Good Morning Friends,

I pray this email finds you enjoying the day the Lord has given to us.  I have enjoyed some pretty busy, but exciting times serving God.  He always amazes me in how He provides and leads.  I wanted to share with you some answers to our prayers.

Faith Steps hosted the annual Easter Maundy Thursday evening for women.  It was such a blessed event.  We had 110 women in attendance.  We all gathered for dessert (I can’t tell you what I saw anyone eat!), and for a presentation from “Precious Pearl”.  She appeared in her full Easter frock and she brought comedy to our evening.  Then we switched gears as we headed to the sanctuary for a time of worship and communion at or Lord’s table.  It was a sweet blessing for me to minister to these ladies and to see how God was speaking into their hearts.

Nine days later, Faith Steps hosted the second beach retreat as 16 women met for refreshing, spiritual nourishment, and complete pampering.  It was a delightful time of renewal.  This retreat brought ladies that were from many different areas of our region and even one from out of state.  Our topic was Uncommon Beauty ~ Six Qualities of a Beautiful Woman.  Our spiritual nourishment sessions looked at six qualities that God desires to develop in our lives.  It was based upon Cynthia Heald’s book.  We enjoyed morning worship together, a wonderful lunch, and then had the delight of an afternoon pampering party, where we were gifted with facials & massages.  Our deepest thanks to two sweet Christians who drove to the Outer Banks just to bless these ladies. You know who you are and I treasure you!  After that wonderful afternoon, we had a beautiful candlelight dinner and then an evening of laughter and fun.

All this is shared to say to you, I already have seven reservations for the fall retreat!  I want to be sure that you, my prayer partners, are given the opportunity to participate.  Because women delight in this experience, the interest is growing and I don’t want any of you to be left out should you want to attend.  Having said this, here is the information.

Fall Beach Retreat ~ Outer Banks, NC Saturday, Oct. 31st – Monday, Nov. 2nd. (Extra Day – $50 – Stay Until Nov. 3rd.) All-Inclusive Cost:  $200 or $250 if you stay until Nov. 3rd. Reservations for specific rooms are first come – first served! Reservations are made with a non-refundable $100 deposit (Refunds are given only if your reservation is filled 30 days prior to the retreat)   If you want a specific room – all reservations for that room must be made at the same time. For more information ~ Call 757-961-6620 or Pat’s Cell:  757-729-0118

Now let me share with you some amazing ways that God blessed me in the planning and implementation of this last retreat.  As you know, it is a faith walk for me.  I pray and strive to hear the voice of God in such a way that I follow Him not based upon what I see and know. At times this requires me to step out in faith and the planning of this retreat was exactly that.

As I received deposits, etc. I am always praying for God to direct me as I know I am handling His funds.  I truly desire to be faithful, yet at times I am pulled to the reality of cost, etc.  When God leads me to deposit funds into the life of someone, it is not always, in fact rarely a time when it seems practical financially.  God led in this way throughout this retreat.  All this to say, there were multiple times when I knew God was telling me to do something and every time I did it, He returned to me exactly what I needed through the gifts of others.  In one instance God told me to not deposit a $50 check and instead return it as a gift to this individual.  It didn’t make sense financially but I obeyed what I believed He was saying to me.  The very next day there came a card in the mail from an individual saying, “we have learned to give out of our need.”  There inside was a $50 check!

A couple weeks later, I sensed God telling me to do something else.  Again, it was practical financially.  I obeyed and by faith spent the $144 for this individual.  When the mail came that evening, there inside was $150 check that was given in excess of an individual retreat deposits!  When I returned home, I balanced my books.  I had one more bill to pay that totaled $160.  I had $64 in the operating account for this retreat.  I asked God to help me to see if and where I had failed to be faithful for it to all balance.  I sat down that evening and Ray had left the mail on my desk.  I found a card that had my name and address on it but also my address as the return address.  I opened it and to the glory of God, was note saying, “Thank you for all you do in the name of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.  May God bless you and your ministry.  Love, A Friend in Christ.”  Inside was a $100 money order.  My books were now $4.00 in the black!  God is so faithful.  I don’t have words to say to you how humbling this is, but I must share these testimonies of how God does hear and respond to our prayers.
Great is His Faithfulness!!!!

I will be leaving this week to go to Lancaster, PA to see Behold the Lamb at Sight and Sound.  Then I will remain there for a week of fun and relaxation with my sister.  Oh, how I love that!!!  I will have my cell  phone with me should anyone have questions regarding the fall retreat.  If you do not have questions, but want to make reservations, simply mail your $100 deposit payable to Faith Steps – send to

Pat Owens 1703 Apt. J Birch Trail Circle Chesapeake, VA  23320

God bless each of you for the part you play in what we are doing for God’s Kingdom.  You truly are the wind beneath my wings!  I could not do what I do without your prayers.

Love in Christ, Pat    P.S. One Personal Note:  I WILL BE A GRANDMA AT THANKSGIVING! (Jonathan & Lindsey are expecting)