Julia Hansen – Ward, Colorado … Glacier View Ranch was blessed to host the RMC Women’s Ministries group on its campus, September 23-25. Jana Thurber, RMC Women’s Ministries Director, coordinated the weekend’s program on, which brought over 100 women and teen girls from throughout the Conference. “When God Enters Your Story…You Become God’s Wonder Woman!” was a retreat theme, based on Ephesians 6:10-18 we can become “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” when we wear his armor.
The main speaker, Sharon Leach, delved into the wisdom of Jesus’ grandmothers. She began Friday night with “The Shady Lady of Jericho” – how God used Rahab for his purposes. The Sabbath morning program started with “The Showdown at the Not-So-OK Corral” – recounting Abigail’s wisdom and grace. And the evening continued with the theme, “A Fresh Start” – looking at Mrs. Noah and her family’s story. The retreat ended Sunday morning with testimonies from both Sharon and Benjie Leach on the evidence of God’s leading in their lives.
Jana Thurber shared that, “Sharon used creativity and humor to drive home new spiritual perspectives from the Bible stories of women in Jesus’ lineage. We were all blessed by our speaker’s insights on how God masterfully used Jesus’ grandmothers to further his purposes.”
A heavenly worship and praise atmosphere was created by the incredible Praise Team put together by Suzie Sendros. The praise team included Melissa Clouzet, professional vocalist, Melanie Goetz on piano and vocals. Vickie Kahler and Tamara Mallory also were vocalists, and Heidi Sorensen played violin. We were blessed by the spiritual atmosphere created by their music. And were consistently brought to the throne room through their leading in songs of praise and adoration to our Most Holy God.
Dick Stenbakken, the Saturday evening presenter, displayed his collection of authentic pieces of the Roman warrior’s armor. He demonstrated the different pieces a warrior wore, and how they were used as protection. He explained how each piece tied into the “Armor of God” spiritual application.
The Elk Room hosted four separate areas for journaling, reflecting, praying, and snacking. It was creatively set up and decorated. The arrangement of the place and its activities involved the members of the RMC Women’s Ministries Team members. Gratitude goes to Alicia Knutsen, Amber Fellers, Ardis Stenbakken, Carol Spahr, Elizabeth Arroyo, Jackie Hayes, Jerilyn Pester, Jill Anderson, Judy Kelly, Marlene Poole, Marta Wells, Mary Perez-Gonzalez, Mona Fellers, Raelyn Wortman, Stefanie Deapen, and Valerie Johnson.
The break-out presenters, special workshop speakers, and teen leaders covered pertinent subject’s women could choose from. These topics of interest included Stefanie Deapen’s, “Lets ‘Meat”, Jill Anderson’s, “Totally Titus Two Women”, and Alicia Patterson’s presentation on “Fearless Females Finding Courage in A Fearful World.” Mary Phillips, a health coach, spoke on “Seeing Yourself as God Sees You!” How a healthy mind creates a healthy body. Jessyka Dooley and Vanessa Alarcon engaged participating teens with a time of learning about the Armor of God by using Sour Patch Kids candy and other candy, and then ‘internalizing’ their lessons.
Additionally, professional counselors Marta Wells, Sandy Eickmann, JoAnne Jones, and Lynnette Cunningham, were available to attendees for private counseling appointments.
The weekend was packed with activities, interspersed with rest and private time, and an
opportunity to walk around the lake and stop at designated places to journal about each piece in the Armor of God. The camp directors commented that, “The Prayer Walk was such a blessing and wished the seven stations could stay up to bless the next camp attendees.”
The Saturday evening main session provided time to experience a miracle! One attendee had not intended on coming but, from the nudging of a friend, decided to come. She shares her testimony in the “Miracle on the Mountain,” which follows this report.
Many women participated in a Service Project which involved the making of Gift Bags for women and children in women’s shelters around our conference. Gratitude goes to all the attendees who donated items for this project. As the gift bags were creatively put together, individual prayers ascended to God that he would provide just the right recipients to receive the “customized bag” being delivered to them.
