Don’t Overbook Your Guest Speaker

It is understandable that those planning the retreat would want fill the schedule with teaching sessions, to insure that we are “filling the cup” of all of our women.  However, you do not want to “overbook” your guest speaker.  Plan your schedule so that your guest speaker has down time between sessions to regroup, review her notes, pray and ready herself for the next session. Do not expect your speaker to participate in other retreat events; if they choose to participate, it is a blessing.  However, make sure your guest speaker knows that she has the option to stay with the group and fellowship or retreat to her room.

Our retreats go from Friday night to Sunday noon, and we normally schedule the guest speaker three or four times.  In addition to the main sessions, we sometimes ask the guest speaker to share informally on Friday night (the first evening of the retreat).  If she is willing, we ask her to share her testimony, so that the ladies can get to know her.  Women respond to a speaker that has been open and shared glimpses of her life and background.