Information for the 2025 Women’s Retreat
Welcome to the St. Andrew’s Women’s Retreat
Prayer Ministry at the Retreat
Unquenchable by Smith Podris
when God leaves glory of heaven
to wrap Himself in dust of flesh
He first appears to a girl
a girl named Mary
He dwells within her, she swells–
herself the temple–makes Him room
this girl receives the first
touch of Christ
when God leaves conquered hell
to make known His ferocious Love
He first appears to a woman
a woman named Mary
He sees her tears, speaks her name
makes her the temple
the Good News borne within birthed
from her lips to the apostles
this woman receives the first
call to share the gospel
these two, both named Mary
first behold incarnate Christ
neither is believed, both persist
in their God-given calls; live into a name
that means beloved
but also bitter, rebellious
this crimson thread of
Mary–beloved, bitter, rebellious–
weaves women of scripture
no matter their names
together into God-breathed femininity
women beloved and brave
like Shiprah and Puah
midwives who defied a Pharoah’s orders;
beloved and faithful
like Ruth
who, homeless, laid herself with trust at Boaz’s feet;
beloved and hopeful against the evidence
like Hannah
who refused to stop begging for a son;
beloved and surrendered
like Jochebed, mother of Moses,
who gave up her son
for a nation to be freed
beloved and leading
like Miriam, root of Mary,
who sang praise through wilderness
danced, drummed
the Well of living water with her;
beloved Miriam, even
as she questioned authority
and even (yes, bitterly)
questioned her standing with God—
beloved even as she was mistaken
and wrong;
beloved and rebellious
like Esther
the face of the resistance
beloved and ruthless
like Jael
who put the enemy to sleep
and drove a spike through his skull
beloved and risky
like Rahab, a prostitute
who heard the Lord
and became His secret agent
we–you, me–
now the temple
we each have our own names
and we stand in the legacy
of this beautiful, fearless femininity
Mary, beloved, bitter, rebellious
also means drop of the sea
and here we are
together an ocean of female
mysterious in our depth and variation
musical in our waves
powerful in our storms
dissonant in our expansion beyond
boundary lines drawn onto maps
individual, beautiful
drops who reflect the light of the Son
wherever our call leads
whether as roaring ocean
tender mercy of rain
you, the refreshment pulled from the well
or love made tangible:a tear
may we pour out
as endlessly as He pours in
and through, unquenchable
in the face of doubt or
success or unbelief or
resistance or applause or
weariness or disappointment
yes, drop of the sea
and also finally, importantly
wished-for child
I do not know each of your names
but I do know you are His wished-for child
may you surrender, now, to Him
He who first appeared to women
the One who is your hiding place from the wind
your shelter from the storm
He is your water in the dry place
your shade of a great rock in a weary land
the lifter of your head
our drowning ocean of mercy
author of beauty and grace and
woman—
He runs to you with arms spread wide
yes, He who will never abandon you
runs with abandon towards you
shouts with exuberant love
come home!
cradles your face
whispers with tenderness
come home