SHAPE Testimonies

SHAPE TESTIMONY

Ladean Smith

 

I attended my first SHAPE retreat in July of 2009. I was new (barely over a year) in recovery to my addiction to alcohol, but eager to form relationships with women and to see if God did indeed have a place for me to plug in to this body of believers that I now consider my most beloved family. 

I made friends, scavenged in hopes of winning the hunt, took a personality quiz and did a spiritual gifts inventory. I also cried my heart out to God that he would help me love my newly found stepdaughter, and give me the grace to help my husband build a solid, healing relationship with her.

My personality quiz revealed that I was a Perfect Melancholy, and my strongest spiritual gifts were giving, wisdom and knowledge. None of that really surprised me, it all seemed to fit the idea that I had of myself. I also had the opportunity to pray with one of the ladies on the prayer team, Kathy Owen, who has become my dear friend. She not only prayed with me then and there about my 18 year old stepdaughter, for grace to welcome her into my life, but she continued to intercede for me and to reach out to me to offer encouragement.

When the invitation came out to work on the next SHAPE retreat, which was held only a few months later, I said yes, and I also gave a testimony about my experiences. Each time after that, when a retreat was in the works, I gladly accepted the invitation to be part of the team – I was hooked! I had formed relationships with some dear sisters and took every opportunity to work alongside them and learn from them. After the required training, I was able to become a part of the prayer team, which I LOVE!

In October, 2013, (I had worked every SHAPE in between) I decided to take the personality quiz again. Much to my surprise, I was not a Perfect Melancholy at all. I was a Powerful Choleric. I was at first a little bit dismayed, but quickly the Lord assured me that I was becoming the real me, who He created me to be. I looked back at all the freedom I had gotten over the past several years, and it began to make sense to me that the Lord was giving back that precious ground that the enemy had stolen. Yay!

So, last year I had the great privilege of being the coordinator for the SHAPE. It was scary and exciting, I forgot things I wish I would have remembered, maybe got off schedule here and there. But it was just so much fun, knowing that I was at last fulfilling a role that my sweet Heavenly Daddy had been planning for me. He goes before me, He stays beside me and He covers me. I am so thankful for our church and the resources they provide to make such things available for our growth. Even more thankful for great leadership – DeAnna Fields – who encourages me to be all that He has planned for me. I am so blessed I cannot possibly hold it all!