“Retreat!“

Has an urgent sound to it, don’t you think? It makes me think of civil war reenactments or old black and white movies set in the wild west, where one side is being cornered by another and it’s time to fall back and regroup. That one word (and exclamation point) holds so much information. It signals an action that needs to be taken, then says “do it now!”

When I think of retreats, (sans exclamation point) it’s usually accompanied by a thought of “Ahhhhhh….” and all the feelings that come with the possibility of getting away from the day to day and, well….retreating.

I love retreats – in fact I’ve helped to plan my share over the years, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Most of my experience has been with spiritual retreats that try to strike that blend of feeding both spirit and soul, with activities meant to strengthen connection with God and others. Some retreats have a more social focus, with hands-on activities, break-out groups and game nights, and if you’re in need of a community who likes to let loose and have a good time, this is your kind of retreat!

Some retreats are more aligned with introspection, contemplation and quiet reflection. Usually I’m all for the two-in-one type of getaway, but lately I’ve been feeling more drawn to the latter. And to say there is an exclamation point attached would not be wrong! I know when there has been more emotional and spiritual output than input, and for me, it’s been far too long since I’ve taken more than a few hours at a time to “restore my soul”, as David the Psalmist put it. Which brings me to this Day 30 post about retreating…

Tomorrow afternoon I will head up to the mountains to spend 48 hours at a retreat that is built for all things spiritual renewal, including portions that will be optionally silent! It will be new to me, and I’m not exactly sure what to expect, but I also know that it is exactly the response that my spirit needs to the command to “Retreat!” And in order to fully do that, I will be adjusting our flow of Lenten devotionals to accommodate that needed spiritual, emotional and mental space. So, this is what that will look like!

Tonight I will post Days 30, 31, 32 and 33, and should you be part of the crew that has chosen to read daily through Lent, (first of all, thank you!!) you can just save these for their appropriate day. Days 31-33 will be carefully chosen from past years and reshared. The beautiful thing about this Lenten community (one of them….there are so many!) is that I have no doubt whatsoever that you will understand and fully support this whole dealio, and that just means the world to me!

So, what about you? Are there times when a retreat sounds like “Ahhhhh…..” and gives you that “I wish I could get away” feeling? (I’m guessing a yes on that one.) And do you ever occasionally feel yourself in a place, as I do now, where it feels like more of an urgent command than a feel-good suggestion? If so, I encourage you to pay attention when God’s spirit is saying, “Retreat!” and take some time to care for your heart. (And that doesn’t have to take a trip to the mountains….God is able to meet you wherever you need to be!)

Jesus knew exactly how dependent he was on spending alone time with God, that in order to stay aligned in his own mind and heart with God’s, he had to often get alone and reconnect in a one-on-one communion. And if God’s very son was so intent on making the time…ya know…’cause he was kinda busy doing all of the teaching and miracles and stuff…then I think it not only gives us permission, but signals our own deep need to do so.

I look forward to returning with a fresh perspective and full heart in a few days! You can be sure that as I spend time alone with God, I will be thanking him for each one of you who has stopped in for any or all of this Lenten journey. It wouldn’t be the same without you!

With Gratitude and Love,

Shellie