Fundraiser: Made for More – Serenity Retreat

Partnership in Fellowship

Written by Warren Koshak on October 27, 2026. Posted in Fundraiser: Made for More, Ministry Brief, Serenity Retreat. No Comments on Partnership in Fellowship

by Warren Koshak

Pam and I were richly blessed to chair Serenity Retreat’s Annual Fundraiser on October 14^th at the Junior League and meet many wonderful people in the process. I left the gathering with a simple phrase that has been resonating with me:

“Partnership in Fellowship”

We are created for fellowship with Father, Son, Spirit and each other. Combining that with partnering for Kingdom work provides an awesome framework within which to consider how we engage each other and those we are serving. As I reiterated toward the end of the luncheon, our Blueprint of Care is steadfast. We are firmly grounded on the finished work of the cross and all it implies including the release of the Holy Spirit, Who leads us into all truth. Everything that we do is bathed in Intercessory Prayer as we seek His Will. Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) is our preferred vehicle powered by the Spirit to bring us to Truth. Sacred spaces and places for transformation exemplified by our precious 26 acre Bellville Retreat center are key. Strategic partnerships experienced in fellowship are magnifying impact and we are prayerfully contemplating how to best walk side by side with others. I personally echo what I and my fellow leaders are continuing to hear from those who participated on that Wednesday: the Event was positively different, impactful, meaningful and the messaging is clear. As your Executive Director I remain humbled, excited with a healthy dose of awe at what our Lord has called us to do. Thank you for all that you do together as Partners in Fellowship. Let’s continue to explore what He has in store.

Be Blessed and Transformed,
Warren

“I’ve Never Felt Loved Like This”: What Happened in 40 Days of Prayer

Written by Barbara Rolen on October 27, 2026. Posted in Community Support, Fundraiser: Made for More, Prayer, Serenity Blog. No Comments on “I’ve Never Felt Loved Like This”: What Happened in 40 Days of Prayer

by Barb Rolen

On the second morning of our 40 days of prayer, a participant sent us a message that began, “Right now my body is shaking, literally.”

As the Scripture and the reflection were read aloud, one phrase had gone straight to Mishael’s heart: those who are joined with God are one in Him. He saw how much of his life he had spent fighting to do everything on his own, and how much of that fight he no longer had to carry.

That was Day 2. Thirty-eight mornings were still ahead.

From September 4 through October 13, we gathered each morning on Zoom for Made for More: Experiencing Our Union with Christ. Every day held a passage of Scripture, a short reflection, a quiet moment to receive, and prayer. Sixty-five people registered and received an email each morning, and ten to eighteen joined us each morning for the corporate prayer call. The whole journey rested on one verse we kept returning to:

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17–18 (ESV)

At the cross, everything changed for anyone who places their faith in Jesus. Yet most of us sense a gap between what became true of us at salvation and what we actually experience day to day. That gap is not evidence of failure. It is an invitation from the Spirit, who longs to reach the hidden places where we have yet to be persuaded of His truth.

The Journey in Five Movements

Forty days, five movements, each one building on the last.

Movement One: Receive (Days 1–14, September 4–17)

What Has Already Been Given. We started at the foundation: created for love, completely forgiven, given a new heart, and joined to Him forever. Before we asked anything of ourselves, we simply received.

Movement Two: Recognize (Days 15–21, September 18–24)

The Gap Between Knowing and Living. Then we got honest about the distance between what is true of us and what we actually experience. We met the Father who is already running toward the prodigal on Day 19, and we learned that when truth does not fully land, the question is not “Do I have enough faith?” but “What do I still believe that He wants to reach?”

Movement Three: Discover (Days 22–28, September 25–October 1)

Where the Spirit Meets What’s Hidden. Here we looked at how we came to believe the lies we believe, how we try to manage the pain they cause, and how the Refiner brings what is hidden to the surface. The movement closed with a promise: the gap does not have to last.

Movement Four: Position (Days 29–33, October 2–6)

Learning to Walk in Step with God. Understanding turned into cooperation: we learned to treat our feelings as an invitation and to trust that God meets us at the root. Our part looks like a child reaching up. Like Mary, we choose the better part and receive instead of achieve.

