently by multiple speakers (and not even about polygyny)...
Biblical Families retreats are the closest I ever see to the full Body of Christ joining together in unity and love. We have people from many different backgrounds and theological views, brought together not by ignoring our differences and talking shallowly about the things we agree on, but the complete opposite. We know we can discuss absolutely anything in great depth, while valuing the different perspectives each gives and accepting that everyone believes what they do because they truly believe that is the best way of understanding the Bible, knowing that each of us has something to learn from each other. As one example, where else would you have about a dozen men of various denominations laying hands on a brother and praying for healing while he is being anointed with oil by a Messianic Rabbi? This is the Body of Christ (well, one small part of it!).
Thankyou to everyone who attended. And thankyou even more to the people who made it happen, most importantly the Bender family. I have no idea how you do it, this was a massively complicated event, but it all came together into the most incredible Christian gathering I have ever attended.
Cannot wait to see you all again. I have to work out a way to bring the family next time.
Biblical Families retreats are the closest I ever see to the full Body of Christ joining together in unity and love. We have people from many different backgrounds and theological views, brought together not by ignoring our differences and talking shallowly about the things we agree on, but the complete opposite. We know we can discuss absolutely anything in great depth, while valuing the different perspectives each gives and accepting that everyone believes what they do because they truly believe that is the best way of understanding the Bible, knowing that each of us has something to learn from each other. As one example, where else would you have about a dozen men of various denominations laying hands on a brother and praying for healing while he is being anointed with oil by a Messianic Rabbi? This is the Body of Christ (well, one small part of it!).
Thankyou to everyone who attended. And thankyou even more to the people who made it happen, most importantly the Bender family. I have no idea how you do it, this was a massively complicated event, but it all came together into the most incredible Christian gathering I have ever attended.
Cannot wait to see you all again. I have to work out a way to bring the family next time.
Everything is awesome!
Everything is cool when you're part of a team!
Everything is awesome!
When you're living for the King!
Okay, that's not how the song was originally written, but really, what part of the retreat was not AWESOME? Teaching, food, fellowship, food, recreational activities, food, new friends, food, old friends, food, informal socializing, prayer ministry and spiritual warfare, and did I mention the food?
And a lot of people have said some very nice things about the praise and worship, but I have to say this: It doesn't matter much how good your fire starting skills are when all your wood is soaking wet (see Mt 13:58), and as hard as we work musically and spiritually to glorify God in song, that's a waste of effort when the congregation is spiritually lethargic. This group came with open hearts and minds and an earnest desire to share their lives with God and with each other—it was a joy and a privilege to lead worship for this body of believers.
Ditto what Samuel said about the incredible cross-cultural, cross-theological unity of this group. If that's not a foretaste of heaven I don't know what is.
May God continue to bless and increase the BF Tribe!
Everything is cool when you're part of a team!
Everything is awesome!
When you're living for the King!
Okay, that's not how the song was originally written, but really, what part of the retreat was not AWESOME? Teaching, food, fellowship, food, recreational activities, food, new friends, food, old friends, food, informal socializing, prayer ministry and spiritual warfare, and did I mention the food?
And a lot of people have said some very nice things about the praise and worship, but I have to say this: It doesn't matter much how good your fire starting skills are when all your wood is soaking wet (see Mt 13:58), and as hard as we work musically and spiritually to glorify God in song, that's a waste of effort when the congregation is spiritually lethargic. This group came with open hearts and minds and an earnest desire to share their lives with God and with each other—it was a joy and a privilege to lead worship for this body of believers.
Ditto what Samuel said about the incredible cross-cultural, cross-theological unity of this group. If that's not a foretaste of heaven I don't know what is.
May God continue to bless and increase the BF Tribe!
Awesome all around. One suggestion forthe future. Actually 2!
-During prayer time there should be no moving around and side chatting, as this is serious petition time. Chatters should be asked to go outside.
-After a worship set, the overseer should ask any of the brethren if they have a word of prophecy or exhortation as they are being prompted of the Spirit. This would require a short time of waiting in His presence, once live worship was concluded; again with no talking or chatter around. Thank you for all this ministry means to the restoration of all things.
-During prayer time there should be no moving around and side chatting, as this is serious petition time. Chatters should be asked to go outside.
