Single Moms Retreat

Gather with single moms from across Minnesota for a weekend of biblical teaching and a time to relax, refresh, and have some fun.

Our mission is to show attendees extravagant love and encourage each woman to dream BIG dreams with God.

Join Us:

  • May 31-June 1, 2024
  • Lake Geneva Christian Center (Alexandria, MN)
  • Main Sessions, Multiple Breakouts & Lots of Giveaways, including Car Care, a Spa, Boutique, Library, Girls Night Out, and much more!
  • Attend, Volunteer, Invite, or Donate
  • Register (Please note: tickets are non-refundable but are transferrable.)
Register for 2024
Donate
Diva Boutique Drop Off Locations
Volunteer

VOLUNTEER WITH US

CAR CARE VOLUNTEERS

HAIR STYLIST VOLUNTEERS

  • Licensed hair stylists are invited to volunteer with the SMR Salon & Spa on Friday. Email info@mnbtg.org with interest in being part next year, in 2023.

MASSAGE THERAPIST VOLUNTEERS

  • Licensed Massage Therapists are invited to volunteer with the SMR Spa on Friday or join the event as an exhibitor. Email info@mnbtg.org with interest.
Donate

BOOKS

  • Donate new/like-new (only!) Bibles and children’s books to be given away in the Kids Library. Email info@mnbtg.org with interest.
  • Print receipt for donated merchandise.

CAR CARE

  • Learn More
  • Donate (Enter your donation amount. On the next screen, click on “Donation Message,” and enter “SMR23” to designate your tax deductible donation for the retreat.)

DIVA BOUTIQUE

DOLLARS

  • Donate finances toward event costs and scholarships.
  • This event would not be possible without the generosity of individual and corporate sponsors and donors.  Email info@mnbtg.org for details on sponsorship opportunities and benefits!

GIVEAWAYS

  • Donate a gift or gift basket for one recipient, or donate a session gift for all attendees. See our wishlist, and RSVP with what you would like to give. Donations are being accepted through May 14.
  • Print receipt for donated merchandise.

SUB PROJECT

    2024 Featured Guests

    Lois Breit - SMR Speaker
    Lois Breit - Speaker

    Lois Breit

    Lois Breit - SMR Speaker
    Pastor Dave Simerson

    Pastor David Simerson has lived and served the Cornerstone Church community of Austin MN, for over twenty five years. He began his journey after graduating from North Central University, as the youth pastor of Cornerstone Church. Shortly after he was voted on by the church to take on the role of Lead Pastor in 1995. Since then his passion has been to see one more person come to live a life fully alive in Jesus Christ. He is married to his wife Sarah who currently serves as the Early Childhood Director. Together they have have one girl and three boys: Rebekah, Samuel, Caleb, and Elisha.

    Mykelti Blum
    Mykelti Blum - Emcee
    Mykelti is a mom, speaker, podcaster, and author of Braving Every Season, and contributor to a variety of devotionals. She is an advisor with Bridging the Gap and hosts their podcast.  Mykelti believes in the power of vulnerability to help women through personal reflection and building community with others. She loves encouraging women in their goals and pursuing their purpose! 
    Kendra Roehl
    Kendra - Emcee

    A look back at the 2023 Breakouts

    Faith Fitzgerald - SMR Breakout Speaker
    Rebekah Hagan

    Rebekah Hagan is one of todays youngest speakers on the issues of teenage pregnancy, abortion, and abortion pill reversal.

    Raised in a Christian home where abortion was never discussed, Rebekah’s life in pro-life ministry was unplanned and fueled, instead, by her firsthand experience. She became pregnant at seventeen with her son, Eli, and again with a second child while in her first year of college. 

    Feeling ashamed and fearing that she would lose her family and be forced to drop out of school, Rebekah thought that raising two children alone would be impossible. At just over seven weeks pregnant, she began a medication abortion that changed her life; however, her story did not end there.

    Her story has been shared by local and national media, as well as religious and secular organizations, including Vice News HBO, Focus On The Family, Students For Life, Live Action, Heartbeat International, Epoch Times, and World Magazine.

    A passionate advocate for grace-centered outreach, Rebekah Hagan uses her story to unravel the mindset of women in unplanned pregnancies, and to equip and encourage others to lead with hope and compassion.

