Oh friends I am so excited to share this with you!
This past weekend my team & team Redeemed got to host a Beauty for Ashes retreat with the church we’ve been working with here in North Africa.
What is Beauty for Ashes you say? Beauty for Ashes is Adventures in Missions women’s ministry. Based off of Isaiah 61:3 “The Lord will crown them with beauty instead of ashes,” Beauty for Ashes aims to bring God’s restoration, hope, & healing to suffering & victimized women through ministry. They seek to see restored women of all nations serving as Christ’s ambassadors for change, healing, & freedom within their own communities.
So what do the retreats look like? In order to accomplish the goals above Beauty for Ashes focuses on the stories of these beautiful women. We believe that bringing struggles, pain, & brokenness to light can free us of the power they may have over us. The retreats are stocked full of activities that allow the women to process & share what God is doing in their lives & any areas they might be hurting in. North Africa is very much a man’s world & women don’t always have the space or freedom to live in safe fellowship with each other. So, we sought to create a safe place for these ladies to share & we strived to make them feel as seen & loved as possible & God did radical things.
During the retreat
I saw women lay their burdens down at the feet of Jesus.
I saw women breaking free of the lies that have been spoken over them for years.
I saw women weep over heartbreak together.
I saw women rejoice as they heard God’s voice for the first time in a long time.
I saw women lay hands on one another as bold prayers were spoken.
I saw women laugh with joy as they confidently declared how perfect God made them.
It was an absolute honor getting to spend time in fellowship with these women & watch as they stepped into the beautiful freedom God calls us to. But, not only did He radically move in their hearts He also moved in mine as well! Sweet Niki, our squad’s Beauty for Ashes coordinator, encouraged me to lead several of the activities throughout the retreat. I’ve been called into leadership positions before, whether it be within church or campus ministries, but mentally I’ve always struggled immensely with it. I would listen to lies & my own insecurities telling me that I don’t belong in this role, that I’m too awkward, that my speech isn’t eloquent enough, & that I have nothing to give people. But this past weekend I experienced a confidence I have never known. For the first time I was able to surrender the desire to speak out of my own strength & gave it all to the Lord. He took away all of my fears & insecurities & allowed me to boldly speak truth & love over these women. He gave me words on a moments notice &, confidently speaking them, I got to experience the joy & freedom of leading under Him. Getting to witness His mighty power in this way was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Throughout the whole retreat I felt Him whispering, “This is why you’re here. This is what I’ve created you for. To love women like I love them, to see them like I see them, & to declare my truth over their lives with compassion.” It was so sweet that while I was encouraging the women to walk in the freedom God has given them, the Lord was also allowing me to walk in freedom in serving Him.
I love these women & getting to serve them in this way was one of my greatest joys of the Race so far. We ate together, cried together, worshipped together, & laughed together & it didn’t stop there! Several ladies from the church who attended the retreat have expressed a desire to continue it. They want to see a continual growth in fellowship and communion with each other. How amazing is that?! I am so excited to see what the Lord does with these seeds, I am so excited to see what He does in future Beauty for Ashes retreats in the upcoming countries, & I cannot wait to see how He further calls me into this role of stewarding women.
Below is an incredible video my squad leader, Alysa, created. She’s so talented & managed to beautifully capture the joy, hope, & freedom of the retreat. I hope this allows you to see a glimpse into the wonderful things God did this weekend!
