Women's weekend retreats offer a special atmosphere and encouraging experiences for the participants, and the weekend from April 12-14, 2024 in Freudenstadt, Germany, was no exception. A unique experience was created for over 60 women, dedicated to the theme “Your journey, from Eden to Eden”. The lively, spirit-filled, and faith-strengthening presentations by Elida Oncea, Women’s Ministries Director in the Austrian Union, praise and worship, time for discussion and mutual exchange, and recharging for everyday life were invaluable. The theme invited us to reflect on God's great journey with woman, beginning with creation, the fall of man, and finally restoration.
Woman was created in the image of God in paradise, in a state of perfection and communion, richly endowed with love, beauty, and sensitivity and given as a partner to man, destined to reflect God's image, to beautify, influence, and shape this world. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” Genesis 1:31. During the weekend, it became clear how much the image of God in us has changed through the fall of man and the influences of society over time, and the longing for restoration is great. Marion Knirr, Conference WM director, expressed this longing in her poem “The Song of Eve.” How good that God's great love did not give up on us after the fall of mankind, but included us in his great plan of redemption! “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine!” Isaiah 43:1.
The relevance of this topic became particularly clear through the stories of biblical women such as Sarah, Rahab, Esther, Shulamith, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and many more. We were encouraged to recognize and accept our divine destiny.
We were particularly touched by the depiction of the biblical image of women from the Book of Revelation 12:1. “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” On our journey from Eden to Eden, we face many challenges and trials, but we can trust that God will strengthen us through his grace and clothe us with his righteousness (sun). We are called to bring God's light into the darkness, just as the moon is under the woman's feet. She wears a crown with twelve stars, a symbol of perfection and the reign of God. Our journey finally leads us back to God, to the state of perfection and communion we had in Eden. Thus we can continue on our journey with a joyful heart, in the place where God has put us and with the gifts that He has given us, with the love with which God meets us every day.
The weekend in Freudenstadt was richly blessed by God and will surely resonate in our hearts and minds as a time of inspiration and growth.
According to a report by Edeltraut Krebelder Arseni