2006 Spa for the Soul II Retreat

Testimonies

...My desire to help hurting women was fueled by a sweet girl God let me to pray with on Friday night.  I will never forget her...Sunday night I met with a leader at our church.  We both have a strong burden for women who have been sexually abused, have had abortions & are struggling with guilt & shame from sexual sins/issues.  We are praying about starting a women's group that will deal with these issues & allow women a safe place to share, receive prayer and pray for others who have had similar experiences.  The video & story that the missionary from Moldova shared at the women's retreat was incredible.  I praise God that He is calling the Church to step up & help women who are bound by sexual sins/issues.

...During worship time on Friday evening, I received baptism in the Holy Spirit!  I simply came before my Abba and said that I just wanted to be real and authentic, and I just wanted more of Him in my life.  And He just kept pouring out upon me and out of me.

...I am NOT the same woman who arrived there on Friday, and I will not be that woman again.  I know that there will be dark and difficult seasons in my life, but I know that God is faithful.

...I don't mind worship...but I will do it.  I asked myself, "Why do we need to sing this long, this is ridiculous!"  When we finished, (Lisa) got right up there and answered my question.  We do it to come into the presence of God.  Unfortunately, I had never thought of it that way.  I thought, wow, I asked a question and it was answered.  Toward the end of the message, (Lisa) asked us to close our eyes, picture a white piece of paper and a pen in our hand.  (Lisa) then asked us to write down what was holding us back from meeting the Lord.  I then opened my eyes and popped my head up...I was shocked.  I had done this very thing two days prior on my way to work.  I was very angry...and was "pitching a fit" in my van, yelling at God, crying, mentally writing all this stuff down on a piece of paper.  I could picture it clearly in my mind the piece of paper and me writing it down.  At that point I started to cry and did it again, because I had written it down, but I had never given it to Him.  Thank you for walking me through that.

...We walked all over the campgrounds and visited the gift shop, which had beautiful things, ate until we were stuffed and worshipped along with so many ladies.  Thank you so much.  I certainly enjoyed it all, nothing could have been nicer for Ruth (my friend).  God bless you as you certainly blessed us.

...October 15, 2006

Since October 13, 2000, I have had thirty-four abdominal surgeries with more expected in the very near future.  I have had chronic pain for five years.  For the past five and a half years, I have taken 130 mg. of extended release morphine three times a day, plus 30 mg. instant release morphine every three to four hours for breakthrough pain. 

On October 6-7, 2006, I attended the Bridging the Gap Spa for the Soul ~ The Heart Engaged Retreat.  On Friday, I felt the Spirit just pouring down and really moving in the service in the Worship Center.  On Saturday, it was even better!  However, by lunchtime my pain had reached a level that I had not experienced in about two years, and I was contemplating going to the hospital.  I wanted to hear Chonda Pierce so badly, but I knew that I needed to lie down.  I told my sister that I was going to the cabin and if I didn’t show up for the concert, not to come and get me; I would just be there to meet them and pack up to leave when it was over.  My cousin, Barb, was there to share the cabin with us and she went with my sister to the Worship Center.

I proceeded to the cabin, and got about five feet away when I noticed a woman pacing back and forth in front of it.  I was about two feet from her, and she looked at me and said, “Would you like prayer?”  I said, “Yes.”  She said, “God said you have pain – chronic pain.”  I replied, “Yes, I do.”  She said, “Let’s pray like we prayed in the garden.”  I said, “Okay,” thinking she was referring to the gardens there at the campground.  She took a step toward me and draped her arms over my shoulders.  I felt so secure in the “hug.”  She prayed in her prayer language, which was so beautiful!  Then she said, “God said the water is getting bluer, the flowers are getting brighter, the grass is getting greener and the sky is getting wider.  And so long as you continue to walk with your hand in mine and be obedient, your journey will come to an end soon.”  She ended by saying, “Holy Jesus, Son of God.”  She took a step back and as I wiped the tears from my eyes, I heard a sound of wind blowing.  When I looked up, she was gone.  I thought to myself, “Where did she go?”  No sooner did that thought go through my mind, but I was struck with the Spirit and was hardly able to stand up!  I finally made it around the fence and up to the cabin, where I fell onto the bed.  I could not move, and I could not talk!

Two and a half hours later, my sister and cousin came back to the cabin, and when they walked in, they too were struck by the Spirit!  My sister came up and sat in a chair by my head and my cousin stood by my feet.  They began to pray and my cousin looked at my sister with a questioning look and said, “Karen, God wants me to ask you – who do you perceive the woman to be and what is your journey about?”  I was then able to speak, and I said, “I believe the woman was an angel and I believe that the journey is my pain!”  My cousin said, “God said you are absolutely right!”  We worshiped and praised God all the way home! 

