At the risk of being self-serving, I’m going to take today’s space and talk about the upcoming women’s retreat in March. Sorry, gentlemen, this is not for you so hand the paper over to the woman in your life.

Every year for more than a decade, a courageous group of godly ladies have diligently worked to stitch together a retreat for the women of northwest Oklahoma. When the initial concept took hold, the idea was give women of all ages the chance to have their own miniature version of a Women of Faith conference locally.

This retreat has evolved and expanded, as women from all denominations have discovered Heartland Women’s Ministries. The two-day conference begins on a Friday night and segues into Saturday morning. Each year there is a notable guest speaker and several breakout session leaders who are local Bible teachers and businesswomen in the community.

The weekend also includes a catered dinner, breakfast and snacks along with door prizes, games, skits, book sales and all-around fun and fellowship. It is a great time to worship the Lord with other sisters in Christ from across the state.

For 2013, Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson has agreed to be the guest speaker. This Oklahoma native currently is a television personality on Channel 9, and has written books with fellow news anchor Robin Marsh (who has been a previous guest speaker for the women’s retreat). What you may not know is Lauren is married to a youth minister in Edmond, and her passion is reaching the next generation for Christ.

She plans to bring a word about the women in Jesus’ lineage, and encourage ladies from 13 to 103 at the upcoming Heartland Women’s Ministries’ retreat on March 8-9. Lauren will be joined by worship leaders Marty and Ronda Spena of Enid. This year’s theme is “Be Dazzled: All Things Are Possible With God.”

I personally want to invite you to attend this great retreat — and that is exactly what it is, an opportunity to take a break from your crazy, busy life and spend a few hours in the presence of the Lord. Just think of it as a mini-vacation, where you will get to meet many new friends and laugh and cry with some old ones.

If you sign up before Dec. 16, the women’s retreat will only cost you $25! At this point, I’d encourage you to hand the paper back over the man in your life and tell him what a wonderful Christmas gift this would be.

Hopefully, your church has been contacted about the Heartland Women’s Ministries’ retreat, put up the provided posters and made the registration forms available. If not, please contact 234-2512 or heartlandwomensministries@gmail.com for those materials or more information. You also can go online to the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/HeartlandWomensMinistries).

And just in case you might need a little more incentive — as if seeing and hearing Lauren wasn’t exciting enough! — I will be teaching one of the breakout sessions. I will be sharing a word about what it means to be the daughter of the King.

I hope you will consider joining us in 2013. Short of giving you a guarantee, I know you will be blessed like I am at these events.



Follow Ruth Ann Replogle on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Hold-On/419800328081972 or email her at justholdonrr@gmail.com.