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Author Archive

Re-Discovering “Broken Heart”

Posted by Debby on May 31, 2016

You never know what you might find as you go through old files! This week I did something I have been putting off for months–cleaned out my file cabinet. I hate to admit it, but I may be a paper hoarder!

I have a file drawer of skits–consisting mostly of those we have written over the years. But this week I ran into a script for a one-act play called “Broken Heart.” I first encountered this play in Bible School, over 30 years ago. I have to say that to this day it is one of the most powerful plays I have ever seen. I immediately asked for a copy of the script, which had the author’s name, but no contact or copyright information. Back in the early 90’s I searched for the author, but my only option was calling information and trying to find a phone number. But when I saw the script last week in my file, I thought about searching using Facebook, and voila! I sent out a couple inquiries to those with similar names, and within 24 hours I had found the author.

Because I assume that many of you, my regular readers, found this website looking for retreat skits, I wanted to make this resource known to you. “Broken Heart” is a serious drama, unlike most of the skits found on the www.retreatinabag website. I have excerpted from the author’s website the following summary:

Broken Heart is a story about a young girl (representing you and I) growing up with hurts by parents, friends, a boyfriend, and others that continue to tear away at her heart. The play makes extensive use of unique props to visually communicate our efforts to protect ourselves from the hurts of life in harmful ways such as through anger, bitterness, busyness, and more.

A Satan figure fiendishly supplies the young girl with “toys” to protect her heart. All the while, Jesus repeatedly approaches her with compassion, only to be rebuffed by the girl for most of the play. God brings healing to the girl’s heart in ways that often surprise viewers and brings tears in the end.

There is so much more to read regarding this play at her website: www.lindajmacdonald.com. She does have a download fee, but it is so worth it! That I remember it after all these years says something about it! If you are working with hurting teens or women, this play can have a healing impact on the viewers.

Posted in: News & Information, Resources, Skits

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A Speaker Speaks

Posted by Debby on May 16, 2016

I recently had an opportunity to sit down with a popular retreat speaker and ask her some frank questions. I believe her answers will help us serve our guest speakers. I am going to bullet point her comments below. Remember, I am speaking from a small church perspective!

Questions to ask prior to the event:
- What drink or snacks do you prefer?
- Do you have any allergies?
- What equipment do you need?
- Do you like to have breakfast served in your room so you can prepare for the day?
Assign someone to be the speaker’s helper–someone she can call upon for any problem or need. Give the speaker a number to text to get this person’s help.
Do a sound check with the speaker, as well as confirming that she knows how to use any other equipment she needs (for instance, if she is using a pointer or projecting slides). Microphones and other equipment differ from place to place.
We don’t do this, but apparently some churches will decorate the speaker’s room, even to the point of leaving her a cozy robe. But the question arises: Do they mean for me to take these things home? If you do decorate her room, be sure she knows what is hers to take.
Announcements directly after a speaker’s session can distract from what God is doing. Give God time to work. A time of reflection after a teaching session can be helpful.
Give the honorarium check discreetly, after the retreat, and enclose a specific thank-you written after the event. Giving your women an opportunity to contribute their comments and thank-yous to this is an added blessing.
If you leave a gift basket for your guest speaker in her room:
- Remember: if she is flying, a basket may be difficult to carry on an airplane.
- Hotel or camp water may not be to her liking; include bottled water if it is not provided.
- Eating prior to a session may be hard for her; include some snacks in her gift basket (healthy protein snacks, trail mix, bananas).
- Socks are nice.
It is nice to have a coffee pot (or tea, if preferred) in the speaker’s room.

Posted in: Lessons Learned, Little Things Make a Big Difference!, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Your Guest Speaker

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The Word of our Testimony

Posted by Debby on May 2, 2016

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”

I am a firm believer that one of the most powerful tools we have as believers is our personal testimony. We should all be prepared to share the story of how we met Jesus and the changes He has made in our lives–whenever and wherever God opens the door. Every testimony of a transformed life has an impact. Some have more a more dramatic, life-changed-in-an-instant testimony; others have the less dramatic, but still life-changing testimony.

I love the spontaneous sharing of testimonies that happens during times of fellowship or sharing one-on-one. But it has been on my heart to include more testimonies as part of our women’s events. Yes, we want to teach the Word at every event. But when I saw this graphic, it rang true with me. Often, just hearing someone else’s story of how Jesus changed their life is the “key that unlocks someone else’s prison.” And often, just in the sharing of “our story” we are strengthened as we remember the miracle that God did in our own life!

There is one caution as you consider having someone share their testimony from the pulpit in front of the group at your retreat or women’s event. The enemy attacks those who agree to share their testimony–you can count on it. As much as possible before asking someone to share in front of your group, make sure that their foundation is sure. Don’t call on someone new to the faith (or as I Timothy puts it “not a novice”). Make sure you have seen the solid foundation in their life (or as I Timothy phrases it “let these also be proved”).

Posted in: Lessons Learned, Ministry at the Retreat, News & Information

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Treasures in the Word

Posted by Debby on April 5, 2016

Today I am going to share with you a Bible reading activity that we have done now at two of our retreats that has elicited an amazing response from the women.

Let me begin by saying: It may be wrong to assume that your women know how to read their Bibles for meaning and personal application. Retreats bring out women who do not regularly attend women’s Bible studies. In addition, your retreat may include other churches and guests. The response we have received from the exercise I am going to share today highlights the fact that many women do not really know how to read the Bible for themselves.

In preparation, we choose about 25 different scripture passages (each a minimum of 10 verses to a chapter long) and pray that God will sovereignly determine which passage each woman will receive. These are distributed to the women (randomly) in various ways. This past year, the scriptures were given as a “message in a bottle.”

We did this activity with all the women together as a leader-led activity. After getting their scripture, we gave the women about 10 minutes to read (and re-read) their passage. Then the leader gave the following instructions, giving the women time to complete each task. Pages were given in their retreat booklets to record their answers.

Read your passage, and write down any insights you glean about God or Jesus (His character, His works).
Read the passage again, and write down any instructions or commands to obey.
Look again. Are there any warnings or wise advice to consider?
Read your passage again. Has God made any promises? Write them down.
Ask God what He is saying specifically to you through the passage and write it down.

To some of you reading this, this method of reading the Bible may be very familiar; however, to many women, this was revolutionary!

Our prayer is that this is something that they would take from the retreat and put into practice in their personal devotions.

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, Ministry at the Retreat, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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Multi-Purpose

Posted by Debby on March 8, 2016

Take a look at one of our table centerpieces from our last retreat. Our retreat theme “Deeper Still” used ocean decor. This could be used for any retreat theme where you are decorating with an ocean or beach theme.

You may have to look closely, but the plastic table cloth actually looked like water. Then small blue translucent trays were filled with
sand and shells and two corked bottles which contained more sand and tiny shells as well as a rolled up “message” — thus a “message in a bottle.”

There are several similar bottles that can be found on the internet, but we especially liked these because they came with sand, tiny shells, the message paper and cork, plus a way to pull the message from the bottle. With an assembly line, they were easy to assemble.

I loved these because we were able to use them for multiple purposes at our retreat. As seen above, they were a significant part of our decor. Later in the retreat, we had an activity (which I will share in the coming weeks) where each woman chose a bottle and checked out the “message” for her inside the bottle. Finally, the bottle then became our retreat remembrance – something each woman took home at the end of the retreat. Isn’t it great to find a multi-purpose item like this?

Posted in: Decorations, Money-Saving Tips, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Retreat Remembrances

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