Covenant Women's Retreat

I'm skipping a fun-filled weekend (for which I haven't yet all the photos) in order to post this past weekend's retreat! Our church paired with Living Hope OPC in Allentown for a Women's Retreat at the very lovely Camp Swatara, just about one hour from our home. We joined the Living Hope Women last year for a retreat and it worked out so well that we were blessed to co-retreat with them again.

The weather was spectacular for a weekend in the woods, which made the evening at the campfire and the Saturday afternoon hike so nice. Our speaker, Jayne Clark spoke on understanding what the Bible says about Eternity, and the implications for our lives now. If heaven is so utterly wonderful, how can my petty issues, or even my genuine problems, cast a shadow over me? This life is but a breath, eternity in Heaven will last into infinity, Christ has prepared a place for me there...

On the other hand, if Hell is real, how can I not share the Gospel with my unbelieving friends? What a blessing to know that it is not my eloquence that will save them, but the Holy Spirit. Yet how can I not long to share of the beauty of my Savior with those who are lost without Him?

On Saturday afternoon we had a craft, making beaded bookmarks, then various groups of us went on hikes on the trails in the woods. The Appalachian Trail was at the top of the ridge and connected to the camp by a number of trails. I joined Lisa and Debbie Sue from Covenant and Linda, Cindy and Joanne from Living Hope for a walk in the woods that turned into quite an adventure...

Enjoy the slideshow! I'm exhausted!

(to read the captions, just pass your mouse over the individual photos.)