Part Two: When Breakthrough Rings in Bellville
By Cynthia Wenz
Flash forward to today.
I sit in the seat of CEO for the very ministry that once held space for my healing. It’s not lost on me how full-circle God’s faithfulness is.
I’m deeply blessed and inspired to serve alongside a united, prayerful board as Serenity Retreat prepares to celebrate its 25th year—a year of reflection and renewed mission.
Twenty-five years of quiet miracles. Of whispered prayers. Of stewarding sacred ground that has absorbed the tears and testimonies of hundreds who came to meet with and receive from God.
This summer, as heat slowed the rhythm of the city, our board made a strategic move: they asked me to step in as unpaid interim CEO to fill the gap and carry the weight of vision leading up to our 25th Anniversary Fundraiser on October 3rd.
It wasn’t a business decision; it was a spiritual one.
We sensed that this summer wasn’t a pause, it was a preparation.
And so, we, as an organization, have turned first to prayer.
Led by our dear Tiffany Pardue, the Serenity team launched 40 Days of Favor — committing 25 minutes of every morning to lift high the name of Jesus, not only for our ministry, but for hearts across the city, our partners, the Church, and the world.
These moments have become the heartbeat of this season. No production, no polish. Just believers united in one cry: Come, Lord Jesus. Move among us.
From those calls to the quiet trails of Bellville, breakthrough is beginning to take shape again. It’s the kind that’s born from humble hearts and holy ground.
We hear it in worship echoing from the cabins, Lodge and prayer chapel.
We feel it in tears that water the soil beneath our feet.
We see it when someone walks out of a Transformation Prayer Ministry session, ringing the bell — a literal, physical bell — because they’ve encountered freedom, truth, and the nearness of Jesus.
And how fitting that this year, our 25th Anniversary will be held at The Bell Tower on 34th Street — a place where bells echo through stone halls, as if heaven itself were affirming: Breakthrough has a sound.
It’s the sound of prayers whispered in faith.
The sound of truth replacing lies.
The sound of a bell ringing in Bellville, and in hearts ready to be free.
Will You Join the Sound of Breakthrough?
🙏 Pray with us: Join the last 6 Days of our 40 Days of Prayer: Sign-Up for our daily 40 Days of Favor prayer guide here
🎟️ Host or sponsor a table at the 25th Anniversary Fundraiser Celebrations. Whether you’ve attended before or not, your presence and invitation could make room for someone else’s healing: Register to Host or Sponsor a table here
💛 Partner with Serenity Retreat: Through prayer, presence, or financial support, you help us continue to offer sacred spaces of restoration to those who need it most.
Breakthrough is more than a moment.
It’s a movement.
And it’s already begun.
Come ring the bell with us.
RSVP at serenityretreat.com/ringthebell.