Back in Georgia, during the first month of our race, we had a “gender week”. The guys went off and did a “man hike” (don’t ask because I don’t even know) and a camping trip, and all the girls went through a “Beauty for Ashes” retreat (don’t worry, we also got our fair share of a physical workout, but that’s not what this blog is about).
“Beauty for Ashes” is Adventures in Mission’s women’s ministry. We weren’t really sure what we were getting into when we started the retreat back in Georgia.
Don’t get me wrong, the retreat was really good. The point of the retreat was to give us all a safe and open environment to share our stories in order to bring healing and restoration. We did a lot of “listening prayer”, where we asked the Lord to bring up memories where we were hurt and started believing lies about ourselves. Then, we asked the Lord to speak the truth over those lies. As you might imagine, we all walked through some hard things that week. In World Race terms, the Lord “wrecked” us.
After we went through the retreat, we were trained on how to facilitate one of our own, and lead other women to share their stories in a safe and open place. Flash forward five months, and God presents us with the opportunity to do just that here in Costa Rica. I guess you could say that we weren’t totally excited about the opportunity when it was first presented to us because all we could think about was how hard that week back in Georgia was. But, it ended up being such an amazing experience.
I did a lot of behind-the-scenes work during the retreats instead of working directly with the women. I decided to interview a few of my squadmates who got to share their testimonies so you could see all the ways God moved, not only in the lives of the women we were serving but also in our own.
My questions are in bold, and their answers are following.
How did you first feel when you found out we would be leading a Beauty for Ashes retreat?
“When I first heard we were leading a beauty for ashes retreat, I was frustrated. looking back at our own beauty for ashes retreat, it was a long and exhausting week. But more than that, I experienced so much freedom and healing. The Lord did have to change my heart posture because if I had let the frustration continue, I wouldn’t be in a place to lead women through what the Lord had for them. He gave me compassion for the women and their stories, as well as an expectancy for Him to move, as I had seen him do so clearly in my own life.” – Jen
“Honestly, I was not excited. When I did beauty for ashes, it was really emotionally draining, and never in my life did I think I would be doing it again. So yeah, God definitely had to change my heart about it. He reminded me that even though it was hard, Beauty for Ashes brought me so much freedom from chains I was holding onto, and now I was being given the opportunity to share that freedom.” – Emma
Did God move in your own life during your beauty for ashes retreat?
“Absolutely! It gave me the space to verbally process what had been heavy on my heart for years. Trials that I normally wouldn’t talk about, but felt safe sharing in the group setting. The women listened, comforted, loved, and were there for me exactly how I needed them to be. Beauty for Ashes is a powerful, vulnerable, beautiful way for women to come together and overcome anything and everything.” – Jamie
“So much! The Lord revealed a lot of things about my family to me which led to a lot of healing and freedom within us (I was also able to share that at this retreat). Our own retreat also allowed me to really practice listening prayer which wasn’t really something I had ever done before. So being able to do that for the first time and hear Him speak to me and reveal so much was really special.” – Morgan
How did it feel to be able to facilitate this retreat for other women? Was it out of your comfort zone? In what ways did God push you?
“It felt really rewarding because the retreat did so much for me. It was so cool to be able to give that away to others. Usually, I would just sit back and let others take control, but I was able to actually run and plan the retreat alongside other people which isn’t something I would normally do. I was also able to teach and share my testimony, which I would never do before. And, being able to hear from the woman after I shared was just so rewarding.” – Morgan
“At first, it was a little overwhelming, because we didn’t know exactly what we were doing. But, it turned out really amazing! The only thing that might’ve been a little challenging for me was not taking on the women’s burdens. It’s really easy for me to get attached to people, and also feel their pain. But the Lord has shown me with our second retreat, that the women from the first one are already growing in so many ways and that I don’t have to take on their weight. Jesus is already moving and all I have to do is just sit back and watch!” – Jamie
Did God work in YOUR heart at all while you were LEADING the retreat? If so, in what ways?
“In leading, the Lord showed me the power of my own testimony. So many women go through so many of the same things, and all it takes is for one person to bring it to the light to create a safe space for others to share. He brought freedom to other women through me, and it was awesome being a vessel for that.” – Emma
“Yeah, he did for sure. he’s given me a story to tell and the authority to share it with others. Stepping into what He has for me with boldness has lead to so much freedom.” – Jen
“Yes! I spoke during both of the retreats we have had here in Costa. Each time I prepared the message, God reminded me of why I am here and of my capability and worth. Also, I always feel nauseous before I speak, but even in that, God rushed a wind through my whole body of healing and peace as I stood in front of the women. He’s shown me a lot and it makes me feel so seen and loved by Him.” – Jamie
Hopefully, it’s clear how much God was able to move through Beauty for Ashes, whether our own retreat back in Georgia or leading it for others here in Costa Rica. I’m so excited to see how God will continue to use this ministry to touch women’s lives!
Thanks for reading and following my journey!!
Love,
Kenzie
