Refreshed

This past weekend, I was privileged to go to a wonderful BSF Retreat in Dallas. Early Friday morning, about 16 women in our class boarded a spacious bus and we took a 5 hour drive north to our destination, the Adams Mark Hotel (WOW, what a treat!)

Though the trip was a bit rainy and muggy, we arrived excited, and amazed at all the people there. . . 3,000 of us BSF leaders for the conference! Jane (my co-leader) and I shared a room which faced the city and all those glorious skyscrapers, with the DART below.

Jean Nystrand, the executive director of BSF, taught through the book of Isaiah - very enriching and insightful! In between lectures, we enjoyed delicious meals, coffee breaks (sigh, I DID HAVE TO HAVE CAFFIENE, MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT!), and lots of fellowshipping with other Christians - praise the Lord for three 'thousand tongues to sing, Thy great Redeemer's praise. . . '!!!

Perhaps many of you may not know, but my involvement with BSF came at a time when I was feeling a need for connection to other women. I really yearned to be deeper in the Word. Haven and I had just moved to San Antonio at the time, and I was eager to join after my mom had encouraged me to go to BSF. I actually started going in the middle of the Genesis study, and it has blessed me ever since. Last year, at the beginning of the Romans study, I was asked to be a part of the leadership - what an honor. This is my first year of being a Children's Leader, something that seemed so overwhelming at first, but I am amazed at God's equipping! I feel so blessed that I can share the opportunity to teach 11 jr. high students with my co-leader!

The most precious thing to me about being in BSF is that I am the third generation in my family to be involved in BSF. A. Wetherell Johnson, the originator of BSF, began to lead a tiny class of women in Oakland, Ca., more than 50 years ago . . . my grandmother came to be a part of that class! At the retreat, they had prepared a special slide presentation of the history of BSF - I think I saw my grandmother in one of the photos they flashed!

My mother was a part of BSF for a while when she was younger - I think that my brother, sister and I were in the children's program at some point. . .

The Headquarters are actually located here, in San Antonio - on a gorgeous piece of land on the northside. . .

From the retreat - I just feel so refreshed and have a new perspective. Sometimes, I get so discouraged about the seemingly impactless efforts we make - but God really is at work through His people, and it is such a blessing to be able to serve Him through this outlet.