Labor Day weekend (Aug 29-31) mini-retreat in Florida

[nathan]

Floridians have already gotten their email invite, but I'm posting this here in case we have members (or people who just stumble across the Forums) from Florida, that I don't know about. Or if you happen to be here on vacation from elsewhere, by all means, let us know. Or if you just really want to come from elsewhere (or perhaps you can't make Dallas in October), we won't turn you away! - just be sure you know about Florida in August (random hurricanes and full-time humidity!)

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Greetings, fellow Floridians! It’s hard to believe that at the beginning of the year I knew no other plural, or plural-friendly, families in Florida. Now there are 16 email addresses on this Florida list! (Some families have more than one address – but I think that represents 10 different households.) It makes me wonder what God has in mind for the future – and what His purpose was in bringing us home to Florida 4 years ago (after almost 15 in California). On this list we have single-dads, single-moms, plural-families, and not-yet-plural families, in every age bracket – we are truly diverse!

Most of you should be aware of our Florida-only Labor Day weekend get-together by now – but this is your formal invitation.

I’m not calling it a retreat, no particular reason except to distinguish it from the national retreats, and because Pastor Randy won’t be here.

But a number of us who were at the Orlando retreat in May will be here – and we will all testify of the great fellowship we had, meeting and encouraging like-minded believers. That’s what I have in mind again: I’m asking each person to come ready to share, even for just a few minutes (or more), something that God has had on your heart lately. It can be a teaching, or something you are growing in, or just a scripture-reading, anything at all. Pretty much anything will start our group responding and sharing – we don’t have a problem with long silences! I think everybody will find themselves blessed, in multiple ways – it’s always a great encouragement to my family to fellowship with God’s people, without getting curious stares!

Write for directions and hotel information: nathan@biblicalfamilies.org

August 29-31st -

Here’s what we're planning:
Friday night: 7-10pm – for those who can make it Friday already, and would like the time to meet and fellowship

Saturday: 10am - a late start for those who plan to get on the road early Saturday (I don’t think anybody is more than a 3-hour drive away)
Then we’ll break for lunch (at our house), meet again at 2pm, then have informal fellowship/play time in the afternoon, and possibly leave the house for supper (lot’s of choices within a mile).
Then we’ll meet again at 7pm.

Those who wish to stay in the area are welcome to join us for worship again Sunday morning 10am for a worship and sharing service, and we’ll spend as much time in prayer as people desire.
After worship, people are welcome to stay and fellowship in a relaxed setting for as long as they wish.

If you can only make it here for one day, make it Saturday, and plan on driving home late!

Even if you don’t swim, everyone is encouraged to bring a swimsuit and flip-flops, not just the kids: there’s a pool, a lake (which is in better shape now), kayaks, and a jetski to take advantage of.
If anyone is interesting in sticking around Labor Day (Monday) for a kayak trip on a river, let me know. (We have 10, including 3 tandems.)

Please drop me an email when you know roughly when you’ll be arriving and how many are with you.

We look forward to seeing everybody!

Until then, God bless,

Nathan and family

 

[3for1]

Hey all you Floridians:

Ya don't know what you missed. What a great time! Did we ever meet Jesus there in Orlando, and He cooks some good food too!!!

That weekend away is just what we needed to meet with others who love God and want to serve Him. I barely remember plural marriage coming up, because it was not why we were there. We were blessed. Thank you to all the couples (I won't name you) who were there and visited with us. Nathan7 and his two wonderful women were just absolutely lovely hostesses in every way.

For any of you who have not been to one of these, do NOT short yourself by not going. By the way, only 2 of the families there were even plural. We out-numbered them 2:1. So if you're curious or even just plural friendly, go and expect God to bless you. My favorite moments (aside from eating) were those we spent together singing praise songs together on sunday morning. We also had a neat "guys alone" and "girls alone" time when the couples split up and the guys shared prayer requests and talked, and encouraged each other. I'm supposing the gals did something similar.

The kids were really well-behaved. There was plenty for them to do. They swam about 18 hours per day either in the lake or the pool. They kayaked, they boated or somewhat floated, behind the jet-ski, they played video games, watched TV. Somewhere in there, they must have slept a couple hours too, but I didn't see it.

Thank you again, Nathan, and ladies, and all who helped. I look forward to being a bigger part in the next retreat by teaching, planning, cooking, etc.

Tom