Moms and daughters across North America met in Florida to embark on five days of fun at sea as they cruised to the Bahamas. The cruise was designed to bring moms and their daughters into a closer relationship with God and with each other. The trip was filled with intimate times of worship, challenging seminars and lots of fun!

And between the planned events, free time to explore the ship and meeting new friends during the midnight buffets, the ship also made two stops in the Bahamas. Once on shore, the options ranged from snorkeling to parasailing to swimming with dolphins. Not a bad way to spend a long weekend in February!

And throw in concerts from Tammy Trent, Alisa Childers and Jeni Varnadeau, and seminars from Tina Marie, Andrea Stephens and Kathy Gowler, and it just can’t get any better!

Keep reading to hear more about how the Brio Mother-Daughter Cruise changed lives and strengthened mother-daughter relationships.

“God had never made so much sense to me [as on the cruise]. The speakers left me stunned and laughing! It was quite impossible to leave the same as when I arrived.

“And my mom? I learned so much more about her as a person and as a mom. I learned how I make a difference in her day, whether good or bad, and how I can change that to make everyone happier. We connected on a different level in the middle of tons and tons of fun. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that totally changed my life.”

— Katie

“It was a cruise with a lot of tension between my daughter, Megan, and me. We’re very different personalities. After days of frustration, we went back to the cabin and had it out. ‘Do you even like me?’ I asked. She said, ‘You don’t like me!’

“We cried a long time, and then my daughter pulled out a poem she wrote a year ago honoring me. We pushed past our differences and made a truce before God. Now the tension is gone completely. There is a new respect for our differences. Praise God!”

“My mom and I would always have breakdowns because of things we disagreed on, and a couple days into the cruise, I thought my mom just didn’t like me. I was reminded at one of the seminars that my mom is going through the same kind of things I am, and maybe even more.

“We both learned to be a little more patient and to listen to each other’s side of the story instead of blurting out negative things about each other. I liked getting closer to my mom and learning things about her. Experiencing beautiful views and sunsets together was really special. I hope we can go again next year!”

— Angela and Megan

“The Brio Mother-Daughter Cruise offered me a chance to clear my eyes, to see what God really wants and His purpose. I came on the cruise a couple of months after moving from California to North Carolina, after living more than half my life in California. I didn’t think God could give me the strength to rebuild my life in a new place.

“During the move, emotions got in the way of our relationship, and we had the biggest mother-daughter struggle of our lives. This cruise tightened the knots that hold us together. Even though God had us move all the way across the country, He wants us to know that we’re part of something bigger, and we have to stay close to Him and to each other to succeed.”

— Marisa

“Once we heard about the cruise, we decided to go so we could strengthen our relationship between each other and God. Listening to Susie and other speakers really challenged us to communicate better and commit to be open with each other. We clashed in communicating by not understanding each other at times. We made a commitment to share our hearts with each other, put fear of judgment aside and patiently listen to become strong, supportive friends.”

— Mitra and Ariel Abir

“My daughter, Breanne, and I have been truly blessed by God’s grace. The Brio Mother-Daughter Cruise was the best gift that God could have ever given us. We were both spiraling into a deep black hole and didn’t realize it until we got back home. God gave us this cruise because He knew how much we were hurting.

“The speakers and singers on this cruise were so much what Breanne and I needed to hear. I lost my husband and Breanne lost her dad, and these women knew exactly how we felt. I don’t know how far in advance the Brio staff booked these guest speakers, but God was working on our behalf even then. So much so that I lost my husband on the same day and month that one of the speakers did!

“God moved the whole time we were on the cruise and is continuing in our lives today!”

— Vickie and Breanne

“This cruise was a great time to just be with my mom. We’ve always had a very good relationship, but there are so many things to get done at home that we don’t get a lot of time to just be together. Going on the cruise was so much fun, we’ll be coming back in ‘09! The little devotional book in our room was really fun to do together. I enjoy having talks with my mom and learning new things about her.”

— Hannah

“I came on the cruise to have fun and vacation, I really didn’t care to strengthen my relationship with my mom. At the very end, God told me I needed to listen. I listened to Susie speak at the worship service, and I realized I needed to let go of my problems and listen to my mom. I’m so glad I came on the Brio cruise, because it really changed my life.”

— Kate

“I really liked how the cruise brought mom and daughters closer to other moms and daughters. I’ve made friends that I plan on staying in touch with that I would’ve never met without the cruise. The speakers were all great and made me realize how much more of a relationship with Jesus I could have than I’m having now.”

— Tessa

“My mom and I were close before, but after the cruise, I really feel like I can relate and that we don’t just live on two separate planets.”

— Liza

“My daughter, Amelia, and I had a disagreement before one of the evening events, and I realized we needed to talk. We both just sat on the bed and opened up, and the tears flowed, and the healing began. This cruise helped both of us to understand each other better. I thought we were close before, but now there’s a respect that’s new and refreshed.

“My relationship with Amelia was transformed. We were different as we walked off the ship. Our lives won’t be the same; they’ll be even better. We left the old baggage and pain scattered behind us and continue to start new.”

— Angela

“My mom and I live 900 miles apart for about 10 months of the year, because I live in California with my dad. We came on this cruise to spend some rare quality time together. We got way more than I could’ve dreamed of! Both of us were impacted by every speaker and singer that graced the stage. The memories we’ve made here will last a lifetime, and we thank God for this cruise!”

— Aspen

“For Christmas, I bought my mom this cruise, because I thought she really needed to get away. The money was hard to come by, but I managed, because my mom really needed a break. Little did I know it was really I who needed it. I finally forgave my dad and asked God to forgive me for hating him for what he did to us. I’ve needed to do that for a long time. Having that always hanging over me like a dark cloud allowed me to go only waist deep in the river of God’s love. Now I can finally say I’m in the deep end in God’s river!”

— Justine

“Most of the girls went with their moms. However, I was there with my grandmother, because my mom walked out of my life three years ago. With the excursions, midnight buffets and meeting new people, the cruise was an amazing experience! Although I came with my grandma, it was a growing experience for me to encourage her instead.

“Gracia Burnham shared her experience about staring death in the face. I’ve felt some motivation to tell my testimony at my youth group. By Gracia’s sharing, she made an impact, which helped me figure out that I could, too!”

— Katie

What About Next Year?
Click here for information on next year’s cruise. We’ll be partnering with the Girls Getaway Cruise, which leaves from Mobile, Ala., and sails to Cozumel, Mexico. Cruise dates are Feb. 5-9, 2009. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your relationship with God and grow closer to your mom!