Whisper Gathering 2022 was live and in-person this year and it was terrific!  Our theme was Choosing Kingdom Success in a Me-First World.

All the traditions you treasure were back, plus a few new ones we loved and want to keep. #Smores #repentancebowl #cabinchoirs #silence #Saturdaycommunion Registration opened at 1:00 pm Thursday with lots of at-your-own-pace activities for the afternoon. (Games. Art. Prayer Walking. Coffee/Tea bar. Naps. Hikes...)

Our Thursday evening session started and ended with an altar call and a season of repentance. It was so powerful everyone asked to make it a new tradition. Why? By early repentance, we prepared our hearts to hear the Word of God and allow it to penetrate our hearts and lives and it was life-changing. Our end-of-session repentance time allowed us space to respond to God's call from the Scripture lesson.

The weekend Bible study was from Ruth chapter one and focused on choosing worldly failure to gain kingdom success. All our activities centered around this theme--from Bible study to painting our story to communion and more.

Scripture tells us Jesus' ministry began with a call to repentance. (Mark 4:15) Acknowledgement of and repentance for sin is not only the first step to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is also the key to intimate relationship with Him.

Perhaps the most important part of the Whisper Gathering, and the secret to its success, is our emphasis on repentance. Our weekend begins with a lesson about the importance of repentance, a call to self-examination, and an opportunity for a hands-on demonstration of our surrendered, repentant heart. 

Because repentance is not a one-and-done event in the life of a believer, we offer daily opportunities for self-examination and repentance. Our goal is to steward the spirit of repentance until all the work is done. Only then can we fully embrace the joy and deep, abiding intimacy of our relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Does repentance sound hard and scary? Don't worry. The Repentance Bowl exercise has become our most beloved tradition. As one young Teen Whisper attendee told us, "I learned repentance is fun." 

WHISPER GATHERING 2019 FEEDBACK:
THREE THINGS I LIKED:

1. The environment, place for the sessions. Peaceful. Conscious of getting closer to God and nature.The food and the joy of the people who served it. Most of all, the coordinator of the program - so special.
2. Forgiveness bowl. Fellowship with others. Morning devotional with communion.
3. Repentance time, communion, the time we had for fellowship.
4. Glory in our midst - the God who sees. Meeting new ladies. The freedom in the flight of geese and their formation (heavenly air force)
5. Worship, especially the hymns. Reading Scripture together and how what all we worked on was related. The environment and facility. To be able to see creation.
6. All of it. Laughter. No set schedule - made it very relaxed.
7. Allowing things and the Spirit to flow without looking at a clock. We do enough of that daily. The attitude of “no judgment here”. The teachings.
8. Camaraderie of the group. Openness of the people. Love shown to eat other.
9. Fellowship with Christian ladies. Study/explanation of Scripture. Music.
10. Fire pit. Devotions by the lake. Meeting new friends in the smaller group setting.
11. The flowers at the meal tables with conversation starters. The hands-on exercises (flower pots) that enable me to visualize Micah’s testimony.
12. Skits from the tables. Everything was great!
13. Worship. Bible study/application. Morning devotion before breakfast.
14. Close to God area. I felt so loved!

TWO THINGS I LEARNED:​

1. Be more educated of the Bible, its contents. Not just reading but devouring the words and meanings of God’s Word. Devotions.
2. A need in my life to have deeper study times. A need to be still and listen for God’s voice.
3. Move past my brokenness. Steps of salvation.
4. I can be bold even in my fear because He picks up where I’m weak.
5. To slow down and take time to read my Bible and listen to God. How to (or ways t0) pray for other women and their hurts.
6. Learned repentance - but in such a beautiful and sweet way.
7. They argued on the Road to Emmaus. How to keep the “feelings” after you leave.
8. People are more generous than I can imagine. Bring a blanket!
9. Forgiveness,“Ask and you shall receive.” Comfort in Scripture.
10. Luke 24 - I want to learn God’s Word as Brother Robbie and bring it to life.  It’s very tiring to carry around the sins and very refreshing to lay them down.
11. God doesn’t always do things the way I expected, and that’s okay because He has a better plan. Love is always the right choice.
12. I’m not alone. God has freed me from some of my hurts and let me know Dwayne is going to be okay.
13. I have a choice in how I respond to circumstances and people. Importance of Bible study.

Traditions wasn't our goal but when something worked we continued it. At Whisper #5 our favorite elements became traditions and a permanent part of the culture. A few of our fav's include:

• Daily directed repentance
• A more traditional-style opening evening, followed by facilitated small group work the remainder of the weekend
• The Repentance Bowl
• S'mores 
• Table choirs
• Morning meditation/devotion lakeside
• Pastor Robbie Crane leading Saturday morning meditation and communion
• A long break on Friday afternoon for visits with new friends, work on cabin choirs, and (optional) naps
• More laughter than tears​

It's not all about tradition though. We add new element and surprises to every Whisper event. Interested? Why not join us. Our next event is September 26-28, 2020. Registration opens soon. We've love to see you there!

​Whisper Sisters, what's your favorite Whisper Tradition? We love to hear from you so please comment below. 

The first Whisper Gathering was held in 2017 at FCR Crows' Neck retreat center in Tishomingo, MS. From the start, repentance was a key element of the weekend. Just as Scripture says, seasons of refreshment followed our repentance. (Acts 3:19) Our first event included an overnight stay at the camp-style retreat center. Three additional Whisper events were held in the Middle East in 2017, Teen Whisper a mini-Whisper, and a single-day Whisper. 

In 2018, we added an additional night and found the new format ideal. We slowed down, took our time, and scheduled rest. We repented until the work was done and found a deeper refreshment than we thought possible. 

In 2018, we added a "Taste of Whisper" and invited ladies who were unable to stay for the weekend to join us for the Thursday night activities. The "taste test" will be a regular feature going forward.

What happens at Whisper Gathering? Great worship. Solid Biblical teaching. Small group work. Deep sharing. Crafts. Cabin choirs. Lakeside morning devotions. Lots of great food. S'mores every night. Laughter. Fun. Chocolate. We leave refreshed, renewed, restored.

If you want to take a step closer to our Lord, consider joining us for the next Whisper Gathering. For those who can't attend the full weekend, abbreviated Whisper events are available. If your church of women's group is interested in knowing more, please contact us for more information.

"Repent therefore and return, that you sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19
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