Browsing Tag

PTP-Branson

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Top 10 Things about Branson PTP (from My Little Vantage Point):

Posted on July 21, 2026
  1. The kids. Just so encouraging to see the babies and toddlers, school kids and teens, projecting their happiness and hope for the future. What a blessing!
  2. The knowledge gained about eternal things. More than silver and gold. Eternal treasure. 
  3. The family that is so interwoven in so many ways toward heaven (and all those crazy rushed meals with barely enough time for the accompanying laughter!) 
  4. Digging Deep. The awards. The amazing enthusiasm. The finishers. The meal together at Local Flavor. 
  5. The near impossibility of getting through that hallway to Short Creek multiple times a day. When these kinds of people stop you, it’s full of blessings every time. Long hallway/Short Creek.
  6. The singing. Tears every time. I really want to go to heaven. 
  7. Humility. Every speaker I heard was brimming with that characteristic that’s, in large part, missing from the screen and scroll all around us. The behind-the-scenes persona that you never see, of the directors of this hugely influential event.
  8. The family next door. We love them so much. I know they wouldn’t want us to say their names when describing how sacrificial they are. (I can’t even tell about the stuff they did because they don’t want people to know how much they were sacrificing to help said people.) But Kate and Drew and babies are in our world of big blessings for eternity. And they sneaked socks on our door for the man who can’t remember his!
  9. The hugs. Hugging people who have been praying for you daily for the 360 days of the year that you haven’t seen them or hugged them is a mountaintop embrace and you can almost see heaven from those arms!
  10. The influence. The security team stopped to talk on the last day after the halls were emptied. “We love this group. But next year, could you bring a little chaos?” It made me proud. 

I hope you are coming next year! You can still come to Sevierville this year!

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Polishing the Pulpit…Game Changer.

Posted on July 14, 2026

Sitting here in the Atlanta airport, I just told Glenn that I’m excited to be doing PTP with him. I believe it is our 25th year to do this together. If I’m right about that, it means the women’s program at Polishing the Pulpit is 25 years old, as well. Attending the first year of the women’s program,  there were 12 of us and Hannah, at 14, was the sole worker in the “children’s program”. But it encouraged me, phenomenally. I am encouraged that much, times about 300, this year, since that’s the amazing growth the women’s program has experienced. I don’t know exactly how many of the 7000 or so people who will attend this year are women, but it’s a bunch of them. Digging Deep has been a big part of the program, for me, now for 16 years. I can’t even, in reflection, wrap my mind around how much PTP, through Digging Deep, has changed the landscape of my life. Life without the dig would not be the same. I’d have a lot more leisure time (or, more likely, I’d fill it with something else…likely something not as useful.)…I’d have real relationships with fewer sisters. I might not throw my back out every August (ha.) And, although, I’d probably be doing something I love, I would not know as much of the Word (though what I know is still a relatively piddling knowledge. “But then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13: 12). I am sure Digging Deep will help me get there. 

I think my marriage is better because of PTP. I think my children are stronger because of PTP. I think my grandchildren are more excited about being Christians one day because of PTP. I think I’m more connected to my extended family because of PTP. (It’s a  physical family reunion within a spiritual one.) I think I meditate/strategize about souls more because of PTP. I believe I love God more deeply because of PTP. I know I have more laugh lines because of PTP. 

If you haven’t yet been able to go and it is possible for you, make it happen. You can read about the upcoming events here: https://polishingthepulpit.com/

And, if I can help you, let me know. Once you experience it, the importance of that week in your year will be obvious to you. Its positive ramifications are immediate and eternal, all at once. I hope I see you in some future PTP session. 

 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Branson Diggers…Yes! You can pre-order…(sort of).

Posted on July 10, 2026

Some Branson diggers have requested that they be able to pre-order the books and shirts. It’s a little hard for me to see how you would want to order a book when you don’t know what it’s about, but I want to accommodate. (And I guess you do know it’s about the Bible.) I sure love the Branson diggers and, in view of the fact that you will not be able to  get the materials at PTP, we’d like to give you the faster shipping edge.

Let’s try this. If you are one of those who would like to pre-order:

  1. See Glenn or me (in person) at Branson and hand one of us a note with your clearly written name and address on it. (It doesn’t have to have the items you want listed.)
  2. Be sure you place your complete order on August 15th before midnight (when the materials become available on the site.)
  3. When the orders are filled, those folks who gave us their address in Branson will be first on the mail-out list, IF they order on August 15th.

I don’t have the books in hand. I do know they contain about 130 pages. I don’t have the shirts or hoodies in hand. I do know they will be navy with a tan design. I do have the mugs and you can see here the back of the mug. The front of the mug has this year’s theme in a tiny white font. I love the mug. (I have already had coffee in one and it “felt” right. =)

All of the 2026-27 Digging Deep materials will be ready for shipping on August 15th. They will be available, as they last, at the Sevierville PTP convention, as well.

