Beauty For Ashes

After the forgiveness teaching we saw so many women confessing to one another the forgiveness they have needed to release to loved ones for so long. There were many tears shed, prayers of healing prayed over one another and stories shared of hope.

One lady messaged me the night before the retreat and said she had read the info about Beauty for Ashes on the website. She said she wasn't quite sure this retreat was for her because she wasn't in a place where she felt comfortable 'digging up the past'. She did come and at the end of the day, she said she was glad she had come. She said God had worked in her heart to give her freedom over some areas of her life.

Silence was broken in two women sharing stories they hadn’t before. New identities in Christ were sealed, worth was experienced, community bonds were created, declarations were yelled, and the weekend was sealed with communion.

[One woman] was in a season of feeling a lack of God’s presence— when she would pray to God, she felt like He didn’t hear her. But today, she heard His voice and felt fully embraced by His love.

Jesus help take down walls around my heart. I can love my family and children even more because of how much he loves me.

One of the women broke down crying telling us about God's faithfulness throughout her life. On our last full day there she approached me and a squadmate with a translator. She said, ‘You gave me a real picture of love. I can now forgive, not because the person deserves it, but because God asks that of me.’

Then several of the women in my group knelt before me, took the bowl, pitcher, and towel and washed my feet. I’m still not sure why but something in me broke open. I started crying uncontrollably. I still don’t know what exactly happened. All I know is that God used me to bring healing to those women and in turn He used those women to bring healing to me.

I don’t feel shame anymore. I am strong, and I am free.

My mind has started to change. I believe that I really am a princess. Never before have I felt so valuable. Never before have I seen how much God loves me and what my significance is in Him.

It is in the moments that the enemy is speaking lies to us that we should turn to God and ask Him, \"What’s my worth?\" God will tell us great and strong truths that will silence the lies of the enemy.

[I] was brought to tears as I saw the women share. It has been a dream of mine to have women from different churches coming together.

We had bought beautiful head bands for the women and when they broke into their groups for the session on worth, the leaders crowned them with a crown of beauty and spoke over them words of honor. When they came back to the big group you could see them holding their heads a little higher and was so proud of their gift.

When serving internationally, I think a good test of success is whether or not your local partners think your ministry is impactful and for this retreat, that was certainly the case. We had a few girls/women from the ministry helping us translate to the girls at the youth center when needed as they also participated themselves. The feedback from them was overwhelmingly positive. They specifically said that when one of our girls shared part of her story so vulnerably and transparently, it was as though it opened up the flood gates for all of the participants. Suddenly these girls/women were given a platform to share stories that they hadn't told anyone before. It was a sacred time of sharing, healing and praying.

We shared with each other what God had told each of us regarding our worth during our main activity. We sang worship songs and experienced one of the rawest and most powerful worship sessions with these sisters in Christ. The joy of the Lord was so tangible in the atmosphere, it was simply beautiful.

As we shared our testimonies, some wept at the goodness of God made known in our lives and stories. One woman said it was comforting to know that she wasn't alone, and that her mindset that bad things only happen to her and people in Romania shifted.

The night was a hit with the intimate group we had and we made the best with what we were provided. I was filled up afterwards and the glow from the joy these women experienced was evident with our unplanned dance party afterwards.

I got a better understanding of how uniquely and fearfully made we are, every single one of us. How relational we can be in asking for the love of our God.

There is so much joy. I gave up my hurt. I want to help others to be free.

Probably one of the most rewarding things I heard after the retreat was when one young woman reached out to one of our facilitators and asked her to coffee. There, she shared that she suffered a similar traumatic experience in her life as our leader, but she never told anyone about it until the retreat. For the first time, she was seeking advice and counsel because she was ready for healing.

Now I know when I go through hard times, I am not alone. I now know that together we can defeat more evil.

One of the women ended up breaking down about a memory that the Lord brought to her attention about someone she had to forgive. It was very cool to see how the Lord was able to bring about that much needed spiritual intervention to a woman who was not aware.

I declare freedom from the bondage of control and I give it to the Lord. For I know His plans for me are far greater than what I could ever make up in my mind.

The women were able to share their stories and what the Lord spoke to them was bold and beautiful.

One moment in particular stands out where we got done with an activity and asked if anyone felt led to share. I wasn’t even done asking and a woman says, “I have to get this out!” Going into these events I always pray before for the women to feel loved and encouraged to share. But also if no one shares that’s okay. It never fails that the women open up. It is as if they are just waiting for someone to ask for these stories that are fighting to get out.

I thought I was the only one with a lot of needs and passing through a lot of problems, but I have come to realize that everyone has problems, so I am not alone. My heart was finally released from all the baggage I was carrying. God has made me a new creature and I am not going back to Maai Maihu the same.

When I had the opportunity to share, I chose to be vulnerable. I shared everything. My faults, indiscretions, and personal struggles that became an integral part of my story. We found common ground in our experiences because while the details were different, our stories were the same. I went with a simple desire - for God to help me understand the people I would speak to. I had no idea that in doing so, God would not only use me in changing their lives, but God would also use them to change mine.

I've struggled with depression for so many years now, and through it all, through my darkest times, the Lord has always been with me. He kept reminding me that He would never let me go, that His promises were true and are still true today. He is with me, I shall not wander.

One girl shared a lie [the enemy had spoken over her], that she felt like she was nothing. She was abused and thought she was here on accident. But when she found Jesus, she found purpose. Her truth from God she decided to declare was that she is important and loved.

Even though it sounds generic, by opening up and sharing a few of our stories it created a space for our new friends to just open up and be real because they knew we cared for them and their stories and were ready to listen.

Our ministry partner was initially hesitant to share but, \"was able to open up about a struggle she was having with her family. She’s been praying for her brother to know Christ for 20 years...we saw breakthrough through her sharing.

At a girl's juvenile detention center in San Salvador, \"we didn't plan to ask the girls to share anything, thinking they wouldn't be comfortable with men present. But of course this was the Lord working in our event, not us! My teammates' stories touched two of the girls deeply and they ended up sharing with us what they are currently struggling with completely unprompted, and we were able to pray over, hug, and encourage them.

Beauty for Ashes has had a deep impact in this community. I have seen lasting change.

It was such a blessing and honor to pray with this amazing sister to be welcomed into the Kingdom. I was not planning to do ‘ministry’ that day, but ministry happens when you say ‘Yes’ to the Lord. I am thankful for little moments like these, it’s a beautiful picture of the Lord’s heart for His daughters!

I thought I could no longer be beautiful, but God showed me I always will be.

I saw a lot of seeds planted in the hearts of the women. I saw the Lord moving in ways I’ve never seen him move before. I felt the Lord moving me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’ll never forget these people. These faces. These hearts. The Lord has forever marked them in my soul.

The Lord refreshed us through the sweet, rich community we shared with each other. He brought me closer to Him through the meaningful conversations I shared with my friends.

We prepared diamonds (cut out from paper and colored) to give to each woman at the end of the event as a reminder that the Lord is the One who determines their value and worth...Each of the women went around sharing the pictures the Lord gave them to draw, and the last woman had drawn a diamond, without even knowing that we were going to hand them out to the women. It was such a beautiful confirmation to her from the Lord of her value in Him.

The beauty was that the culmination of stories echoed the redemptive and restorative work of the Gospel; there’s so much power in sharing your story. I am still in awe of the great work the Lord started in the lives of these women.