Lighthouse Week One is Almost Here!

I'm so excited! Some of the most remarkable friendships of my life were formed during our last week of volunteering at Lighthouse and I can't wait to get to know the newest group of family guests & volunteers!

To make it even more thrilling, I have just learned that TWO of my students from my Small Group of 6th graders at church are going to be volunteering alongside us! I'm so proud that these girls have such a heart for others and are eager to spend their Spring Break in this way! Thank you, Guin and Abi! I love you both! I know that every parent and leader feels the same as I do - we are continually amazed by the lessons we learn from the youngest amongst us!

So are you counting down like I am?? It's nearly time for some sun, sand, flip flops, waves, food, fun, friendships, singing, dancing, swimming, laughing - and loving!!

If you are sponsoring someone who is attending - THANK YOU!!! (If you WANT to become a sponsor or simply want to check out what Lighthouse Family Retreats are all about, go to www.lighthousefamilyretreat.org) Please check in here frequently for fun news & pix of all that is going on as the Lighthouse 2011 beach retreats get underway! :)

Yum! Good Food is on the Horizon!

My husband Jim is serving as the Kitchen Lead during Week One and - wow! He has been plottin' & plannin' his menus all day and I can promise you - we're in for a great week of eatin' just ahead! :)

He has Italian in his blood, so expect Spaghetti Night to be particularly delicious. And we know from last year's Week Eight that his Low Country Boil Night is also a Don't Miss! One of my personal faves is the night that we get to hang out with the kids while parents have a fun Date Night Out! Pizza, movies & lots of laughter back at the beach! :)

OK, now my stomach is growling. Dang. Won't Week One ever get here??

See you soon,
Cheryl

The Countdown Continues!

Last night, many of the volunteers who will be serving during Week One of this year's Lighthouse Family Retreat slate got together for some fun, food & fact gathering. What a great group of people! Women, men, teens, kids - all are excited about heading to the beach to love on some families who need a chance to relax & play for a few days! It's tough to describe just what makes Lighthouse FR such a remarkable experience - there are so many wonderful things happening at once - but I'm pretty sure the winning foundation is LOVE!

Here's a sneak peek at a few of the volunteers who will soon be stirring up sand, waves & merriment with a few precious families who need it most:

Lighthouse Week One Is Just Weeks Away!

Hi, I’m Cheryl Lewis from Alpharetta, Georgia. My family and I volunteer at North Point Community Church (and, as of next week, I’ll also be on staff there – yay!).  Last summer, my family participated as volunteers in our first Lighthouse Family Retreat. It was amazing! The families we met there genuinely feel like extensions of our own family now. We had heard it would be wonderful, but experiencing it LIVE is beyond description!

So we have been counting the weeks until we can return and – woohoo! – that number is now just 2! We’re extremely excited to be participating Week One during our Spring Break, which is the first full week of April. I hope you’re on that trip! I would love to meet you – or have a reunion! (We’ll also be back during Week Eight.)

Each week, a participant will be a featured blogger on this site. I’ll be blogging each day during Week One, so tell your family & friends that they can check in for updates, pictures and fun video posts. Or, better yet, come experience it in person! It will change your life in ways you can’t even imagine.

* My time at Lighthouse is dedicated to Kenzie Gonzalez, who we met during our Lighthouse Retreat last July. She taught me more about joy and selfless love (& fun!) in just a few months than I had grasped the rest of my lifetime!

Two weeks ago, on March 2^nd, she went home to Heaven. While we miss her like crazy, her JOY is with us each & every day! I am forever grateful to Lighthouse for creating the opportunity to have her in my Life and to God for sharing her with the world for six years! My outlook on life will never be the same!