Here are the prices:

Books will be $23.00.

T-shirts will be $21.00 (any size)

Hoodies will be $38.00

One book with one t-shirt will be $38.00.

Hoodies will be $38.00.

Cardigans (Black with gold) will be $40.00.

Other generic digging items will be on the site as well.

Download of study will be free of charge, as always.

Topic will be revealed in Sevierville just after noon on August 15th and all items will appear on the website (www.thecolleyhouse.org) within a few moments of that time.

Finish up that “More” study. I’m believing He is THAT God!

 

 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Diggers Lunch Meet-up is on Friday in Branson!

Posted on July 8, 2026

If you’re coming to Branson PTP, be sure to plan to meet sister Diggers on Friday, the 17th of July at 11:45 a.m. at Local Flavor Restaurant. Check out the Digging Deep Facebook page—the pinned message at the top— to sign up, so we will be sure and have room for everyone… (https://www.facebook.com/groups/diggingdeepingodsword/permalink/28521086217479375 ). Full details and website link is there. Notice: I do need a Facebook message from you if you need handicapped access in the restaurant. There’s a flight of stairs up to the private dining room, but we want to be sure to eat downstairs in the main dining room if there’s that need. It’s a small difference. We will still get to sit close together and we don’t want anyone who WANTS to come to be absent! So just let me know. 

I’m very excited to see how many Branson diggers are “finishers”, too. It’s just a fun time together to celebrate all the efforts in the Word! The awards time is listed in the PTP brochure as well as the bullet point review of “The God of More.” To be a “finisher” in Branson, one must have completed all reading and questions though lesson 10 of “More” and have also completed each “Practically Speaking” section as well as listened to all the monthly video podcasts OR all the dig-a bits through lesson 10.  You must be present to be recognized, as well. We will be singing the song, “More” so be sure and go back and listen if you haven’t already. It’s here: https://thecolleyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SongColleyJan26.mp3

And be inviting! That’s the most important thing. The gospel is the power of God to salvation  (Romans 1:16) and people who study along do learn the gospel. Another new sister (I believe she’s in Ohio) was baptized in the last few days after studying along for a couple of years; an immense blessing from our God of More!  He’s so good. So invite and pray. The new topic will be announced on August 15th and the study will begin on September 1st. All study materials will be on the website (https://thecolleyhouse.org/) on August 15th, as well as available for purchase at Sevierville PTP. As always, there will be a free download. No one has to pay to participate. 

He’s so good. More than we can ask or imagine. 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Digging Deep: Start Inviting

Posted on July 17, 2024

Kick-off for Digging Deep 2024-25 is just six weeks away. Topic reveal from PTP-Sevierville is just a month out. I hope you are inviting your friends. The WORD will change their lives, especially those who may be outside of Christ. Last week, I was at PTP-Branson and was immersed in encouragement because of the power of the WORD in lives: 

A cancer survivor who found the Comfort study just as she was diagnosed. She kept saying “It got me through.” 

A group of diggers that has planted three more groups of diggers in surrounding towns. 

A group of diggers which has become a respite for a mother who is grieving mightily the death of her daughter. 

A woman in her eighties who was invited to study by a woman in her thirties and this eighty-year-old has, thus,  become an extra grandmother to four babies under four years old, as the younger of the two (and her good husband) is doing a phenomenal job rescuing a group of embryos for life and then, heaven! 

A bunch of women from bunches of places who came to investigate and begin studying. This is always the best. You don’t know what you are missing till you get in the WORD!

A mama who just emptied her nest and, who simultaneously cared for her mother as she passed on to glory. She is really grieving (I can so relate to that. I was not a happy empty-nester, while losing parents.), but she is trusting the WORD, studying along, and evangelizing. She is finding His blessings still. 

Spanish translators, Marlon and Jacky Retana, who are chomping at the bits to get the new study translated for Spanish speaking sisters. Their work is here, if you would like to see what they do: https://marlonretana.com/about_me/

I’m just saying: Cindy Colley does not ever change lives. Digging Deep does not necessarily change lives. The friendships and closeness of the groups do not always change lives. The fun we have with t-shirts and mugs and tea towels does not change lives. But the WORD changes lives! I’m just telling you, you will never get to the bottom of the knowledge and every single bit of it will be relevant-to-the-max to whatever it is you are going through. The WORD never fails. It IS the lamp to our feet and the light for our lifetime’s pathways (Psalm 119:105).

SO be the conduit for positive, eternal change. Ask a friend to dig in the WORD with you. New study starts September 1st. I’m already there in my heart!