Movement Five: Express (Days 34–40, October 7–13)

His Overflowing Life. We finished by looking outward: Christ is our life, His life expresses itself in a way that is uniquely ours, and He loves others through us. On Day 40, it all came together: we reign in life, and we are His treasure.

With Gratitude

This journey stands on the shoulders of two sources and a faithful team of co-leaders.

David Gregory – The foundation of these forty days draws deeply from the work of David Gregory, who has spent years writing about living from union with Christ. He generously shared his letters and articles from FreeWithGod.com and gave us permission to adapt them for this journey, and he joined us live as a guest on Day 18 (September 21) and Day 40 (October 13). David, thank you for pointing us, again and again, to Christ in us.

Ed and Joshua Smith – The framework for how lie-based beliefs form, how they shape the ways we manage pain, and how the Holy Spirit meets us in those hidden places comes from Ed and Joshua Smith. Their book, The Principles, Purpose, and Process of Transformation Prayer Ministry (New Creation Publishing, 2023), lays out the principles behind Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) and shaped much of our journey from the middle on.

Our co-leaders – I also want to thank our co-leaders: Kimmey Grant, Warren Koshak, Angela Miller, Carol Ann Schwartz, Brooke Wallace, Kathy Walton, and Nancy & Robert Zimmerman. They took time to prayerfully prepare to co-lead, brought their own insights to the reflections, and helped create a sacred space for the Holy Spirit to move during A Moment to Receive. Many days, after our time with the Lord, people felt led to share right away what He had revealed.

All participants on the 7:30 prayer calls – I can’t forget to thank all of you who showed up at 7:30 for the prayer calls. You read the Scriptures and parts of the Reflection Guide, joined in praying for the various prayer points, and shared how the Lord was revealing things to you, and you made us feel that we were all on the same journey. Several of you commented on different days that it was exactly what you needed to hear that day. Thank you for sharing your mornings with us.

What the Lord Did

Throughout the forty days, we invited participants to answer one simple question: What has the Lord revealed for you? Here is some of what came in, shared with permission. Where someone asked to remain anonymous, I have honored that.

“Those who are joined with God are one in Him”

On Day 2, Mishael wrote: “I felt this intense feeling of joy and happiness. What hit me deeply was the phrase, ‘Those who are joined with God are one in Him.’ … Today’s Prayer Reflection absolutely changed my inner perspective, and I’ve seen how destructive I’ve been.”

“Only by faith in Him”

One participant, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote to us three times over the forty days. After Day 6, You Are a Righteous New Creation, they wrote: “Crazy promises, really. To me this is incomprehensible, but only by faith in Him is it true.” Five days later: “That I am capable of being part of the overflowing is a new revelation. Lord, by faith and through Your will, let it be.”

The gap is only perceived

The morning we reached Day 19, Far Off or Never Left, another participant texted me afterward and was willing to let me share it anonymously. They had seen the gap between the Father and the prodigal son as the son’s perceived problem, and they named one of their own solutions: distracting themselves from intimacy instead of running to the Father. “He gets to decide what is Truth … not me! When I try to decide what is true about Him or me, I’m attempting to do His job again! The ‘gap’ truly is ‘perceived,’ and all my avoidance behaviors are NOT necessary.”

“I do not need to guard myself from Him”

Growing up with a father who was emotionally distant and harsh with his words, Kathy had come to believe that God might not be safe or kind. Her heart longed to be near Him, yet stayed ready to pull away at any moment. On Day 28, The Gap Doesn’t Have to Last, the Lord gave her a picture:

“The Lord showed me how I am like a skittish cat, longing to curl up in His lap but ready to run off at the slightest noise or quick movement. … He showed me He’s not mad, disappointed, or impatient that I’m so skittish. (I believed He was.) He is content to take as much time with me as needed to truly let my heart believe. I do not need to guard myself from Him. Thank you, Papa!!!”

Stirred up and ministered to

Rainy joined the calls regularly throughout the forty days, often sharing what the Lord was doing in her life. Both during and after the calls, He brought things to the surface and ministered to her. She applied TPM to what emerged, making this a fruitful season.

