Mom's Retreat at New Song --A Day of Renewal

Today marks a new beginning of ministry impact at New Song Mission as we partner with Family Hope to bring a day of rest and spiritual renewal for Moms. Many of these moms have already sent their kids to a week of Adventure Camp at New Song over the last few summers, and several of them have their kids on the wait list to live on campus and attend New Song Leadership Academy as soon as God brings us the right houseparents to complete our team here. (Please continue to pray for God to fill those two positions for us and to pray for the couples who are praying about the logistics of being able to answer that call to this unique ministry.)

We've had some sickness hit our small campus this week, but my amazing teammate (Julie) and I have worked together to set everything up, decorate, and prepare what we hope to be a restful day for the moms who are coming from over an hour away to be part of this retreat. Our agenda for the day includes a time of fellowship with hot chocolate and hot cider/wassail, a neat cooking demonstration using a crockpot that will be cooking during the day along with a few nutritional and budgeting tips, a devotional and a prayer walk for the ladies to have some sacred time with God while out on our beautiful campus (we're so thankful for the gorgeous weather today after starting the week with snow!), a quick craft time, some parenting tips and advice, and then dinner together as we partake of the soup that's been simmering in the crockpot during the day. Each mom will go home with some goodies to remind them often of our day together, including a new crockpot and a coloring devotional. We're so excited to offer this retreat and minister to these moms before many of their children come to live on campus and attend school with us. Julie and I love how we are getting a chance to minister to the whole family, not just the child. 

Here are a few pics to show what awaits these moms who will be leaving their homes in just a couple hours to head this way:

We actually made quite a few more changes and enhancements since we took those pictures, including Julie's amazing talent at setting up the hot chocolate/cider bar. (She grew up with four sisters, so she's had a lot of experience decorating for bridal showers, etc.). After not having students on campus the last nine weeks and still experiencing yet another delay, this retreat gave us a new motivation, and we're super excited about it. Please be in prayer for these moms to truly feel renewed spiritually, mentally, and even physically today (that is, until they realize how much walking they'll need to do for the prayer walk all over the campus!)

I truly can't think of a better place for a retreat than on our beautiful, peaceful campus, especially with all of the fall colors surrounding us right now. 

New obsession with Fall

I've always been a spring girl, waiting anxiously for the first blooms of the season.  I can't say I really know much about flowers, how to plant them, care for them, or even when to expect them to appear. Rather than a green thumb, I think I got a black thumb. I love looking at them, though, and will frequent any nearby nature trail to soak them in and appreciate them. 

I think my beloved spring may have some competition now that I live right on the border of Brown County, Indiana. After experiencing my first fall here over the last few weeks, I have a whole new appreciation for trees and their amazing variety of leaves and colors. Driving to and from work just fills me with awe of God's creativity. I find myself longing for them to stay as long as possible.

The colors are especially beautiful when you 

get a random, unexpected blanket of snow early one morning. 

Entering the New Song campus

My side yard

Pictures don't do this lookout area any good. 

I love this tree--JD. 

Juan said, "Hey, is that my tree?"

Just a nice afternoon walk after school one day on my road.

My latest craft. Have had these for years and never painted them. 

I finally felt inspired to paint them here now that I've experienced a true autumn.