“Where your heart is” was the theme of the Women’s Ministry retreat held at the Lakeview Church in Lakeview, Ore., on May 15. The program was presented by four women from the Klamath Falls Church: Colleen Assavapisitkul, Kathy Davis, Donna French and Marcia Mollenkopf. Participants learned how special blessings come when they rely on God “whole-heartedly.” Examples of five kinds of hearts were given.
Assavapisitkul first talked about the Undivided Heart that acts like a control center. When the heart treasures the things of God, a loving relationship develops. It’s a lifelong process that pays big dividends. Next she spoke about a Wise Heart; one that seeks after God. The book of Proverbs reminds us of the importance of wisdom. Blessings are promised if we seek to know Him (Proverbs 8:34 NKJV).
Many women have a diagnosis of anxiety. In the Peaceful Heart, Davis talked about some issues that cause stress in our lives, and reminded everyone that staying focused on Jesus is the only assurance of safety. After reading the story of Jesus calming the sea, each person drew a picture about it. It helped to show that fear does not need to dominate their lives. Confidence in God grows each time they turn their worries to Him.
Enduring Hearts have been appointed as priests to intercede for others. Although we may not see the results of our prayers, we must never grow weary of interceding for others.
If you’ve ever told the Lord how to solve your problems, the Trusting Heart is what you need. Instead of praying the problems, pray the promises that God gives. There is power in repeating the words of the Lord back to Him. There are at least 3,573 promises in the Bible. God gave them for us to use.
Because prayer is vital to the soul, Mollenkopf shared an idea she developed to organize and simplify prayer lists. She did three simple things. 1) A list of topics was developed. 2) Bible promises were found that applied to those topics. 3) Names were grouped by needs. Everything was put in a small notebook that was easy to handle.
French, with her mellow voice and Baby Taylor guitar, provided delightful music throughout the day. The Lakeview Church treated everyone to breakfast and lunch and provided a way for everyone to get acquainted. The small but enthusiastic group enjoyed the interactive program as different qualities of heart emotions were offered.
