This list gives you short Bible verses to read, memorize and pray during a women’s retreat, whether you are leading the gathering, speaking at a session, or simply attending and wanting Scripture that fits the weekend. Each verse is brief enough to hold in your mind between sessions, and each one points to God’s steadiness when the schedule, the conversations and your own heart are all moving quickly. The verses share a common thread: they turn attention away from our own strength and toward the God who is present with us.
Verses for Stillness and Quiet Reflection
Retreats often include long stretches of silence, journaling and time alone with God. These verses invite you to slow down, to stop striving, and to remember who is in charge of the weekend and of your life.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”
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When the sessions are full and your mind is racing, this verse asks you to pause. Try reading it slowly, then sit for one minute without speaking or checking your phone, letting the words settle before you move on to the next activity.
Psalm 62:1
My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.
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Many women arrive at a retreat tired from carrying too much. This verse offers a quiet picture of resting in God rather than performing for him. Take a short walk alone and repeat the phrase in your heart with each step.
Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
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Waiting is hard, especially when you came hoping for an answer. This verse reminds you that God is good to those who wait for him. Write down one thing you are waiting on, and beside it write the word “good” as an act of trust.
Isaiah 30:15
For thus said the Lord the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” You refused…
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This verse ties rest to trust and strength. In a crowded weekend, choose one period of the day to sit with your hands open and your phone put away, treating that stillness as an act of faith rather than a missed opportunity.
Verses for Courage in Hard Conversations
A retreat can bring up memories, questions and difficult honesty within a group. These verses speak to fear, uncertainty and the need to speak truthfully and gently when others are listening.
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
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Before you share something vulnerable in a small group, this verse gives you a simple thing to do: name the fear out loud to God. Then take a breath and speak what you came to say, trusting that he is with you in the room.
Joshua 1:9
Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
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Courage here is not the absence of nerves. It is the decision to act because the Lord goes with you. Before a session where you are asked to speak, stand up, plant both feet, and read this verse aloud once in a steady voice.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
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Timidity often shows up when we feel unprepared to speak about faith. This verse names power, love and self-control as gifts from God. Pick one of these qualities to practice in your next conversation, such as listening with love before you respond.
Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
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Light and salvation are steady even when a room feels uncertain. Use this verse as your prayer before entering a difficult discussion, asking the Lord to be the one you are truly answering to rather than the people around you.
Verses for Love and Connection Between Sisters
Women who gather for a retreat often meet others they have never known well, and some arrive carrying strained friendships or loneliness. These verses point to the love of God as the foundation for how we see and serve one another.
1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
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We love because God first loved us. Let this verse shape how you approach the woman seated beside you at breakfast. Start with one kind question and one honest compliment, remembering that your warmth is a response to grace rather than a performance.
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
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Jesus gave this command in the context of a meal and a towel. At your retreat, look for one small act of service, like carrying a chair, refilling someone’s tea, or sending a note, and offer it without announcing it to the group.
Romans 12:10
In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another…
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Honoring others above yourself is countercultural, even among believers. Try saying one specific thing you admire about another woman in the group during the closing session. Concrete affirmation tends to build trust faster than general warmth.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance…
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This verse describes the clothing of God’s chosen people: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Before a difficult exchange, imagine putting on each quality like a garment. Notice which one you most need today.
Verses for Rest and Going Home Renewed
As the retreat closes, the question shifts from what you heard to how you will live. These verses look ahead to the ordinary days waiting at home and ask God to keep you steady there.
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
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Many women leave a retreat hoping to feel lighter, yet return to full calendars. This invitation from Jesus is a reminder that rest is available in him. Read it on the drive home and name one burden you are willing to hand over.
Psalm 121:8
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
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The Lord watches over your going out and your coming in. This verse is a comfort for the journey itself. Pray it over your car ride, your arrival at home, and the first evening back with your family or roommates.
Philippians 4:6
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
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Worry tends to return quickly after a retreat, carried in with the luggage. Paul’s instruction is to bring every concern to God in prayer and thanksgiving. Keep a small notebook in your bag and write one prayer request each day until the week settles.
Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
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This is the day the Lord has made, and it may be ordinary in every way. Choose one moment tomorrow morning to say these words before you check messages or start your work, letting gratitude set the tone for the hours ahead.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
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Renewed strength is promised to those who wait on the Lord. As you return to daily responsibilities, let this verse guide how you pace yourself. Schedule one unhurried pause each day, even if it lasts only five minutes.
How to Use These Verses
Write three or four of these verses on index cards before you arrive, one for each session or quiet time. Keep the cards in your Bible, your journal or your pocket so you can read them during waiting moments, such as while standing in line for coffee or before a difficult conversation. Repetition helps Scripture move from the page into memory.
Read each verse slowly at least twice, once to understand it and once to let it speak to your situation. Then pray it back to God in your own words, adding a name, a specific worry or a thank you. Many women find it helpful to share one verse with a friend at the end of the day, which turns private reading into shared encouragement.
A Short Prayer for a women’s retreat
Lord, you have drawn us here to rest, to listen and to know you more deeply. Quiet our hurried hearts and remind us that you are God, present in every session, every meal and every conversation. Give us courage to speak honestly, kindness to love one another well, and trust to set down what we were never meant to carry alone.
As we go back to our homes and routines, keep the truth of your Word fresh in our minds. Help us remember these verses when the week grows loud. Thank you for meeting us in this place. Amen.