Karen Dooley, together with the regular GVR staff, as well as other volunteers, made sure the women had delicious food to eat, including those who had special dietary needs.
Nancy Buxton, Mid-American Union Women’s Ministry Director, gave her support, friendship, and prayers to the RMC team.
Among the volunteers was a group of Campion Academy students who arrived at check-in, dressed in white shirts and black pants, to assist the women with bringing in their luggage. This made many participants feel special.
“God truly blessed our Spirit–led fellowship together in the mountains,” commented Jana. “God was present in the awesome prayer room. His presence was felt while fellowshipping with Him on the prayer walk around the lake. And in the many conversations and interactive workshops and presentations we knew He was there with us. We hope more of our RMC women will be able to join us for next year’s retreat, September 22-24, 2023. We are beginning our planning soon and you won’t want to miss out on a great weekend together at next year’s refreshing mountain retreat at Glacier View Ranch!”
–Julia Hansen is GVR director of Guest Services. Photos by Mic Thurber.
TESTIMONY: “Miracle on the Mountain” by Tristan Bergondo, RN – Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Sharing Women’s Retreat weekend up at Glacier View Ranch proved to be powerful in ways I could not have imagined! The story of how our Heavenly Father wrapped these beautiful sisters and me in a profound blanket of love, grace, and provision, was something I was privileged to be a part of! In my own personal spiritual journey, I have pleaded with Him to show me, in tangible ways, His true and unconditional love and grace.
Growing up as a fourth generation Adventist, I have questioned the personal reality of God and His love that is claimed to be unconditional. The following story fills my heart with the personal conviction that He does care about me, He cherishes me and each one of His creations, simply because we are His children. Only He knows the desires of our hearts and can provide the reality of His power in current day to day stories that we may experience when our eyes are opened! This story is one I will cherish forever.
As a little girl, I dreaded the weekends my mom left with her friends to spend a much needed get-a-way at Glacier View Ranch, nestled in the beautiful Colorado mountains. Only as I have become a mom, do I realize how much she needed these weekends to refresh in the beauty of music and in listening to heartfelt testimonies. I have not been to one of these weekends in years but was excited to attend with my beautiful sisters and “mother-in-law” that I affectionately call my “mother-in-love.” I lost my mom at the tender age of 24, one month before I was married to my Platte Valley Academy high school sweetheart and best friend. My heart was overwhelmed with emotion as I walked the same halls and sat in the same sanctuary as my mom did 30+ years ago.
While listening to one of the evening testimonies, laughter erupted among the women during a story shared by the speaker. As the laughter died down, I noticed a dry, barking, wheezing cough of a woman struggling to catch her breath. I watched as she made her way to the back of the auditorium and went through the doors. A sister next to me, a fellow RN, looked at me and as nurses, we both stepped out to check on our fellow sister.
There was a flurry of activity when we arrived. She was sitting in a chair, already surrounded by sisters who also wanted to help.
It was a miracle unfolding as medical devices and even much needed asthma medication began appearing, brought to our newfound team by the fellow sisters attending the weekend: a pulse oximeter, an oxygen tank, a nebulizer machine, an inhaler, and other vital medication … multiple nurses as well as an anesthesiologist who began to coordinate efforts, in a life and death story we had not anticipated!
One minute we were relaxing, listening to a humorous testimony and the next, we were all filled with the adrenaline that comes from realizing the seriousness of a fellow sister struggling to breathe at the elevation of 8800 feet.
Emergency medical staff were called and arrived with an ambulance to take our new friend down the mountain. Later, we were told that had she not been given the care prior to the ambulance arrival, it is likely she would have not survived, not to mention what would have happened had she been alone in her room when she suffered her asthma attack.
Our Heavenly Father is so BIG! The ways He works to show us His faithful love soothes the ache in my soul to know Him better, as the Faithful Father I crave. The Father that will NOT leave, that WILL show up and loves me no matter my attitude or appearance. I look forward to the embrace of His strong arms wrapped around me, but until then, I will hold tight to the profound ways He shows me His true and unconditional love, just for being his girl.