We pulled into the yard at my cousin’s house in Buffalo.  Her husband, Mark, was lying on the ground.  We got out of the car, and I said, “Oh, Mark, what a weekend!”  He put up his arm and said, “You don’t have to tell me!  I was praying for you while I was on the tractor, and God spoke to me and said…your pain is gone!”

I have not taken any medication since October 6th, and I have not had any pain or withdrawal!  Praise God – I am healed!

...I was just recently at the womens retreat. I want to thank you (Lisa) for your speaking. Wow, God has really shown you some great stuff to share with us all. Thank you for sharing. I could really feel God's presence there at the retreat. Thank you for opening my eyes to who God wants me to be and showing me about the impostor. I will be working on that to get the impostor out of my life.
One story that you shared with us all was the one of your close friend who lost her only son to a drunk driver. I can relate to that unfortunately.
April 22, 2004, my husband and I and our 2 daughters: Zoe (2) and Cloe (6 months) were returning from Walmart portrait studio in Albert Lea. It was about 4pm. We were hit by a drunk driver. The drunk was speeding, ran a stop sign, and this was his 3rd DUI. My husband and I were in comas for about a month. Our oldest daughter, Zoe had a broken leg. She is our miracle. Our youngest daughter, Cloe Grace, was brain dead on impact and died. She was only 6 months old. Through this my hubby and I are dealing with disabilities that we will have the rest of our lives and we are trying to hold on to faith that God will someday bless us with another child. But through it all God has triumphed. We have been a miracle to survive. Even the dr. have no explanation as to why we aren't dead. They told our family the worst and got them ready for funerals but God healed and had other plans. God is awesome. I just wanted to share that with you as your friends story touched my heart. I would someday like to use what God has brought me through to bring his people to him.

...Lisa, your teaching of last weekend sent me out with a renewed DESIRE to "want more of Him". I am a very new Christian moving on after all my life (61 Yrs.) as a Catholic. Have been a single mom of 4 since "88. Without alot of detail last November I moved to a wonderful church in my community but I have felt a little alone in my walk. I know I need to make some active changes, and I will continue to seek the fellowship I need to grow.
The hardest is my four children...I want so to have them all accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and to grow in His love together as a family. Deep desire! I am having a hard time professing that bold desire for and to them. But here goes! I so respect and admire your "God-inspired ministry". God Bless you and thank you!

...Lisa, thank you for speaking again this year.  Precision ministry-so true the Holy Spirit moved.  Issues, issues, I am getting some prayer this week because I just feel like something is being purged out of me and I think it might have to do with the retreat.

Thank You

...I'm still blown away by the incredible outpouring of finances that the women of the Minnesota District gave at the Fall Conference. A simple "thanks" can never fully convey my appreciation and gratitude to all the women who stepped up to give beyond themselves for a home in Moldova that will give hope and restitution to lives that have been destroyed by the bondages of sexual trafficking.

Because of your giving lives will be changed and transformed in miraculous ways.

In the giving of the offering, something else was also released in a mighty way. Saturday morning, our speaker, Lisa Alipate, stated that she felt a release in the Spirit realm that had not been there in the previous two services. I believe that release came when you gave beyond yourselves for something that will affect lives that you will never meet or know-- something that can never give back to you in this world.

The Bible says, "Give and it shall be given to you" and that God will "open the floodgates of heaven" upon you when you give. I do not believe this means only in the material and financial. These things are temporary. But he will release something in the spiritual realm in your lives that is beyond what you can ever imagine. He will touch you in areas that you have prayed about many years. You will know Him in ways you never have before. I don't totally understand this. I only know that it has begun.

Thank you for giving to missions and opening up yourselves in a new way to be used by God.
Nancy Raatz, Missionary to Moldova

...Once again Max and I would like to say thank for a wonderful weekend.  We were truly blessed by your care, prayer and attention to detail at this year's Spa for the Soul: the Heart Engaged Retreat.  Thank you for your continued love and belief in the gifts God's given us.  I can't tell you how many times that knowledge brought me strength.  Saturday morning was particularly difficult to preach, I was grieving the death of my grandfather, sad to see the retreat coming to a close and trying to stay focused due to lack of sleep the night before!  But seeing your smiling face and nooding head encouraged me on...God used you that day in particular.  We love you guys! 

Lisa Alipate and Maxine LaFavre

...We greatly appreciated the opportunity to serve the District by being a partner in this event. 

Mark C. Brown, REACH Communications