Ladies Retreat in Toccoa

September 11-12, 2015

Part of the group of ladies ready for the trip to Toccoa to the Baptist Assembly. Roger Speight and Greg Ervin were the drivers.

All the ladies were staying in a particular lodge, and had some time to relax in this large room.

The large group of 38 ladies brought together a lot of old friends. All the rooms were on halls adjoining the big room.

Brenda Speight, Cheryl Anthony, Corky Brooks, Mary Brumbelow and others had come up a day early to decorate and prepare nice gift bags for the ladies.

They had a nice meeting room overlooking the lake. They grouped around tables. Brenda is at a table with Tammy Speer, April Cantrell and Sara Smith. The unique table decorations were done by Cheryl Anthony.

Ruth Floyd led the group in some get-acquainted exercises.

Ruth would identify four groups, and they had to move around the room to join the group that fit them the best.

The group gathered around the person to whom the group title was given.

This group was gathered based on their favorite season. I recognize some beach people here.

The group gathered to their favorite kind of corn.

They got back into table groups for the studies. Brenda with Tammy Speer, April Cantrell, Penny Skibba and Cheryl Anthony.

The leader for the study sessions was Mary Laughman, shown here with Brenda Nave on the left and Brenda Speight on the right. Thanks to Brenda Speight for all her work in organizing and implementing the Retreat.

Their meeting room was on the floor below the dining hall. You can see all the lights on the dining hall level.

The meals for all the groups at the conference center were served in the main dining hall. There were several hundred people here this weekend.

We had our breakfast with a beautiful view of the lake. Jo Templeton, Corky Brooks, Gail Wade, Brenda Nave, Lane Slaton and Susan Johnson.

A meaningful item on Saturday was called "Love Lift". They each had a card on their back on which others wrote notes to them.

They had a lot of fun with it, but it was a time for sharing of encouragement and appreciation.

Brenda writes a blessing for Cheryl.

And is in returned blessed by Cheryl who is blessed by Gail.

The chain of blessing and encouragement continued around the room.

"Love Lift" was a great way to build upon the sharing that they had done and to express blessing to one another.

Brenda Speight and Stella Davis distribute gifts near the end of the retreat. Both of them had personally already given gifts of thought and effort and prayer to bring about this retreat.

This opportunity for a group picture was after their "Love Lift" session. They still had around their necks the expressions of encouragement and love from their sisters in Christ.