Welcome to Heartlands Spring 2025! This is the quarterly e-publication for EmpowHer, a network of Tasmanian women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.
UPCOMING EVENT
BAPTIST WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
2-3:30pm Saturday 1 November2025
Come along to Hobart Baptist Church to celebrate, pray for and support the work of Baptist women around the world.
Taking place in Brisbane just before the Baptist World Congress, the Baptist Women’s Summit was a one-of-a-kind, quinquennial (every five years) event bringing Baptist sisters together from around the world. They were there for a unified time of worship, prayer, leadership development, and ministry mobilization.
Read the report. See the photos. Which Tasmanians do you know?
A five-day silent retreat! What on earth had we signed up for? I was a bit nervous, to be honest. A single day of silent retreat seemed a bit over the top, let alone five! But we were as ready as we could be for a week set aside to explore with God about what the future held in store for us.
The retreat centre, Penhurst, is not far from the town of Battle, where the Battle of Hastings was fought in England’s south-east. On this early spring day, Stephen and I drove up to the stately old manor house. It was set in extensive gardens and had incredible views of the surrounding countryside. A group of local volunteers care for this place, enabling people to come from the world over for retreats, or missions and ministry down-time. Certainly, a labour of love.
The driveway as we entered Penhurst
We gathered with our lovely retreat leader, Melanie, and seven others that Sunday evening for a meal and a chat. She briefed us about what we were expected to do, or not do, during the week ahead.
A Baptist minister, Melanie described herself as “a retreat junkie”, clearly loving what she does. “I enjoy the sense of walking with Jesus that people feel while they’re here,” she explained.
She talked for a while about what the week would look like, and ended with the encouragement, “It’s also important to remember that while we will be living together in silence, your presence is a gift to the other retreat participants.” This proved to be so true. We were silent, but not alone.
“Be still, and know that I am God”Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
Finding Our Rhythm in Silence – out of my depth
We shared devotions that first evening, led by Melanie. We would repeat this gathering, both morning and evening every day. At those times we could “break silence” if we wanted. Each person was also allocated a pastoral care worker. We met for up to 45-minutes every day to check on progress, offer prayer, and timely guidance and wisdom.
Janet, my pastoral care person, wrote me an email a couple of weeks before the retreat. I discovered she had been praying for me. She suggested some Bible verses to ponder as I prepared for the week. The passage she sent from Ezekiel 47, was incredibly apt, and ended up becoming the focus of my retreat. It talked about trusting “the man” as Ezekiel walked in ever-increasing depths of water. Eventually, he was out of his depth.
The message to me was to know I would be safe, even if I felt out my depth. Those were encouraging words to hold onto as my next large project unfolded over the coming months.
Challenges create strength
The hardest, or perhaps funniest, moments were at mealtimes, when we all sat down together around one large table. Yes, in complete silence. We discovered body language is definitely a language! We learnt to anticipate each other’s needs, passing water, salt, pepper, and extra cutlery as needed. The funniest moment came the day we had roast pork for lunch. We had been joined that day by someone else, himself on a 24-hour silent retreat. He couldn’t quite believe our mirth as we crunched our crackling in the quiet room. We were hardly able to stop from cracking up with laughter!
While Stephen and I shared a room, even then, we elected to maintain silence. Melanie did suggest we might plan a signal, so we could leave the property to talk if that became necessary. This became our post-meal eye contact habit. We didn’t need to chat the first few days. However, by mid-week, our walks around the block became an essential part of our retreat experience.
This meant we were strengthened in our personal walk with God, as well as in our relationship with each other. We discussed many issues raised by our times of silence, and made some fresh decisions for our future together.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul”Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)
Green pastures aplenty nearby!
Going Deeper with God
Was I really out of my depth? By the middle of the week, I didn’t want the time to ever end. The awareness of Jesus walking with me, or perhaps wading with me, connecting and communing, was inspiring, invigorating, and delightful! It was a slow race to the end. By Friday, having received the clarity and peace I’d been seeking, I felt equipped and ready. It was time to re-enter the world, and to trust Jesus with my future.