“I’ve never felt loved like this”

On Day 35, Mishael wrote again, describing a moment when he saw his whole life pass before him: “I saw my failures. I saw my sins. I saw my story written in a dark book. And Jesus said, ‘This is not the true person you are.’ … What caught my heart is that He never judged me. He overwhelmingly loved me, even when I was a handful and so unlovable. … With tears in my eyes, I’ve never felt loved like this before.”

He ended with words that could sum up all forty days: “You loved me first, and I’m in You and You are in me.”

A Closing Word from David Gregory

On our final morning, Day 40, David joined us live. After we read Romans 5:17 together and sat quietly with the Lord, he offered a summary that put a bow on the whole journey:

“Fully receiving the love of God is the key to experiencing all that we’ve been given in Christ, and the key to other people then receiving that love through us. … It becomes more and more evident to me how central it is to receive God’s love every day, and to know how fully we are His treasure and how thrilled He is to have us as His child. … We reign in life because we have received His righteousness and His grace, and all of that is wrapped up in His love and in being His treasure.”

David’s prayer for this to become a reality in our lives was truly a blessing and a beautiful way to end our journey together.

Begin Your Own Journey

The gap between what is true and what we feel is real, and it is not a verdict on us. It is an invitation.

If you would like to begin your own journey, click here to download a PDF of the Made for More: Experiencing Our Union with Christ Reflection Guide. Take it one day at a time and at your own pace. There is nothing to complete, only a place to receive.

If something stirs in you along the way, please sign up for a Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) session at https://serenityretreat.com/book/one-hour-session. We’d love to pray with you. At our recent Made for More luncheon, Scott Wesley shared in his testimony that he sees TPM as “a scheduled opportunity to receive the truth and have the Holy Spirit land on your heart.” You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to show up, and the Spirit of truth does what only He can do.

Still Under the Chisel: Why Warren & Pam Said Yes to Made for More

Written by Barbara Rolen on September 4, 2026. Posted in Fundraiser: Made for More, Prayer Ministers, Prayer Session, Serenity Blog, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on Still Under the Chisel: Why Warren & Pam Said Yes to Made for More

By Barb Rolen

If you’ve known Skip Koshak for as long as I have, you might do a double take when you read this post. That’s because Skip goes by his given name now — Warren. Old habits die hard, so forgive me if I slip back and forth a little.

I’ve had the privilege of doing life with Warren and Pam for nine years now — six of those really doing life together. They were my life group leaders. We’ve taught Sunday school side by side. I’ve even watched their precious German Schnauzers while they were on vacation. (If you know, you know — that’s a level of trust reserved for real friends.)

So when our staff learned I had interviewed Warren and Pam for my book, Raising Truth Seekers, it didn’t take long to decide who should write this post.

Pam found Transformation Prayer Ministry first — she was in a T-Group I led in Katy back in 2019–2020. Warren watched what began to change in her, and eventually decided to see for himself what all the fuss was about. What happened next between them is the kind of story that’s almost too honest to read comfortably — which is exactly why it’s worth reading.

This post is about the marriage that had to be rebuilt before any of the rest could happen. Here’s Pam and Skip’s story, in their own words, from Raising Truth Seekers.

The Sculptor’s Gentle Chisel: Pam & Skip’s Journey

When false beliefs take root in a marriage, they can create walls that seem insurmountable. For Pam and Skip, these beliefs led to ongoing tension and mistrust. They each became defensive, which hurt their relationship and their parenting.

“I was always on the defensive, believing that I had to protect myself,” Skip shares. “I did not see my spouse as a partner or co-equal because I believed she was not putting my interests before her own or that she was even capable.”

Meanwhile, Pam carried her own burden of false beliefs. “I thought I had to ‘become something’ before I could let my guard down. I was convinced my husband was not ‘for me,’ and I didn’t trust him.”

This lack of trust created a difficult cycle. Arguments became common, and their ability to work through life together started to disappear. Their parenting reflected these same struggles.

“I thought I had to ‘protect’ our children from my spouse’s flaws,” Skip admits. “It was a way to keep control. This controlling behavior stifled our children’s ability to grow.”

The Turning Point

Pam was the first to discover Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM). As Skip watched the change in his wife, he decided to pursue TPM himself. When they both began practicing TPM regularly, something wonderful started to happen. The Holy Spirit began revealing God’s truth in areas where false beliefs had taken hold.

