Retreat

Today I am stepping even further out of my comfort zone--I am going on a ladies' retreat. I usually really enjoy retreats, and I always love getting away from the demands of daily life and focusing on the Lord, but this one is, for all intents and purposes, with strangers. We started going to Broadlands Community Church a few months ago, and we do have some good friends who go there, people we've been stationed with before and actually helped in our wedding, but she unfortunately, isn't going this weekend. Everyone else is just, at best, a very casual acquaintance. So theoretically this should be a great time to get to know these women better, but that doesn't make me excited. I'm not very good at just casual chit-chat, and I always feel very fake, like I'm putting on a show, trotting out the "best-of-Claire" stories that they won't have heard yet ("How did you and Bob meet", etc.). There will be 4 people to a room, and so I'll also be sharing a bed with a stranger. That doesn't really bother me that much, though, because I can be a very still sleeper--some mornings I wake up and I can tell I have never moved during the night--but I doubt it will be a very relaxed, restful sleep! I don't even remember the topic for the retreat. I waffled so long about going, and I had pretty much decided not to go, but some of the women caught me at a weak moment, I think, and so here we are. I would like to feel more connected to this church, so hopefully this weekend will help. Please pray that it will be a refreshing time, and that I will be able to make friends with some of these ladies and not feel left out or anything (my deepest, darkest fear!). I'm so nervous--I thought retreats were supposed to be relaxing!