    Rebekah is a graduate of William Jessup University and a Mission Advancement Officer at Heartbeat International. She and her family reside in Northern California.

    Learn more at rebekahhagan.org.

    Nick Gray - SMR Featured Speaker
    Nick Grey - Ask Anything

    Come ask your questions about mothering sons, relationships, faith, and anything else that comes to mind.

    Nick loves Jesus, loves his wife, and loves his kids. He is the pastor at Reach Church in Alexandria, Minnesota. He has passionate about the church being an authentic and real place for people to grow in their faith.

    Linda Greene
    Nici Ahrenholz (The Blessed Day) - Devotional Journaling Workshop

    Connect faith and life through the process of devotional journaling. Express gratitude, track habits, plan your day, study scripture utilizing the S.O.A.P method of Bible study and reflect on your day all on one page! This workshop is hands-on! We will use washi tape. markers, stickers and of course, your Bible!

    Nici is passionate about Jesus and teaching! Through her ministry, The Blessed Day, she gets to do both by helping women and children get to know the heart of God through the study of his Word and devotional journaling. She is a lover of all things creative, so if it involves art, music, or dancing, she’s all in!

    Jen Thelen
    Dolores Smith - Conflict Management
    Come learn tools to help you move through situations of conflict (the workplace, home, or other relationships) with grace!
    Dolores Smith understands that life’s challenges can overwhelm each one of us even on our best day. Her “glass half-full optimism” spills over into her service as a Bridging the Gap advisor and in her career as a Learning and Development manager. Dolores’ motivating passion is to bring people together to discover and embrace all the joy life has to give.
    Sonja Bindert SMR Breakout Speaker
    Darlene Cook - Moving from Trauma Responses to Joy-filled Living / or "Moving from Trauma to Joy"
    Learn how trauma affects our physical, emotional, and mental health and how to build more JOY capacity in your day-to-day life to start your healing journey and overcome the effects of trauma.
    Darlene Cook is the US Women’s Program Director at Door of Hope Ministries in Blaine, Minnesota. Door of Hope is a ministry that is bringing God’s healing from trauma and abuse to all people through safe housing, educational conferences, support groups, trauma recovery counseling and prayer ministry. Darlene has also served at Emmanuel Christian Center in a variety of staff roles, is the Prayer Advisor at Bridging the Gap, and is credentialed through the Assemblies of God Minnesota District.
    Lisa Elorriaga - SMR Workshop Speaker
    Tim Hiller - Car Care

    Come learn or get a refresher on how to properly check the fluids under your hood, as well as to ask any car-related questions you might have!

    Tim Hiller has been involved with car repair ministries for almost 22 years and has a heart to serve single moms and others in need. Tim and his wife, Michelle, love leading a 501c3 non-profit ministry called the Car Clinic. They are also lead the Single Moms Retreat Car Care area!

    Lois Breit
    Amanda Jaeger: How to Launch and Lead a Single Moms Group at Your Church

    Are you curious about what it would take to start a group? Come and glean from Amanda’s 12+ years of experience leading a single moms group. She will teach practical steps to get a group going and how to lead it well.

    Amanda is a tenacious, fun-loving mom of 2, now adult children. Having been a single mom for 10 years, she became passionate about leading a single moms group. Her book, Singly Ever After, is a curriculum that provides practical and biblical help to others who walk this lonely road.

    Sonja Bindert SMR Breakout Speaker
    Kristine Stensland: Date with Purpose - Creating a Foundation for Success

    When children are involved, dating gets complicated. How do you know if you or your children are ready for dating? What are some ideas for navigating your children’s fears? Are you confident you will recognize red lights in a relationship? Are you thinking about getting married and wondering what you need to know before you form a stepfamily? Join Kristine Stensland, once a single mom herself, as she provides tips, tools, and even a map for the journey.

    Kristine Stensland is the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Guide Your Heart. Kristine’s professional and personal experiences have prepared her for “a time such as this,” a time to develop and share a continuum of care for relationships. Her drive is rooted in her passion to prevent anyone else from experiencing the pain and long-term effects she has felt from her own divorce. She and her husband Mike blended their families 16 years ago and they quickly learned starting a marriage with children from previous relationships is a challenging journey and support resources are scarce. Mike and Kristine have worked together during their entire marriage to support other blended families on their own journey.

