Women's Retreat Hot Topics Needed!!

Hello ladies [and all thoughtful men-folk],

I would love to get your input on topics you would like to hear about at this year's Women's Retreat [Breakout session format].
Thanks for posting your thoughts.


Pamgela

A Message from our Friend Barrett

Here's a little message from someone who was and still is a big part of our community--Barrett Parkman. He's living in Beijing, China studying to get an MBA at Tsingua University. When Ben Howell and I visited him last month in LA (he was stateside for his sister's wedding), I thought it'd be a good idea to take a little footage of him saying whatup to all his Perimeter homies. Enjoy!

abandoned heart

I didn't get to go to Texas this year for Thanksgiving, but did get to hang out with a great family about an hour and half north of Atlanta. Despite some traffic I had a great drive there, through some uncharted territory for me - which is always fun. I am very blessed to have a navigation system that allows me to just drive, not really care where I am going or how I am getting from A to B - but I can drive and ponder and wonder.

On this particular drive I saw an unusual amount of abandoned homes - and it wasn't due to the latest housing market downturn, but rather these homes have not been lived in for years. The famous GA Kudzu plant growing all over many I couldn't help but wonder what happened? Was it a financial issue the family had? How could a house just go cold - no interaction - no upkeep - no Thanksgiving meals.....then all of a sudden it hit me - could this be the case with an individuals' heart? And louder it rang, my heart?

Could it be abandoned? Forgotten? Would I, the "land owner," recognize it's significance and let it go? In certain seasons I know this has been true, it's tiring to actually stay tuned to your heart. It takes quite, good conversations, listening, struggles, understanding who it is God says I am to actually have a barometer as to how your/my heart is doing.

I blame busyness, but it's no real alibi. It is an unknowing culprit sure, but the part of my heart that wants to be known, loved, not abandoned sometimes loses to the heart that wants nothing to do with warmth, or friendly faces - rather it wants dark, secrets, it's own "law"......

No real conclusion here except for the fact that we need be ware of our own heart's wanderings, to abandon your own heart is an option you have. It's one the old self desires stronger than anything, the old self is put to death by the new self that is Christ.

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" - Prov 4:23