Retreats are not for everyone, especially silent retreats which can play havoc for those with mental health issues. Hence the need for guidance at times. However, there are so many benefits I would encourage anyone who can to take some time away on retreat. No matter how short or long, a retreat brings spiritual nourishment and refreshing. Sometimes, it’s the only way to move forward.
As the sign on the dining room door at Penhurst proclaimed:
Out of my depth
Jenny Baxter is the State Leader for EmpowHer for women. She attends Hobart Baptist Church.
Sabbath of Wonder Regional Retreats – What Happened?
By Ann Herbert
[Don’t miss the opportunity to experience your own mini-retreat, below!]
During July, August, and September, women from across Tasmania accepted the invitation to let go their ‘to-do’ list. They retreated into Sabbath rest, taking time to notice, attend to, and absorb the wonder of God’s presence in their lives, and to align themselves with him.
Together, they reminded themselves of God’s creation, and the special bond we have through the Holy Spirit with God our Father and Jesus our Saviour.
Each Sabbath of Wonder began with breaking bread and drinking grape juice in shared communion.
At certain times, we gathered to pause and reflect on the ways God enters our lives and sustains us through our daily and seasonal rhythms – ‘selah’ moments – in which to meditate on the immense mysteries and wonders of God.
In between these times, we shared silence together, holding space for God and for each other to hear his Spirit-whispers and encounter God’s Presence.
Toward the end of each retreat, we gathered to make paper lanterns. We then released them into the wind or onto the water. As we opened our fingers and let the lanterns fall from our grasp, we each spoke a word or phrase that summed up something from our Sabbath time together. Something that the Holy Spirit had prompted us to release into God’s care.
Paper lanterns: Taranna, Clarence Point, Turners Beach
25-26 July – Taranna: Showers of Blessing
The retreat on the Tasman Peninsula was set in bushy surrounds, with views across the Derwent River towards Mt Wellington/kunanyi.
At about 3am on Saturday, the rain started. When the sun rose, there were no brilliant reds and golds. Almost imperceptibly the dawn dimness brightened into day as we stood in the shelter of a wide veranda and watched the rain fall, muting the grey-greens and browns of the surrounding bushland.
We breathed in the scent of eucalypt and rain. We listened to a gentle wind whispering through the trees, accompanying the rain’s quiet melody. The river, calm and still, offered shades of pastel blue-grey and silver that merged into the rain-cloud’s misty greys.
Filling our senses
Three nearby ponds, unruffled by the wind, reflected a leaden, gum-leaf green. Concentric circles constantly moved and rippled across their surfaces as water droplets landed in a continuous, generous infilling and replenishing.
All the while, the rain steadily fell as we filled our senses with creation sights, sounds, and smells. We revelled in the wonder of it, absorbing its peace. Someone said it put them in mind of an old hymn, Showers of Blessing. There was more silence. Then someone else asked if she could read the words of this hymn. Our nods were an invitation, and she began:
There shall be showers of blessing: this is the promise of love.
There shall be seasons of refreshing sent from the Saviour above.
Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.
As we listened to the words, rain fell on the ponds like mercy-drops falling and falling. As we listened to the words, droplets rippled across the surfaces like mercy-drops rippling and rippling. The rain refreshed and replenished like mercy-drops filling and filling again.
We set ourselves apart to honour God and be touched by God’s Presence while the rain fell and kept falling until about 3am on Sunday: Twenty-four hours of drenching showers filled with the sounds of abundance. We, too, were being replenished and refreshed.
8-9 August – The Tamar: Sabbath Stillness
Leaving Launceston behind, we sped along a road that took us to Clarence Point, at the mouth of the Tamar River. As we rushed toward our destination, we found ourselves entering stillness. Perhaps it was the light, or the clarity of the air, or the mirror-like reflections of the Tamar River estuary. Perhaps it was a combination of all these, plus ‘something’ other.
The road led us by the river flats before rising into the bordering foothills. The clear skies were a smooth, intense blue extending into the infinity of space. Reeds grew in the shallows. Trees and bushes in various leafy shades grew along the river’s edge. Between the trees and the skyline, paddocks lay in a patchwork of pasture greens. The river’s stillness embraced the surrounding earth and sky, mirroring it as a wonder-offering for anyone who paused to notice.