-After a worship set, the overseer should ask any of the brethren if they have a word of prophecy or exhortation as they are being prompted of the Spirit. This would require a short time of waiting in His presence, once live worship was concluded; again with no talking or chatter around. Thank you for all this ministry means to the restoration of all things.
Man alive, where do I start?
My SW does a great take off of the Tin Woodman from the Wizard of Oz who is rusty and frozen in place, unable to move. He manages to say squeakily through locked jaws, "Oil can." Dorothy finally gets what he is saying, gives him a few squirts, and before you know it, he's skipping down the yellow brick road with the rest of the motley crew that is in search of more than they are, either singularly or together.
That's how this retreat was. It has been many years since I have had the opportunity to move this freely in God, and at times it was even painful to get "unstuck," but who is complaining?
People went through complete craziness to get there, and to a man, I believe they believe it was worth pushing through every blockade from Beelzebub to be present and accounted for. The Benders as always manifested some of the most powerful gifts of hospitality I have ever seen, and I could not improve on Andrew's" fawning" (in a good way) over the food, fellowship, prayer, preaching, and all that made this the best retreat EVER!! Those who taught, thank you. Those who helped in the kitchen, thank you. Those who helped with kids, thank you.
My deepest thanks to the Amelang Amalgamation for their hard work, musically and spiritually. Truly you laid your lives down for the brethren, and my desire is that Father's blessing would be unmanageable for your tribe as well as anyone who had a hand in helping with anything.
I feel kind of lost without everyone close at hand, and it all just makes me hungry for the next retreat and spending forever with my BF family.
My SW does a great take off of the Tin Woodman from the Wizard of Oz who is rusty and frozen in place, unable to move. He manages to say squeakily through locked jaws, "Oil can." Dorothy finally gets what he is saying, gives him a few squirts, and before you know it, he's skipping down the yellow brick road with the rest of the motley crew that is in search of more than they are, either singularly or together.
That's how this retreat was. It has been many years since I have had the opportunity to move this freely in God, and at times it was even painful to get "unstuck," but who is complaining?
People went through complete craziness to get there, and to a man, I believe they believe it was worth pushing through every blockade from Beelzebub to be present and accounted for. The Benders as always manifested some of the most powerful gifts of hospitality I have ever seen, and I could not improve on Andrew's" fawning" (in a good way) over the food, fellowship, prayer, preaching, and all that made this the best retreat EVER!! Those who taught, thank you. Those who helped in the kitchen, thank you. Those who helped with kids, thank you.
My deepest thanks to the Amelang Amalgamation for their hard work, musically and spiritually. Truly you laid your lives down for the brethren, and my desire is that Father's blessing would be unmanageable for your tribe as well as anyone who had a hand in helping with anything.
I feel kind of lost without everyone close at hand, and it all just makes me hungry for the next retreat and spending forever with my BF family.
A few resources if anyone was wanting a copy:
Diagram used in the elective session talk on homosexual marriage, why now, Satan's long undermining of our understanding of God through removing patriarchy from marriage:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqoy1vhxv080q ... rriage.png
Notes from Friday night's sermon on Adam, Eve, the Fall, Satan, Salvation, and how patriarchal marriage ties it together:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ommtawom6neog ... all_BF.txt
A printable version of my marriage booklet that was on the book table:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/10ukhrys0gxu9 ... s_ed1a.pdf
Hope one of those is useful to someone. The links probably won't work for ever, send me a private message if you try one and it doesn't work.
Diagram used in the elective session talk on homosexual marriage, why now, Satan's long undermining of our understanding of God through removing patriarchy from marriage:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqoy1vhxv080q ... rriage.png
Notes from Friday night's sermon on Adam, Eve, the Fall, Satan, Salvation, and how patriarchal marriage ties it together:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ommtawom6neog ... all_BF.txt
A printable version of my marriage booklet that was on the book table:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/10ukhrys0gxu9 ... s_ed1a.pdf
Hope one of those is useful to someone. The links probably won't work for ever, send me a private message if you try one and it doesn't work.
I do find it funny whenever a polygamist talks about his 'better halves'. Monogamy is so ingrained in our terminology! :lol: