The Saturday afternoon break-out session was devoted to that reflection and reminded many women of their school days. With paper and crayons in hand, they were asked to draw a picture or time line representing how United Methodist Women (UMW) has affected their spiritual journey, then share highlights from that journey with a partner.

"The Lord had me pegged from the beginning," said Marie Sharpe, a member of Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Orlando.

When Sharpe left college, she wanted to be an accountant, making "all the money in the world." But after marrying her husband, a United Methodist, and becoming involved with United Methodist Women in her church in Kansas, all that changed.

"Right away, I was involved with children on the mission team for the [UMW] School of Christian Mission. I didn't want to work with children. I wanted to work with adults," Sharpe said. "But that was not the Lord's goal."

Since then, Sharpe's professional and church-related work has been devoted to children and youth. "It's scary when you sit back and reflect how the Lord has planned your life; not what you wanted to do at all," Sharpe said. "And you know, those other [material] things don't matter."

Sharpe's friend and partner during the sharing time had her own story to tell.

Mary Jackson, a member of Freedom United Methodist Church in Gainesville, joined her church's UMW right out of college, and at 26 years old, became her unit's president. She said the next 11 years' involvement with UMW changed her life. "Everything I've done spiritually is connected with UMW," she said.

Jackson was recently hired as a coordinator at the University of Florida Tissue Bank. She says all she learned as a coordinator for UMW-related projects prepared her for the job.

"I wasn't looking for a job. I did not want to go through that door," she said. "But the Lord told me that's where I needed to go."

"You wonder how you made it the year before without UMW," Sharpe said.

Sharpe and others said attending the retreat was something they did for themselves. "We're guilty of neglecting ourselves. We will forgo our plans for someone else," she said. "[But] when we have a healthy attitude we can help God's people."

That idea was affirmed by the retreat's keynote speaker, Marjorie Kimbrough, who shared stories about important women in the Bible and her seven steps to self-esteem. Kimbrough has written meditations for women and several books on self-esteem. She's also a member of the 4,000-member Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta where her husband serves as senior pastor.

Denise Morrell of Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Jacksonville said Kimbrough's seventh step, do something for yourself every day, had a message for her.

"I have been doing everything for them [her children]," she said. "I'm going to start doing more things for me from now on. This was the affirmation for me."

Doris Doss of Lockhart United Methodist Church in Orlando said: "I come here to get spirit-filled. This is my time."