tucked up in the mountains

last weekend i had the privilege of staffing a women's retreat for some of the college girls i know through my church and through u.r.  there were some girls that i knew and many that i did not.  they had asked that i come and lead worship and speak about how the gospel frees us from fear in life, and in death.  i was honored to be invited and so i bundled up the babe, stuffed the van with four ladies and all their stuff (you know who you are brittany), and headed up to a cabin in the mountains. and although i was not really planning on the retreat being at all restful for me, it was.  i did not even get out of my pajamas on saturday.  i just sat around and watched girls i love play with my baby while i cooked food with other women that i love.  it was just really really wonderful.

and man did God make a huge impression on our hearts.  a courageous young woman, you know who you are, decided to share some very deep and very real stories from her past. and her honesty enabled the others to share story after story and secret after secret until all was laid bare and all that was left to do was pick each other up, point ourselves toward the one who made us all, and walk that way together.  what a precious time it was.  another young woman pulled me aside and told me something that had been weighing down on her for ten or twelve years with no release.  she had never told a single soul.  what a profound privilege to be able to pray with her and encourage her.  

it was just a respite in the midst of a not so lovely month at the beginning of a very year crammed full of uncertainty.  my heart really needed it, and is still reveling in it now. 

the photos from the first night are all grainy cause my camera is acting weird and i dont know how to fix it 

 leila also brought her little man along

eden loved having so many big girls to play with her all weekend

mignon and leila made amazing food for us all weekend.  these are leila's homemade cinnamon rolls with candied pecans 

eden loved all her time with autie m

twenty something girls packed in to hear the Word

i did not have a high chair with me so i tied eden to a chair with my moby wrap.  she actually did just fine but i caught her with an unhappy face here..

ok so we were surrounded by beauty (even though i went outdoors almost not at all because of aforementioned pajama situation).  but i did venture into the cold and snap a few.

 love this bell 

it was a sweet time with some sweet women, 

tucked up in the mountains with the one who made them.