Watch # 1 – Thursday Day and Evening – Team Preparation - Set Up- Prayer March
Our Deeper Still Team spends the day packing up our cars, driving to the lodge and setting up. We need a lot of strength, energy, grace and organization. Thursday evening we eat dinner together. After dinner we spend the night preparing ourselves for the retreat. We do a prayer march around the grounds. We also pray through the lodge and over each bed. We then spend time in worship, ministry to each other, and our facilitator gives an exhortation and final instructions. As a team we need to be bound together in love, unity, faith and purpose. We also need protection and health throughout the retreat.
Watch # 2 – Friday Evening – Our participants share their stories
Our participants arrive around 2 pm and the retreat officially begins at 3 pm with opening statements. Friday evening after dinner the participants share their stories. For many, this is the first time anyone has asked to hear their story and the first time they have had the courage to be vulnerable about their hidden secrets and shame. We begin to see walls come down. For this time, we are all comfy and cozy on couches in small groups. Our team members lead out by sharing their stories first, then we allow the participants all the time they need to share their own stories. We need stamina and strength and supernatural energy as this usually takes several hours for everyone to finish. This is a big step towards freedom. As one participant said before, "I have never even told my story to myself".
Watch # 3 – Saturday Morning 8:30 am – 12:00pm - The Perfect Plan/ The Perfect Sacrifice / Forgiveness Prayers
We start the day with worship and then do a teaching called The Perfect Plan. The objective is to heighten understanding about the sacredness of human life; that we are all made in the image of God. Many people have been deceived into believing that babies developing in the womb are only a biological mass without the status of personhood. We offer them a very meaningful tangible symbol to show the humanity of the unborn. Next, we do a teaching on Isaiah 53 called the Perfect Sacrifice. We cover the sufficiency of the cross and what the suffering, stripes and blood of Jesus did for us. Many participants who have never made a profession of faith are led by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior during this session. We also lead them through a prayer time of forgiveness and breaking the bonds of shame. They need to fully step into forgiveness during the exercises/ prayers- forgiveness for self, for others and all who were involved in and surrounding their abortion experience. We especially ask prayer for attentive spirits and for a fresh revelation of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for them on the Cross-He paid it all- in full. We begin to see healing happen.
Watch # 4 – Saturday Afternoon 1:15 – 3:15 pm – Grieving and Reconciliation/ Restoration of Mother's and Father's hearts
During this time, we walk the participants through a tangible way to grieve for their aborted child(ren) and to experience reconciliation with these children knowing they will see them again one day in heaven. We also have a time of personal prayer with them, placing on her the “Mother Mantle” (a symbolic robe) and for him, he takes up a staff and sword, symbolizing his “Father Mantle”. This is to reaffirm their high calling of Mothering and Fathering. This section is particularly emotional as their mother and father hearts connect with this healing. This section is particularly emotional as their hearts connect with this healing.
Watch # 5 – Saturday Afternoon 3:15pm – 6:00 pm –Tearing down Strongholds/ Breaking Unholy Attachments
We teach about spiritual strongholds caused by abortion and how unholy spiritual attachments keep them from having hearts that are wholly devoted to Christ. These strongholds keep them from walking out their God given destiny. There is a breakout session where we minister individually with the participants. We take them through prayers to bring down spiritual strongholds that still hold them captive. The enemy tries hard to thwart this process but the Holy Spirit prevails! We also offer a personal time of prayer for their spiritual encouragement and edification. More healing is witnessed and the participants (and team) feel like they’re nearing the end of a marathon! The participants are feeling exhausted but hopeful and even joyful as they release chains of bondage through prayer. This one-on-one time gives each participant very personal attention. These hours are physically, emotionally and spiritually taxing, so we ask for strength, stamina and alertness for the team and the participants. We need keen discernment and His wisdom and revelation as we walk through these times of prayer with the participants.
Watch # 6 – Saturday Evening 7:00pm – 10:00 pm -Celebrating Freedom /Crying out for Restoration
After a delicious dinner, there is a time for the participants to give testimony to what the Lord has done for them over the weekend. We talk about their responsibility now to go forth and tell others what the Lord has done for them and to speak truth about abortion and its devastating consequences so that others might find healing. We end the day with more worship and exuberant rejoicing over all that the Lord has done. They not only have a new found freedom but they now have a new level of faith to ask the Lord to restore all that the locust has eaten. Just 24 hours earlier, they could never have imagined this night. They worship Him from a heart that He has freed from condemnation and shame and it is a beautiful evening dedicated to bringing Him the worship He deserves and the enemy tried to rob from them, and Him, for so many years.
Watch # 7 – Sunday Morning 8:30am – 11:00am – The Memorial Service
This memorial service is more beautiful than can be described, but through it our participants can make a final exchange based on Isaiah 61:1-3. There are many tangible symbols given representing beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness. In addition, the participants can finally memorialize and honor the children with whom they have now been reconciled. There is a beautiful time of sharing what the Lord has shown them with regard to their children. These are truly Holy moments. Abba Father showers His sons and daughters with His love so tenderly and beautifully. We then close with a brunch together before everyone heads back home.
Watch # 8 – Rear Guard - starting Sunday Afternoon until the following Sunday
The week following the retreat is a vulnerable time for both participants and for the team. It seems like we, the team, are the first line of defense standing in front of our participants so the enemy seeks to launch a counter attack. We are not ignorant of his schemes nor are we afraid of him. But we do need others to pray defensive prayers on our behalf and for our families. Please ask the Lord to bring us to your mind throughout the week, and as He does, just lift a prayer of protection and victory for us and our participants.