Sunny Golden

Growth is a noun that means: “development from a simpler to a more complex stage.” It means to increase, to mature, to develop. The beauty of watching girls attend multiple Delight retreats is exactly this! To see the growth. . .not only in their gifts, talents, businesses, but more importantly with their love and passion for Jesus.

It was January of 2014 at halftime of my Ethan’s basketball game. I was sitting on the bleachers waiting for the next half of the game to start, when a notification on my phone said that our last spot had filled! I hurriedly looked to see who it was! I didn’t recognize the name out of our 500+ online girls. And the girl signing up was from Hawaii. . . .so wasn’t sure she was legit. I am pretty protective “momma bear” over the girls and often find myself stalking. I couldn’t find “Sunny Golden” on facebook. I didn’t find her on instagram. I finally found her on a google search and saw she truly was a photographer from Oahu!

I remember as Sunny came through the doors the first night of the retreat in April of 2014! Her smile and joy radiated the entire room! I remember as she stepped off the plane in April of 2015 as I couldn’t wait to give her a great big hug! She has been such a blessing in my life & I am so thankful that God has connected us! I asked her to share her story of how she found out about Delight and what Delight has meant to her. I want to encourage you if you are a parent of a teen girl who is creative, if you are a young woman who loves painting, drawing, hand-lettering, photography, singing, etc., you don’t want to miss this upcoming retreat in April of 2016!!

And guess what? There is an exciting announcement at the end of this post!!

xoxo,

Momma Wall

by: Sunny Golden

My first encounter with Delight was when a friend had tagged me in one of their Instagram posts. It was a post promoting their retreat and I remember reading something like this in the first line (and I’m paraphrasing here): “a retreat for girls 16-21 who are passionate about Jesus and Photography.” I had no idea who these people were but I was kinda flipping out! How could something as wonderful as this really exist? It seemed to be a retreat set up for someone just like me and I couldn’t even handle the idea of it! I knew I had to go some way or another! I told my Mom about it and we watched the video from the 2013 retreat. We both found ourself in tears knowing that this was something only God could have set up. And that was that! I signed up and was going after a phone call or two to Mama Wall, (to make sure this thing wasn’t run by creepers or a scam because you never know), some emails and prayer.

I knew this trip was something the Holy Spirit was prompting me to do. I was willing to travel alone, which let me just say was crazy for me. I was a girl with a past of major anxiety issues and a girl who had never stepped foot on a plane without family, that was crazy talk. However, God gave me that courage to even be open to such a thing. Turns out that my mom and grandma ended up coming with me to Washington anyway, but I just want you to understand that the Lord had already started stirring up something within me. So Spring of 2014, I found myself in beautiful Washington. I could hardly contain myself as we pulled up to this magical lodge along side a river, with countless tall forest trees surrounding. I walked up to the door and was tackled with hugs and all I could see were smiling faces. It was the most wonderful greeting I could have every received. Throughout the evening more girls came through the doors from the airport traveling from all over the US. When we all got settled, our incredible weekend together had begun.

That weekend was filled with digging deep into the word together, laughing together, crying together, praying for one another, creating together, encouraging one another, inspiring each other and the list just goes on. To explain everything that I experienced at the retreat and what it meant seems almost impossible. There is just so much! But I can say that I am just so so thankful for the few short days I had there. It was so beautiful and colorful and hard to describe, but I know the Lord moved mightily. I look at Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” and follow Mary’s example in remembering all that blessed me with a thankful heart.

However, for me I don’t think it was until after the retreat that I REALLY realized what God was doing and how He wanted to use my experience. 2014 marked a new me, I was so on fire for Jesus and felt myself so in tune with Holy Spirit. I knew the courage that He gave me earlier that year would lead to something. That Fall I went on my first mission trip and a few other trips that this time were my first travel-without-parents experiences. He wanted me to leave my fear from the past and step into being a fearless, adventurous woman of God. I know that what God did at the retreat played a big part in sparking that fire within me. I also know that Delight as a whole continues to help me grow into the woman He wants me to me everyday. I am in awe of how He uses and has used this ministry in my life.

Ultimately, Delight showed me a different sense of community within His church. Yes, if I were to explain Delight to you in one word it would probably be “community”. I learned how the Lord loves to connect His people, even in the craziest, most random ways. He has placed me within this beautiful family and it’s something I will be forever thankful for. I’ve met some of my call-for-everything friends over the past two years of being in this group and continue to meet so many amazing girls. I know that if I travel anywhere there is almost always a Delight girl nearby ready to meet me for coffee or welcome me into her home. Missing any Delight retreat, intensive or gathering is like missing a family reunion. Even though it’s obvious I can’t make every event, it just goes to show how these girls have each taken a piece of my heart. Delight is a place to be invested in and loved on, and let me just say I have been blessed.

EXCITING NEWS!!! OUR SPRING 2016 RETREAT IS ANNOUNCED HERE!!!!!