We drove through farmland. I remember thinking that everything had a ‘sleepy’ quality to it. There were no people and no animals, no signs of activity. Just the occasional homestead surrounded by paddocks and bushland. Thus, we drove into restfulness. Imperceptibly, it began seeping into our bodies, minds, and spirits. Even as our cars sped onwards, we slowed in readiness for Sabbath and wonder.
Still my soul, be still
The late afternoon sun intensified the colours and sense of stillness. A light gold hue imbued everything as the full moon rose bright and white. Not a breath of wind disturbed this quiet out-of-the-way place as dusk descended.
Stillness across the Tamar; The moon rose, full and bright; Pastoral scene out our doorstep.
In the darkness, we stood on the shore under the light of the full moon, gazing at the stars. The sounds of frogs croaking and birds calling floated on the air, across the smooth water. The still night air held a calming quiet that filled our senses.
We listened as one of us began to sing a haunting melody:
Lead Kindly Light* come lead me on. This night is dark, and I am far from home.
Keep thou my feet, one step enough for me.
This was not always my mind. I loved to choose and see the pathway so clear.
I loved to know which ways my life would go. Proud was my life, my heart, my mind.
Now as the darkness falls, I need you Kindly Light. Come stay with me.
Come Kindly Light of God.
We had entered ‘shabbat shalom’: twenty-four hours from sundown to sundown. Twenty-four hours of slowing ourselves to pray and reflect and be open to God’s presence. Twenty-four hours enfolded in peaceful sabbath and the kindly light of God.
12-13 September – Turner’s Beach: The Soft Susurrus of Surf
From the lounge window, we saw the surf breaking through a gap in the bushes that lined the beach. From the dining room, we saw the waters of Bass Strait extending to the horizon. Following a short path that led from the garden, through the bushes, to the beach, we stepped onto a pebble wall that gently sloped to meet the sand. We gazed out to sea while surrounded by driftwood, pebbles, sand, and surf.
Moon setting; Beach walks
For twenty-four hours – whether we were on the beach, the balcony, or in the house, the sound of the sea was a constant presence. Depending on the strength of the surf, it was a low, steady rumble, or a gentle whisper, or a song in which the bass and baritone shaped the chorus. Its soft susurrus accompanied our conversations and filled our listening silences. It sang and spoke to us of God’s constant, unceasing Presence.
After dark, we stood on the beach gazing at the stars, conscious of Saturn, Jupiter and Venus in the night sky above, and feeling the cool wind on our faces. As our eyes adjusted, more stars became visible. We realised that, In the same way, there are always deeper levels of wonder to discover as we open ourselves to God’s Presence and attune ourselves to his nearness.
At dawn, the moon hung in the sky above Bass Strait, shedding a warm silvery glow that reflected in a shining path from the horizon to the beach. In the east, a red-gold glow intensified as the sun rose.
The moon above Bass Strait at dawn; Golden sunrise; Rocks and driftwood
Sunrise glory
The tide had gone out, revealing an expanse of sand that turned gold and became an extension of the sunrise. The sea, the sand, the flecks of seafoam, and the pebbles caught in the tideline absorbed the sun’s warm rays, embraced its glory, and made it their own. As we stood at the tideline, on wet sand turned to gold, we too absorbed the radiance. Bathed in golden sunlight, we too received its glory. We could see it reflected in each other’s faces.
These things became a metaphor reminding that, like the sun, the radiance of God’s glory reaches into our small, earthbound selves to lighten our lives and bless us with his constant goodness and love. Like the soft susurrus of the surf, the Holy Spirit ceaselessly whispers God’s song of love, mercy and rightness into our souls, reminding us of his constant nearness and unceasing Presence as we go about the ordinary busyness of life.
We experienced the truth of Bible verses we had shared during our twenty-four hours of Sabbath:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hand …
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world. (Psalm 19:1,4)
The whole earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:5)
The whole earth is full of God’s glory. (Isaiah 6:3)
Would you like to experience your own mini-Sabbath of Wonder Retreat?
Retreat leaders Jenny Baxter and Ann Herbert have prepared a shorter version of the Sabbath of Wonder for Heartlands readers! Download using one of the below buttons.
