To be honest, I don’t really know where to begin with this post. There’s just too much goodness…
In the weeks leading up to the Return to Rest retreat, I was excited about it, but wasn’t completely sure why. I knew it was going to be a relaxing getaway from the every day, and I was (almost selfishly) very excited to meet and connect with some wedding industry friends. But I also knew God had a bigger reason than that, I just wasn’t sure what!
Fast forward to the first night at the retreat. 11 Christian women, cozied up in the little cabin on Lake Merrymeeting. Hot cocoa in one hand, Bibles in the other. Strangers, about to become friends. What I didn’t know before the retreat, I was going to find out now.
The two main themes of the weekend were resting in God’s word and our identity. Both things I struggle with. When you own your own business, you tend to put everything you’ve got into that business. It’s an extension of you. And especially in the wedding industry, when everything is so fast paced and let’s be honest, pretty high pressure, sometimes you get lost in your business. When your whole heart is in it, it can be hard to find that line between your business life and your regular, old, normal life. And that is exhausting!
We work so hard to define our businesses, our brand, and our “place” in an industry that is always changing. But if there is one thing that God really showed me at this retreat it’s this:
“Jesus, You tell me that I am good enough exactly how I am, because You love me. Unconditionally, You love me. And that is enough. I WANT that to be enough.”
That’s a little something I wrote in my journal on the very first night of the retreat. And the whole time, that’s what God was teaching me. There is always room to climb the ladder higher, to add to our resume, to “do better” for the sake of being recognized. And the whole “always doing something” idea? That’s me. I never take the time to REALLY rest. Especially in the fact that God has already DONE the work for me, through Jesus. That’s probably the biggest lesson I learned this weekend.
On top of all the things that were going on in my heart, I am so thankful that the 11 gals who attended were THESE 11 gals. It amazes me how God knows the people you need in your life before you even do. I am not one to open up very quickly, yet from the first moments of the first night, I was crying. We all were. So many amazing life stories and testimonies. I could have listened to all their stories for another 3 days, for realz.
Oh, and this: God is bigger than other people’s opinion of me. Ugh. So important to remember. And BELIEVE.
There are, of course, a million more reminders and thoughts and Bible verses from this weekend, practically a whole journal full. But I can’t really put it into words. Not exactly a word-smith 🙂 Anyways, THANK YOU! to all my new friends, I am so lucky to know you all. Even though we only spend 4 days together, I feel like we’ve all been friends since 8th grade. 🙂 And Ruthie, thank you for trusting the Lord with your vision, and for reaching out and inviting me!
If you have some time this morning, I HIGHLY recommend you take a look at the amazingness of all of my new friends!
Ruth Eileen Photography
Tiffany Medrano Photography
Kristen of Reverie Events
Jessica of Ever & Anon Photography
Erin McClean Events
Kelly of Winifred Paper
Amanda Marie Portraits
LisaAnne Photography
Stephanie at Style Me Pretty
Kristen at Triad Magazine
~Stephanie
[…] I attended the inaugural Return to Rest Retreat in February and had a bunch of much-needed revelations from God. I also met a bunch of oh-so-sweet new friends who I miss so much! – I was a […]