I have just returned from the sugar sand beach of the Gulf Coast with my Sisters in Christ. The weekend had such an anointing on it. Can you imagine 12 women together in one condo sharing kitchen duties, bathroom, and hairspray without being assigned or arguing? That’s right, not one person argued or fussed, there was a constancy of love and encouragement from each person to each woman there. We listened to each other as we cried over the past and wrestled with what the promise of tomorrow would hold for our families and us as we worked on art projects, shared receipies and makeup tips.
Praying as a group was probably my most treasured time. Each woman calling out to God the needs of one of her sisters in the room, for healing for our country and the sorrows of other countries, was so moving. To hear the tears of another person, know the pain she had in her heart, and listen as others spoke words of healing, causes me to think back with amazement at the hand of God hovering over us. You know how cutting women can be, yet, none of that was remotely close to the hearts and minds of the women in that condo. Our joy was too great for that.
We stayed in the Condo the whole weekend, never leaving the building, except to walk the beaches. I have been to the Gulf my whole life and never seen the weather on the beach like what we had on that particular weekend.
It was foggy when we drove up at 12:30p.m. that Friday afternoon and it stayed foggy the entire weekend. Usually fog lifts by 10 a.m. any other time I’ve seen it, but not this time. The cloud of fog hovered and stayed on us the entire time.
I was reminded of two verses in the Bible. Genesis 1:2, “and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”
And Exodus 24:15, “Then Moses went up to the mountain and the cloud covered the mountain.” Perhaps it was a weather phenomenon or, as I prefer to believe it was a cloud of His presence with us. Either way, I am so very blessed by the women I call “Susta”, in my life and the precious Lord that weaves our heart together in Him.
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Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily.
She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets.
Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl.
Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.
Latest posts by Diane W. Bailey (see all)
- What God Can Do with A Shattered Heart - September 5, 2022
- When It Is Time to Bring Your Ship Ashore - January 2, 2018
- Art Of Hospitality – How to Love Others As Ourselves - November 27, 2017
