Before I share the exciting news about "While We're Waiting", I wanted to let you know that I'm guest-posting today on Trevin Wax's blog, Kingdom People. My post is about how we, as the body of Christ, can reach out to the bereaved parents in our churches. We bereaved parents can be a little bit scary, and well-meaning people often don't know what to "do" with us. Hopefully, my post will shed a little light on this dilemma. You can link to it by clicking here.
Now, back to "While We're Waiting". For those who may be new to this blog, WWW is a ministry to bereaved parents that my husband and I co-founded with Larry and Janice Brown. This ministry seeks to bring hope and healing to bereaved, but believing, parents by bringing them together for weekend retreats. We host twice-yearly weekend-long retreats for couples/singles who have lost children, twice-yearly weekend-long retreats just for grieving dads, and quarterly one-day mini-retreats for bereaved moms. As bereaved parents ourselves, we've found that there is a great deal of healing to be found when we spend focused, quality time with other moms and dads who can truly understand our experiences. And because we share a common faith, our time together is filled with hope and anticipation of the day we will be reunited with our children and our Savior. We understand that while God's plan for our child was fulfilled when he or she went to Heaven, His purpose for us is not yet complete, and He is not finished with us here on earth. Therefore, one of our major topics of discussion at these retreats is how we can live well while we're waiting for that great reunion some day. You can link to our While We're Waiting website by clicking here. You can also click on the tabs along the top of this blog for additional information about each of these retreats. You can even find us on Facebook by searching for "While We're Waiting -- Support for Bereaved Parents."
So, what am I so excited about? I'm excited because this weekend, for the first time, we're taking While We're Waiting on the road! Janice and I will be hosting a mini-retreat for moms in a location other than Hot Springs. We'll be spending the day Saturday with five precious moms in Wynne, up in northeast Arkansas. A sweet friend is hosting us in her home, and she has planned everything for the day around Psalm 56:8 ... "You have kept count of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" She will be decorating her home with a variety of brightly-colored bottles to fit the theme, and we will enjoy breakfast, lunch, and a gourmet dinner together. I am so looking forward to this time of fellowship with other bereaved, but believing, moms. What a blessing it will be for all who come ... including the hostesses!
We have another While We're Waiting Moms' Mini-Retreat scheduled for September 15th, in Hot Springs, but it's already filled up! Our next Moms' Mini-Retreat in Hot Springs will be January 19, 2013. Our next Parents' Retreat (for singles or couples) is scheduled for November 2-4, 2012 at Family Farm in Glen Rose, Arkansas, and our next Dads' Weekend is scheduled for October 12-14, 2012 at the Sullivan Farm in Briggsville, Arkansas. We have a busy fall ahead, but we wouldn't want it any other way! We would also be happy to take WWW on the road to your area, if there is a group of parents near you who would be interested in an event like this!
If you would, please be in prayer along with us for our event this Saturday ... that the moms who come would be refreshed and encouraged, and that our God would be glorified in the process. Thank you so much ... your prayers are greatly appreciated!
This is awesome. Will say a prayer!
ReplyDelete