    Darlene Cook
    Darlene Cook: Overcoming Shame and Finding my True Identity in Christ

    Do you carry false responsibilities and a false identity based on past experience? Learn why we need to address shame and how we move forward into the true identity that Jesus provides for us!

    Darlene Cook is the US Women’s Program Director at Door of Hope Ministries in Blaine, Minnesota. Door of Hope is a ministry that is bringing God’s healing from trauma and abuse to all people through safe housing, educational conferences, support groups, trauma recovery counseling and prayer ministry. Darlene has also served at Emmanuel Christian Center in a variety of staff roles, is the Prayer Advisor at Bridging the Gap, and is credentialed through the Assemblies of God Minnesota District.

    Can’t find what you’re looking for? Submit a question HERE.

    Friday Schedule

    • 1:00 pm – Registration + Car Care Check-in (Gym)
    • 1:00 pm – Free Time: Diva Boutique/Spa/Haircuts/Exhibitors/The Bridge Shop/Geneva Java
    • 5:30 pm – Dinner
    • 7:00 pm – Opening Celebration
    • 9:30 pm – After Party

    Saturday Schedule

      • 7:00 am – 5K Fun Run/Rollerblade/Bike & 1 Mile Walk
      • 7:00 am – Lakeside Bonfire Devotions (Lake front)
      • 7:00 am – Breakfast
      • 8:15 am – Car Care Breakout
      • 9:00 am – Morning Celebration
      • 10:30 am – Coffee Break
      • 11:00 am – Breakout Sessions 1
      • 12:00 pm – Lunch & Free Time: Diva Boutique/Exhibitors/The Bridge Shop/Geneva Java
      • 1:30 pm – Breakout Sessions 2
      • 2:30 pm – Closing Celebration
      • 4:30 pm – Car Pickup

     

    Activities

    Car Care

    The Car Care team will be offering free safety and fluid checks for those vehicles that check in by 5:00 pm on Friday, June 2. Each driver must provide proof of insurance in her name upon checking-in her car. Please take all necessities out of your vehicle when dropping it off. You will be texted or called when your vehicle checkup is completed.

    GET INVOLVED:

    • Volunteer with the Car Care Team
    • Learn More or promote.
    • Donate (Enter your donation amount. On the next screen, click on “Donation Message,” and enter “SMR23” to designate your tax deductible donation for the retreat.)
    Diva Boutique

    The Diva Boutique is an SMR store with thousands of pieces of new and gently used clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Each attendee will have the opportunity to shop for free and take home a select number of items! Also stop by the SUB Shop for a free set of undergarments.

    Geneva Java

    Specialty coffees, smoothies, & more will be available for sale at the Geneva Java!

    Girls Night Out!

    Don’t miss the Girls Night Out party with music, Bingo, bonfires, pizza, rock climbing, Diva Boutique shopping, the Spa, and more!

    The Bridge Shop

    The Bridge Shop is a boutique store and located at Lake Geneva Christian Center. Operated by BTG volunteers, its purpose is to donate proceeds to one MN or international humanitarian-project annually!

    We offer beautiful and unique gifts, home décor, jewelry, accessories, and more!

    Stop by between 10:00 am-5:00 pm or 9:30-11:00 pm on Friday and 10:00 am-5:00 pm on Saturday.

    1 Mile Walk or 5K Run/Rollerblade/Bike

    Join us bright and early on Saturday to exercise with new friends!

    Spa

    The SMR Spa–offered by Willmar AG–includes free nail painting, foot soaks, hand massages, and more! We know you’re going to love this area!

    Audio/Video Archives

    Click Here

    Single Moms Resources

    Click Here

    Promotional Tools

    Download Promo Video

    See Graphics

    Single Moms Facebook Group

    Join

    Thank You, 2023 Sponsors

    Email us to learn about sponsorship opportunities.

    Platinum Sponsors

    River Valley Logo
    River Valley Logo
    River Valley Logo

    Gold Sponsor

    Bronze Sponsor