“Do you know the impact Thrive is having?” one global woman said at our gathering this morning. “You need to know that investing in me lets me go back to the field, to invest in the people there, to continue sharing the love of Jesus.” 

Today marked the last day of our Melbourne retreat, when we got to hear from attendees how their time with Thrive has transformed them. 

Several women expressed a version on a common theme: 

• An aha moment—clarity as to how God is specifically using her in the field 




• Safety and familiarity at the retreat, to freely share hard things vulnerably and authentically 




• Tears shed from broken places 




• Healing parts she didn’t know needed healing 




• Receiving a clear calling for what’s next 

Many women expressed their deep appreciation for the acts of service that included physical touch. “I’ve been crying the whole time,” one said. “While having my facial, I could feel the prayers of everyone in the room. It felt like the hands of Jesus giving me that facial.” 

One woman shared that as she met with a counselor, she mentioned she’d like to pray more with her husband. “Okay,” the counselor responded, “do it.” 

“I learned that the Lord is not complicated,” the attendee said, laughing. “I appreciated the simplicity of that advice.” 

“I’ve been serving on the field my whole adult life, more than twenty years. This has been one of the most significant moments of my life,” Michele said. “One thing after another after another. So deliberate, right down to the donuts.” 

Another woman put it this way: “This is the gospel—lavish, unmerited love. We don’t deserve it. I felt overwhelmed that ladies would come to serve us in this way. And not only the volunteers, but also the attendees, who have crossed oceans so that we can minister to each other.” 

“I have three ways to sum up why this works,” Katie said. “Holistic love. Intentional approach. Excellent execution. You need to know, I’m going back different.”