In December 2025, women from across the country gathered in Fort Worth, Texas, for a retreat designed around a single, beautiful theme: Finding Your Treasures. These treasures were not gold, jewels, or anything that can be held in the hand. Instead, they were the relationships we built; those rare, life-giving connections that help us grow, give us courage, and remind us of our dignity and worth. At the MFNN Inspire Retreat, women representing twelve different cities came together to discover these treasures within themselves, within one another, and within the community we are seeking to build.
From the moment the women arrived, the atmosphere was intentionally shaped to be a safe, welcoming place where everyone could bring their whole, authentic selves. No one had to give up their cultural or theological distinctions. For many, this was the first time meeting the women who would soon feel like sisters. And yet, as we sat together, talked together, and listened with open hearts, something beautiful began to happen. We recognized ourselves in each other. We found that beneath our varied backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and faith traditions, there were deep commonalities that knitted our hearts together. At the same time, we opened ourselves to better understanding, and even appreciating, the differences that enrich our shared experience.
Much of this heart-connection happened around the tables where we gathered for meaningful conversations. Each topic invited us to reflect not only on our own stories, but on the stories that shaped the women sitting beside us. We talked about our families and the positive character traits we see in those we love, traits that we hope to carry forward into the new friendships we are building. We shared about the women who have impacted, inspired, taught, and helped us become who we are today. As each woman spoke, the room filled with a sense of respect. These were not surface-level conversations. These were gifts, treasures, we were offering one another.
We also discussed our hopes for these new friendships. What do we want to receive? And equally important, what do we want to give? These questions moved us toward honesty, vulnerability, and a deeper awareness that friendship is both a privilege and a responsibility. The courage to be authentic, to listen well, and to show up for one another became one of the greatest treasures of the retreat.
A central part of our gathering was exploring what it means to be a multi-faith community of women. Many retreats bring together people who share the same beliefs. Inspire is different. We come together precisely because we are different. And we believe that when women of different faiths form genuine friendships, something powerful happens: bridges of peace are built.
During our sessions, we talked about how our personal faith traditions shape our worldview, how each of us, in our own way, understands purpose, value, and responsibility. Yet even amid these differences, there was profound unity in one foundational truth: every human being has dignity and value, which comes from God. This belief, shared across our diverse backgrounds, became the foundation for peacebuilding. We realized that if we commit to honoring one another’s dignity, we can model a way of living that our communities and our country desperately need.
But the retreat was not all seriousness. It was also filled with joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Our excursion to the Fort Worth Stockyards added a lively, adventurous spirit to the weekend. Together, we experienced a slice of Texas cowboy culture, watching a Longhorn cattle drive as cowboys guided the massive animals down the street. There was laughter echoing through the crowd as we took turns participating in armadillo races, something few of us had ever imagined doing. And of course, many of the women embraced their moment of bravery by sitting atop a Longhorn steer for a photo that will undoubtedly become a cherished memory.
These moments of shared fun played an important role. When you laugh together, try new things together, cry, hug, and experience something outside your normal routine, it binds hearts in ways that words alone cannot. Throughout the retreat, we witnessed this bonding happening naturally, authentically, and joyfully.
The heartbeat of Inspire is simple but profound: to form multi-faith groups of women across the country who build authentic friendships and model peace together. We hope that as these friendships blossom, first in small groups of three, six, or ten women, they will ripple outward, influencing families, neighborhoods, and entire communities.
When women choose to step across lines of difference and meet each other with respect, curiosity, and compassion, they create something the world cannot ignore. They become a living example that peace is not only possible but also powerful, practical, and contagious. These relationships will shape homes. They will shape schools. They will shape how we talk to one another, how we solve problems, and how we navigate disagreements. And just as importantly, they will shape the next generation, showing children and young adults what it looks like to live with openness and courage.
Our future is bright. This retreat set the stage for Inspire groups to grow in each city represented and then expand to more cities across the nation. The next few months will see women continuing to meet, month after month, offering encouragement, exchanging ideas, listening deeply, and supporting one another through the ups and downs of life. Communities will be strengthened by the peace these women model. And it will lead to a country in which multi-faith friendships are not rare but celebrated.
As we look back on our time together in Fort Worth, one truth stands out clearly: our greatest treasures are the people we choose to invest in. These women, laughing, crying, learning, exploring, and growing side by side, are a living illustration of what happens when love overcomes fear, when curiosity overcomes assumptions, and when unity overcomes division.
The Inspire Retreat reminded us that when women join hands, hearts, and hopes, there is no limit to the impact they can have. The days ahead are full of promise, and together we step forward with excitement, dedication, and the unshakeable belief that peace begins with friendship, and that friendship is the greatest treasure of all.
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