2010 End of the Year Prayer Retreat

The Retreat took place at the Wyndham Resort in Williamsburg, VA. Her second year attending retreat, Judy Bork travelled from California to be with us.

Melanie Wilkerson of Kukia’s Cookies and Catering was our chef for the retreat.

We were able to complete individual foot washings for each person and a group foot washing.

Meditation exercises were practiced to help participants maximize their foot washing experiences.

To prepare for the retreat, we each located bible verses we will use to be of good courage and fear not as we walk into our destinies.

Participants shared what they have learned about fear. All exercises were designed to rid us all of any fear we have entertained in the past.

This is the first retreat Reverend Allen Bess (father of Apostle Bess and her brother Allen Bess) and his wife, Mrs. Evelyn Bess have ever attended. It was an honor to have them with us.

It was also an honor to have Denise Beal’s husband, Michael Smith from Atlanta, GA with us for the first time.

The Word from the Lord for this prayer retreat was, “In 2011, Expect Heaven to Invade our Lives!”

This retreat was like a five day Watch Night Service.  Each participant shared as God spoke through us.  Apostle Bess told us, “A mess is a miracle hiding in plain sight. Her assignment was to discuss how we can always locate the miracle hiding in the mess. 

Release fear every time it shows up.  Release all cares, worries and frustrations regularly.  Forgiveness must be something we attend to on an ongoing basis.  Make it a habit. 

Relax into God’s rest:  cease from our own labors, hear God’s voice, and follow God’s lead.  Relate in love and God’s wisdom to all God brings before us and leads us into.

Due season is upon us.  Time has speeded up.  That may seem a strange thing to say.  Isn’t an hour just an hour or sixty minutes?  Not in God’s hands.  He’s the beginning and the end.  Time is in His hands.

Here is what the other participants had to say:

Jayreza spoke to us about how to be a person of great faith – hear God’s voice, speak back to God what God speaks to us, and follow God’s lead. 

Phyllis Peacock told us that this will not happen and miracles will not happen in our lives unless we STOP and take the time to LISTEN. 

Prophetess Phyllis Joyner talked to us about manifesting miracles in our lives.  She experienced a miracle during our praise and worship time even though she was not physically present with us. 

Ella told us, “All sin is some kind of spirit lurking around and looking for a partner or a body to participate in some kind of evil.  Don’t be a partner to sin.”

Elder Bess told us that due season is upon us and asked if we are like the foolish virgins or the wise virgins.  If we’re not ready, he told us how to get ready.  He also reminded us that we must speak things into existence.

Saturday morning, Helen facilitated us through a time of scripture, prayer, and sharing about why our involvement with the Mississippi Land is important and the spiritual transformation our involvement can produce. 

Mom, Elder’s wife Evelyn, told us, “Along with my husband, I’m glad to be a new member of CWV.  It really shows me how much God loves me.  I am willing and ready for God to use me.  Everyone here is so gifted and I am in awe.  It is so totally different from anything I have ever experienced before.  I’m excited about what God has for me to do.” 

During our first Leadership Development Class of 2011, Allen reminded us that God has been preparing us for Heaven to invade our lives.  He said we should continually ask God to renew our minds.  When it comes to learning to hear God’s voice, Allen said, “Even if you think that what you’re hearing is just you talking, just do it.  Then you’ll be able to see for sure if it was you or if it was God.  You will learn by trial and error how to know God’s voice from any other, even your own.”