Women's Retreat 2013

April 10th, 2013

Up Close and Personal: A Praying Life

The 2013 Coram Deo Retreat took place on Friday, April 5th and Saturday, April 6th at the Margate on Lake Winnipesaukee in Laconia, New Hampshire. Seventy women from Christ Redeemer Church gathered together for a weekend of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Diane Averill spoke on “Up Close and Personal: A Praying Life,” based on the book A Praying Life by Paul Miller. She reminded us that in a culture that subtracts with busyness and distractions, it is important to find spiritual rest in Christ. She explored how we can overcome cynicism in our prayer life, approaching the Father in prayer with a child-like attitude and trust. To conclude, Diane encouraged us to ask like a child in our prayers, and offered some practical ideas for prayer.

In addition to the teaching time, the women enjoyed late-night games & conversations, sleeping-in, prayer, talking, laughing & crying, the hot tub & pool, and afternoon outings to shop or to hike.

Here are a few comments from the women about what was most helpful to them during the retreat.

“I loved that not only did we talk about rest but the schedule encouraged it. The teaching and discussion material was exactly what my heart needed to hear.”

“I really appreciated Diane’s presentations, her honesty and her willingness to share. The discussion group was really good as we started to discuss the questions and people opened up.”

“It helped me to face the reality that prayer should be underlying everything I do and how much it is not! I need to become much more aware of my need for God and less self-sufficient.”

“Diane’s talks were so helpful, practical and real!”

“Being new to CRC, I appreciated getting to know some of the women at CRC.”

“The book was very good. It was helpful to have it to read before coming for the weekend. It was also nice to have Diane guide the discovery again.”

“The discussion groups were wonderful because I got to meet many funny, awesome people! We fleshed out the talks, shared about our lives, and laughed so much. It’s a blast and really encouraging to meet sisters from church in an intimate and fun setting.”

“I enjoyed the space to relax and choose various options to participate in. I had so much fun in connecting with old friends and having space to meet God.”