This month has been a month of “Thanksgiving” for us as we began a month of daily face book posts of things we are thankful for.  Nearing the end of this month and a few days before Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for …..A month of Thanksgiving!

 

I have enjoyed reading the posts of all of our friends sharing what they are thankful for….husbands, children, Moms, Dads, nieces, sisters, church, truth, and even warm baths.  I believe we have unlocked a door to harvest in our life as He instructed us to Enter into His presence (gates) with thanksgiving…and His courts with praise.

 

Two weeks before our 11^th Annual Ladies Winter Retreat the Lord spoke to my heart…In the presence of the King!  This became our theme and I reread Esther and her journey waiting on the golden scepter to be extended that she might enter into his presence.  I could see His golden scepter being extended to us and we were now to make the choice to enter into His Presence!  Service after service the ladies came with high expectations praising the King.  Each service was power-packed with worship, singing, preaching, and praying….basking in the Presence of the King!  The theme was prophecy of what was to come!  His presence enveloped us and we were changed!

 

I am thankful for all the ladies who came…all the pastors and pastor’s wives who worked so hard to help their ladies get to Pigeon Forge…for the girls from Johnson City and Elizabethton who come to work every year…for Monica who always comes ready to step in at any place there is a need…all my family who helped make this all possible…my nieces and my sister in law singing and playing music (after they had made wreaths to give away for door prizes)…my niece taking pictures…my sister registering and taking care of all the things that are needed to keep everything running smoothly (and for her beautiful gift for a door prize)…my niece coming early to set up and greeting the ladies as they arrived at the door…my niece taking care of the gifts, tickets and every other thing I needed handed to me...  I am thankful for my sister in law who made 10 of the wreaths and then came to help Lindy register the ladies at the door.  I am also thankful for my brother and sister in law who was not even a part of the meeting but donated handmade Christian signs that we could give away.  This year was truly a family affair.   We also had donations from Banita (scarves inside the first 100 totes) and from Jeri Ann (bottles of spikenard anointing oil in the second 100 totes) and packages of tissue for each lady from Pat and Brenda.  Everyone joined in and help to make this year’s Retreat such a wonderful success. 

 

We have closed another chapter of our life….the Retreat has ended and I am already gathering things for next year’s Retreat November 8-10, 2012!  Now, we set our face to our Winter Campmeeting with Pastor Chris Williams in Langley, SC along with my brother, Mike Ferree and Cecil Hamby.   Each December we meet in Langley along with many of our friends to close out the year with our final Campmeeting of 2011. 

 

January will be our first Campmeeting of 2012 in Johnson City, TN with Pastors Garry Hyder and Bo Barnes at the Bible Church.  In February we will help preach the Unity Outreach Ladies Meeting hosted by Peggy Jones in St Augustine, FL.  In March we travel to the Shenandoah Valley area for Spring Campmeeting with Pastor Jeff Shifflett and Wolftown Pentecostal Chapel in Wolftown, VA.  Then in April we return to Pigeon Forge for our 11^th Annual Spring Family Retreat at the same Smoky Mountain Convention Center.  This retreat is open to the entire family and each year we have pastors, evangelists, singers and musicians come from many different areas and join with us for this great time of fellowship and worship in the presence of the Lord.  There is information on our Bulletin page with the dates, cost of registration and the phone number of the Ramada Inn where we have a special group rate for everyone planning to join us!  2012 is filled with many special meetings….along with each week we will be returning to your area to reach for a touch of God in your life. 

 

Of all the things I am thankful for…I am thankful above all things…..for the call.