Event, Teaching, Women's Retreat

Dear Ladies of Downtown Cornerstone Church,

I’m looking forward to our time together in February at the Women’s Retreat! Why? Because I love to be a part of women gathering together with open hearts and open Bibles, freed from the demands of daily duties to eagerly seek the Lord. I have the sacred privilege to lead us in those times in God’s Word.

Who is this woman leading you? Well, I’m Jani (rhymes with Annie) Ortlund, married for 46 years to A29 church planter Ray Ortlund. We have four married children, producing the most irresistible granddarlings—13 at last count! I spend my days much like you do, trying to figure out why God made me and how best to serve Him this side of Heaven. Part of that service involves speaking and writing about Him!

The theme for our weekend together is delighting in Christ. What does it mean to be “in Christ”? How do we come to rest there—to stay there? What is God’s part and what is our part as we muddle through our hopes and heartaches? How can our identity in Christ expand from one of duty to delight? And what can we trust Christ for in those inevitable dry and barren desert experiences?

How can you prepare for this time together? Please pray. Ask God to meet with us individually and corporately in fresh and significant ways. Pray that you will see Jesus, not Jani.

Meditate on Psalm 62:1 and Psalm 36:7-9, and read through Isaiah 41:17-21—our three texts for the weekend.

Oh, and definitely pack some chocolate! I strongly believe that chocolate makes for a better weekend!

Prayerfully, expectantly, and lovingly,

– Jani Ortlund

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Ladies, this retreat is a unique opportunity to hit “pause” on our daily rhythms and gather together to be encouraged, equipped, and strengthened in our faith. We know there’s a lot to coordinate – from carpooling and childcare, to saving up for the cost, and giving up the bulk of your weekend. We encourage you to give your concerns for the weekend to Jesus, embrace all that He has waiting for you, and join us in the following:

1) Begin praying for the weekend.

2) Register online in advance!

3) Invite a friend and encourage ladies to join you.

4) Email if you have any questions, concerns, or barriers.

A reminder that we’re offering a 50% discount to all students. Use the code collegestudent (lowercase, all one word) on your registration form before submitting.

Excited for all that God will do!

Discipleship, Event, Women's Retreat | by Tiffany Butler

Save the Date for 2018

The next Women’s Retreat is scheduled for Friday, February 9 and Saturday, February 10, 2018 with keynote speaker Jani Ortlund. Mark your calendar and spread the word!

Treasuring the Cross

“The cross is a treasure to those in need of it.” Charissa Lundy set a great tone the opening night of the DCC Women’s retreat with that simple sentence. The gospel – that Jesus died because our sin is so great, but was joyful to do it because his love is greater (Heb. 12:2) – is indeed a treasure to those who know they need it.

The theme of the DCC Women’s Retreat was The Greatness of God. Often, we make our situations in life great, we make our fears great, we make our idols great, but God is greater than all of these. Jen Thorn, the keynote speaker, began her first session defining and explaining the greatness of God. In the battle to put to death our fear and idols, the roots come back to our theology – the study of the nature of God. As I understand the greatness of God and my position in Him, in Christ, my fears and idols are measured in their right perspective. I can then see clearly that I need the help of my Savior to put to death my fears and idols.

Leading up to the DCC Women’s Retreat, I was transitioning back to Seattle after living abroad for eight months. It was a bit of a rough transition, emotionally. During this time, the Lord further revealed idols I had set up in my life to navigate these fears and uncomfortable emotions. The weekend away helped me to process the ways in which I forget the greatness of God, and instead turn to fear and idols in my life. I was reminded through the testimonies, conversations, and gospel-saturated teachings that to rely on my own strength and my own idols will only lead to frustration and burn-out. The Lord wants more for us than that! Like a good Father, He will discipline us (sometimes in the form of just making life as we live it uncomfortable) in order to help us to grow into all that He has for us; He will prune us in order that we can bear more fruit (John 15:2).

Applying Truth & Learning to Wait

In talking with other ladies in the final hours of the retreat, we reflected on the evidences of grace poured out during our time there. Tears were shed, fears were identified and addressed, grace applied, and in some cases, doubts still remain. We are returning from the spiritual and physical mountaintop of Cle Elum to our daily lives. How will we continue to apply gospel truths every day to our joys and struggles, as well as to our relationships via friendships, families, coworkers and neighbors?

Personally, one of the biggest takeaways for me is to apply God’s truths to my idols; to take time in my day to slow down and check the recordings in my head; recordings that say, “I am not good enough.” “I can’t believe that I still struggle with this.” “Do they like me?” etc. Instead, I desire to apply God’s truths – I am loved (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), I am ransomed (1 Tim. 2:6), I am His and He is mine (Song of Solomon 2:16, 6:3).

Finally, a common thread throughout the weekend was the act of waiting on the Lord with a hope-filled expectancy. Waiting is an active word where we anticipate God’s promises in Scripture. It is through the Word wherein we learn His character and what He is capable of doing. Let us dig into His Word daily, in solitude, as well as with our friends, families, and communities. Let His Word speak for Him, not our experiences and fleeting emotions. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, and I pray for my DCC sisters, as well as for myself, that we will continue to study together, consider God’s greatness together, discuss together, and wait together, hope-filled and expectantly, in Christ. For His truth is a necessary treasure!

