"While We're Waiting Weekend" Wrap-Up

"Now to Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen."  Ephesians 3:20-21

I think I quoted that same Scripture after our last "While We're Waiting Weekend" for couples, but I just had to use it again.  Because once again, God did exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or imagine over the course of this past weekend.

You might recall from my post a couple of weeks ago that this weekend almost didn't happen.  We were this close (I'm holding my thumb and forefinger a couple of millimeters apart) to canceling this fall's retreat and just waiting until the spring.  We had a few couples registered, but things just didn't seem to be falling into place.  Several couples who wanted to come had other obligations and were unable to attend.  We host couples were all very busy with other things.  Maybe God was telling us that this just wasn't the right time...that we needed to just be patient and wait until the spring.  We were even bold enough to give God a time limit...if no one signed up in the next 24 hours....there would be no "While We're Waiting Weekend" this fall.

Well, I think God kind of chuckled at that, because within 24 hours, a sweet young widowed mom signed up, and then 24 hours later, He sent another couple.  Yes, we got the message loud and clear, and the weekend was on! 

And what a weekend it was!  

I can never adequately express everything that happened this weekend in words, so I'm going to attempt to illustrate some of it in pictures. 

First...Family Farm, our beautiful "home away from home" for the weekend...

Our hosts and hostesses...

Our kids' pictures...



Session time, both inside and outside...

Visiting the animals on the farm...

Going on a hay ride...

Trying out the land skis...Yes, the guys won this time!

Riding the two zip lines...one through the woods and one over the pond!

Taking a break and enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather...

And enjoying a gourmet dinner prepared by Chef Franklin.  Here he's making Bananas Foster for dessert....

But as great as all these activities were, they could not hold a candle to the highlight of the weekend.  Remember the young widowed mom I mentioned at the beginning of this post...the one who God used to make this whole weekend happen?

Over the course of the weekend, she realized that although she was a Christian, she had not been growing in her faith.  She had also never been baptized, and she expressed a desire to be baptized as a symbol of her new commitment to Christ....and she didn't want to wait.  Isn't God amazing?  So on Sunday morning, after a time of praise and worship, we all walked down to the pond, where Stan May and Brad baptized her in the chilly waters.  I share these pictures with her permission.

After the baptism, we had an impromptu surprise party for this sweet mom, whose birthday is coming up this week.  We were not only celebrating her birthday...we were celebrating her new commitment to her Lord!

One of our dads also rededicated his life to the Lord while we were there, and I believe every one who came left there with renewed hope for the future and a commitment to honor our children and our Lord by living well while we're waiting to be reunited with them.  Just take a look at these smiling faces!

Our next While We're Waiting Weekend for Bereaved Parents is scheduled for April 20-22, 2012  For more information or to register, just go to the While We're Waiting website.  Also, please help us spread the word if you know someone who might be interested in attending an event like this!