WARRIOR
Throughout Scripture we see God’s people engaged in battle. The women of the bible fought battles of the mind, heart, body and spirit. From Sarah, who battled to believe what the Lord had promised her would come to pass, to Deborah, who battled spiritually and politically. From Ruth, who battled grief and destitution, to Mary, who battled becoming an outcast.They battled all of these things, walking with the Lord as He strengthened them and ultimately, glorified Himself through them.
The theme of this year’s retreat is Warrior, because like these women, we are engaged in the battles of life—especially the spiritual battles. In these battles God has given us unlikely weapons. He has provided the defensive armour of truth, righteousness, readiness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. He has given us the offensive weapon of His word—the sword of the Spirit. As believers we show our allegiance to Jesus by loving one another, and love is also the way we shine His light to the world.
Join us for this year’s women’s retreat at Harrison Hot Springs to be encouraged, equipped and readied for battle. This retreat is for you if you are young, old or somewhere in between—whether you’ve been part of Westside for 2 weeks or 14 years. We want you to know and believe that you can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
MAIN SESSION 1
A warrior's courage, determination and confidence is not based on her own talents and abilities but on the authority and wisdom of her leader. We have confidence in Christ because His salvation is sure, His love is never ending and His power is unmatched. This is the authority and wisdom of our Lord and it is the firm foundation that allows us to enter every battle, big or small.
Speaker: Laura Colley
Laura Colley is a Registered Nurse who is a Clinical Practice Consultant at Fraser Health. She has been attending Westside since the beginning. Laura teaches bible study because she is passionate about people knowing the bible for themselves. She also plays on the worship team.
MAIN SESSION 2
Speaker: Kveta Rose
Kveta is married to Aaron and they have four spirited young children who keep them active, humble, and laughing. Kveta is passionate about discipling women, advocating for foster care and adoption, and teaching her kids. She loves to read, and sometimes write, and is the author of Kirabo: A Journey of Faith, Love and Adoption.
MAIN SESSION 2 PANEL DISCUSSION
What does it actually look like to live empowered by God’s strength through the Holy Spirit? We will spend some time hearing from women who are seeking to live this way every day in a variety of circumstances. We will hear about the challenges and the victories with the hope that you will learn some practical ways of walking in your calling.
MAIN SESSION 3
The battle is real. We are in it whether we like it or not. But we have not been left to fend for ourselves. Not only do we already have assured victory through Jesus. We also have divinely crafted armour and the most powerful sword in existence - the Word of God. We are instructed to be strong in Him and put on His armour everyday in order to live the life He has called us to, declare the gospel boldly and push back the darkness - setting captives free!
Speaker: Melissa Menzel
Melissa Menzel has been a passionate follower of Jesus since she was very young. She has been married to her husband Matt Menzel for 12 years. They serve together at Westside. Melissa loves the Word of God and prayer, but also enjoys reading, coffee, doing hair, knitting, writing, biking and, basically any creative endeavour.
TESTIMONIES
Testimony 1 / Erin
Testimony 2 / Alyson
Testimony 3 / Christine