I would encourage you all to save the date for our 2018 Women’s Retreat, February 9-10. I’m already looking forward to another great weekend of growing in faith, focusing on God’s truths, and connecting with you ladies!

Christ is all,

Tiffany Butler

Discipleship, Event, Women's Retreat

Dear Ladies of Downtown Cornerstone Church,

I am so excited to be able to be with you this year for your women’s retreat. Let me introduce myself a little so that I become a little less of a stranger. I grew up in Germany and came to the US in order to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. There I met and married my husband and together we have four children.

I love books and hate laundry. I love chocolate and Horchata and dislike seafood. But one of my biggest passions is to see women fall in love with the study of God’s word. I want us to not be afraid to tackle and wrestle with hard concepts, and to see that theology is very practical because it changes our lives and affects our worship.

During our time together we are going to be looking at the greatness of God and how this knowledge relates practically to our lives, specifically to the worries and fears that we struggle with and to the idols that we are so quick to build.

Some of the questions I want us to ask are: How should an understanding of the greatness of God affect our everyday lives? How do we put down fear and worry? How do we identify and kill idols? Where does real comfort come from? I hope that some of these questions will be answered for you as we spend the weekend together.

A.W. Pink says, “Happy is the soul that has been awed by a view of God’s majesty.” This is my prayer for all of us, that we would be awed by the greatness of God and walk away with unshakable peace and deep seated joy.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

– Jen Thorn

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Ladies, this retreat is a unique opportunity to hit “pause” on our daily rhythms and gather together to be encouraged, equipped, and strengthened in our faith. We know there’s a lot to coordinate – from carpooling and childcare, to saving up for the cost, and giving up the bulk of your weekend. We encourage you to give your concerns for the weekend to Jesus, embrace all that He has waiting for you, and join us in the following:

1) Begin praying for the weekend.

2) Register online in advance!

3) Invite a friend and encourage ladies in your community to join you.

4) Familiarize yourself with the scripture for the weekend, Isaiah 40-41

5) Email  if you have any questions, concerns, or barriers.

Excited for all that God will do!

Discipleship, Event, Women's Retreat | by Laura West

Hey ladies,

I’m really looking forward to spending Saturday, May 14th, with y’all! As the date gets closer, I want to answer a few questions about the day and invite you to join us:

Q: I’m not sure what to expect. What will the day be like?

Our hope for the day is to grow together as sisters-in-Christ, equipped and encouraged for what God has set before us. Practically, this means the day has time set aside to meet and build relationships with other ladies, interactive sessions to hear about topics deeply relevant to us all, and space to take it all to Jesus. To give you an idea of what this will look like, a basic outline for the day is:

Breakfast and social
Worship and welcome
The Word and Our Worldview, Stacy Borkert
Roundtable Discussion
The Word and Our Relationships, Katie Krombein
Roundtable Discussion
Lunch
The Word and Our Witness, Tiffany Butler
Roundtable Discussion
Prayer and reflection
Panelist Session
Worship and close

Q: What will the speakers talk about?

The Word and Our Worldview (Colossians 3:15-17)
What shapes our worldview? What influences our reactions and what do we do with our fears and struggles? We will be looking at Colossians 3:15-17 and how when we look at our lives through the lens of the Word of God, we can rest in the peace of Christ and worship God, with a spirit of thankfulness.

The Word and Our Relationships (Romans 12)
What does it mean to live sacrificially as part of the body of Christ? Who are you in Christ and how does your identity inform the way that you love, and how you live with others in the church? In our second session, we will look at Romans 12, and what it means to humbly participate in the life of other believers.

The Word and Our Witness (John 4:1-30,39-42)
What comes to mind when you think about sharing your faith with others? Does sharing your faith come easy to you or is it something you struggle with? During this session we will seek to demystify what it looks like to be a witness for Christ. We will consider the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan women which subsequently compelled her to be a witness to others about Jesus that they in turn would “come and see” for themselves.

Q: What is included in the cost of registration?

Your registration helps us cover the costs of this mini-retreat, including breakfast, lunch and refreshments, as well parking validation and materials for the day. We’ll also be giving away two books to encourage and equip you.

Q: Can I bring my friends?

Yes! This day is for all ladies seeking after Jesus.

Q: What if I can’t afford the registration? What if I can’t find childcare? What if I don’t know anyone?

If you don’t have $35, we have scholarships available and would love to invite you to participate – register! If you can’t find childcare, we’d love to help you find help – email us! If you don’t know anyone, that’s perfect. You’ll know a ton of amazing ladies at the end of the day – register!

Q: I’m on the fence. Should I register?

It’s understandable that many would be unsure about what to expect and if they should make time. In short, come! What do you have to lose? What would really stop you from spending a day with other ladies, growing together, learning about God’s word, and trusting in Jesus?

Q: Okay, I’m in. What’s next?

Register online in advance! We’ll send an email reminder the week of the event with details for the day. Encourage ladies in your community to join you. Doors open at 8:30am and breakfast begins at 9am. Come prayed up, expectant and ready for God to move. Park in the lot next to the building (for free). Give Jesus your concerns for the day and embrace all that He has waiting for you. Meet someone new and be known. Participate in the sessions and reflect on what God is teaching you. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you afresh and be ready with thanksgiving when He does. Sing loud because God is with us.

Whether you’re registered, still considering, or unable to join that day, I’d encourage you to pray for this time – it’s going to be good, by God’s abounding grace. I hope to see you on May 14th!