“Come just as you are to worship. Come just as you are before your God.”
As I sit and reflect on RAHAB’s Retreat last weekend, the words from this old worship song keep playing in my mind.
Last Friday we welcomed nearly 40 women to the camp at Beulah Beach, each one with her own story, her own journey, her own struggles and victories. The beauty of Retreat, just like the rest of RAHAB’s programs, is that each one of them is welcome, invited, and told to just come. Come, just as you are.
And so they came, at all stages of faith and healing. Some have been RAHAB clients for many years, and some only heard about RAHAB when they were invited to come to Retreat by a friend or a service provider.
They came and experienced a weekend of worship, teaching, safety, and care. There were deep, vulnerable conversations. And there was also a lot of joy. The taste of s’mores for the first time. The laughter (lots of laughter!) as women zip-lined across the lake. There was peace sitting on the porch watching the water lap onto the shore. There were welcome gifts and full meals and women who told us how nice it was to be able to sleep in a bed for a couple of nights.
Each one of the women who came is one of God’s daughters, created and loved by Him. Each one bears His image, and during Retreat we got to see His character reflected in them.
We saw His joy. I smile every time I think of a particular woman because she is so full of joy. Her face is, in fact, radiant. That probably wasn’t always the case. She has overcome a lot – addiction, homelessness, and much more – but she now lives in healing and freedom. She radiates joy. And she so freely shares it with the other women.
We saw His strength. I witnessed one woman exhibit both strength and vulnerability during meeting times. In one conversation, she was resolute in her conviction and dedication to Biblical truth. In another, she shed tears over deep wounds and trauma, both past and present. In both, she was honest, real, and raw. Even in her struggles, she carries a strength within her that is growing daily.
We saw His hope. There was a woman, new to faith, asking deep questions, wrestling with deep wounds, but giving witness to a growing faith inside of her, with so much hope for what’s ahead.
Joy, strength, and hope were shared among 8 women who came to the altar on Friday night, making faith decisions and receiving prayer and encouragement. Joy, strength, and hope were shared again on Sunday morning as 3 women were baptized in the lake. And I hope, that each and every one of the women in attendance took home a little more of His joy, strength, and hope.