Floodgates.visual.6.FA

Events
Events
Women’s
Encounter
Weekend
complied by Petulia Lun, PJN6
“Instead, it should be that of your inner self,
the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
1 Peter 3:4
Every year, in
November, Women
to Women (W2W)
has an Encounter
Weekend (EW)
getaway. It’s a time to
contemplate God and reflect
upon God’s goodness in our
lives. It is also an opportune
time to take stock of our lives
as well as to evaluate our
spiritual walk. In short, the
W2W EW is a spiritual retreat
for sisters in Christ.
Here are three testimonies
from three ladies who
attended the recent
November 2017 EW.
During the nature walk,
I didn’t expect an anxiety to
stir up within me. I thought
I was just there to spend
quality time with God, to hear
from God. But I got so angry
with God, so angry that He
had taken away my baby not
once, not twice but three times.
I was so angry with God and
was asking why God had not
been there to save my baby.
It was through the connect
group later that I learned
I needed to go through a
grieving period to acknowledge
the loss of my child and it was
ok that I questioned God. God
revealed to me the why – it
was because God is not just a
Father to us but also a Mother.
So, God can understand how
a mother’s love is, and he
surely knows the mother’s pain
at losing a child. He lost His
one and only son, Jesus.
I used to think, “He is God,
He gives and takes away,
He has every right to do what
He wants. Even if I ask why,
He can choose not to answer,
so there’s no point to ask him,
I have to accept what He has
given me”. It is as though
“bo bian” (Hokkien).”
It was through the encounter
that I learned that our God is
not an authoritarian God but
a gentle and loving God. With
these sisters in Christ who did
not judge me nor my views,
but who instead pointed me
back to God, my perspective
has changed in seeing God and
seeing myself. I got to know
God and understood Him
better through this encounter.
I was living a lonely life – all
alone, with no one, no friend,
to help me through any
problem that I was facing.
I was a believer for many years
but left God for a while. At the
beginning of 2017, I decided
to attend church again. I also
joined a cell group. Then,
I signed up for the W2W
Encounter Weekend (EW).
At that EW, God affirmed
that I was still His daughter
and He loved me. He assured
me that He would always
protect me. Moreover, I now
had a group of sisters in Christ
to support me. This was when
my life changed and God
began to turn my life around,
from evil to good.
When I came back from
the EW, I saw a radical change
in myself. I was able to find
joy again. I stepped out of my
darkness. I became excited
about life again and now my
face reflects my joy. I am no
longer fearful or in doubt,
confused or angry. I no longer
fear talking to people. I am
now living a motivated life and
I walk in confidence, trusting
God. My sisters in Christ have
supported and strengthened
me through my journey of
faith and now there is joy in
my life.” I am now stronger
because of what I had to go
through. Perhaps, I am even
smarter! I have found peace in
God. Only He can give me this
kind of peace. He is the
powerful Creator of the whole
universe and only He is
perfect. Most importantly,
God is personal and He wants
to know me. Hallelujah!
28 years ago, I attended
a healing event at my previous
church. I went forward for
an altar call at the end of the
sermon as it was the Friday
before my water-baptism
weekend.
The pastor who prayed,
released a prophetic word
to me after seeing a vision
of a flower bud. The message
from God was that my life then
was like the flower, not in full
bloom as yet... but in time,
God would nurture it and
cause it to bloom beautifully.
Out of the blossoming of my
life, the sweet fragrance
of Christ would be released
to those around me, as stated
in 2 Corinthians 2:15
“For we are to God the
pleasing aroma of Christ
among those who are being
saved and those who are
perishing.”
During the nature walk
at the Women’s Encounter
Weekend, I was drawn to
this yellow flower with a bud
attached from the same stem.
What was impressed upon my
heart was that the first half
of my life had bloomed, just
like the bright, opened flower
but, God was still not done
with me yet. The other half
of my life was now like the
accompanying bud...yet
to bloom.
God assured me that I had
always been a late bloomer
but I would definitely blossom
in His Time and once again,
release the fragrance of Christ
to bless people around me.
He was working my life out for
His Glory and He would make
all things beautiful in His
perfect timing.
God is my Abba Father and
has my best interest at Heart.
In Him I trust.
For more information about
W2W Moments / W2W
Essential / W2W Encounter
Weekend go to http://dumc.
my/connect/adults/womenwomen/
or email to dumc.
w2w@gmail.com
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03/02/2018 12:53 PM