“TPM helped me see God’s perspective,” Pam shares. “He loves me, and nothing I do will change that. This understanding lets me accept my husband’s love.”

This shift in perspective changed their approach to communication and conflict resolution. They created a common language and framework. This helped them handle tough times with grace instead of being defensive.

“TPM has given us a grid to look at feelings honestly and ask the Holy Spirit why,” Pam shares. “If and when we become angry or triggered, we have given each other permission to ask ‘What’s going on? What are you feeling?'”

The Transformation

The transformation in their marriage has been profound. Where defensiveness and control once reigned, tenderness and patience now flourish.

“I am now more tenderly present, more willing to connect deeply, and more trusting in God to protect me (He is the only One who can),” Skip reflects.

Pam adds, “I’m calmer, more peaceful, and have a reliance on the Holy Spirit that is more intentional.”

This healing has extended to their parenting as well. Skip describes how TPM has granted him “the ability to be more discerning and sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit. I am better equipped to be empathetic toward our children. I am able to be more objective and much less controlling.”

A Continuing Journey

Perhaps most beautiful is how they view their ongoing transformation. Skip describes it this way: “The Lord is a Sculptor, chiseling away my ‘old self’—the false beliefs and behaviors. This process is loving, yet painful at times. In the end, He transforms me into His vision of my new creation.”

Rather than seeing the process as complete, they embrace it as a lifelong journey of refinement. “The longer I submit to His refinement, the more I realize there is more to be done,” Skip shares. “I am more patient with myself and others during this lifelong process of transformation.”

For families thinking about TPM, Pam and Skip’s story shows what can happen when false beliefs are replaced with God’s truth. Their marriage and parenting changed not by their own efforts, but by inviting the Holy Spirit into their deepest wounds and beliefs.

As Skip puts it, “I am open to His loving gaze as He searches me to find anything within me that is causing anxiety and/or separation from Him and His Truth.” This posture of openness has yielded beautiful fruit in their family—trust where there was suspicion, tenderness where there was hardness, and freedom where there was control.

Pam and Skip’s transformation created a new foundation for their marriage and their parenting. But sometimes the most powerful ripples come not from what we say to our children, but from what they witness in us. When children see their parents authentically pursuing God’s truth—not perfectly, but honestly—something shifts in their hearts. They learn that transformation is possible, that emotions don’t have to control us, and that there’s a way through pain rather than around it.

Closing

“The longer I submit to His refinement, the more I realize there is more to be done.” Warren wrote that about his own marriage — but honestly, it could just as easily describe the last several years of his life at Serenity Retreat.

After finishing TPM training and his internship, Warren and Pam began serving together in one-hour prayer sessions — and also serve in Bellville, many times on different weekends, so their precious German Schnauzer, Lillie Belle, gets taken care of at home. Warren went on to co-lead training and is now coaching one of our Mentors in Training. He completed a Truth Summit simply because he wanted to be the best mentor he could be. Recently, he was asked to join our Board of Directors — though honestly, he’d already been offering assistance with grant writing and other areas he has expertise in as a retired engineer from Shell.

That’s Warren. Not just changed — but committed to seeing more people changed.

Which is why we’re so glad Warren and Pam agreed to serve as our event chairs for this season’s fundraiser: Made for More: More People, More Transformation, More Often coming October 14.

Here’s what I’ve learned about Warren in nine years of friendship — six of them doing life together: when he commits to something, he goes all in. He and Pam don’t just give financially to Serenity Retreat — Warren made sure those gifts would be matched by Shell. That’s not a one-time favor. That’s a man who goes looking for ways to multiply what he’s already given.

One of my favorite things about Warren is this: he’s given family and close friends permission to call him out when behaviors don’t line up with who he is as a believer in Christ. He’ll tell you himself — no matter how painful it is to look honestly at his own “stuff”, he’s committed to doing exactly that. And if you try to compliment him on how far he’s come? He’ll turn it right back around and tell you it was the Spirit in him all along.

That’s the man who will be reaching out to you between now and October 14. Not a polished spokesperson with a pitch — a friend, still under the Sculptor’s chisel, still being made for more, inviting you into the same story.