Retreat to Nourish Your Soul

Have you ever been to a retreat? If not, you should really consider attending one. At the beginning of the year I went on one that changed my life. Yes, really. It was that powerful.

When we retreat from our daily lives in order to focus solely on God, along with others who share that same focus, how can it not be powerful?

Taking time to attend a retreat is akin to taking a vacation with God. You pack up your belongings and travel to a location to spend several days. During this time, you seek peace and quiet. You relax. You walk through nature. You vacation. On a retreat, you add activities such as prayer, praise, worship and communion with Christ. It's the best vacation we could possibly take.

The foremost blessing of a retreat is the recognition that God is God, and we are not. Going on a retreat demonstrates a posture of humility. We approach the Holy Trinity, on our knees, acknowledging our place in the universe before God.

-Drake (2023)

During these vacations with God, because we are removed from the distractions of our everyday lives, we are primed to hear his voice, to see his face and witness his miracles. You take the time to work on your career by going to school. You take time to work on your relationship by going on dates or outings. Going on retreat is taking time to work on your interior soul with God.

re·​treat (ri-ˈtrēt): 14th century, Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw

 - Merriam-Webster

There are many different kinds of retreats you can go on, depending on what appeals to you or what stage of life you are in. Which means there is something for everyone. There are children's retreats for the kiddos. There are individual retreats, which can help with discerning a vocation. There are silent retreats to help remove the noise from everyday life. There are men's retreats for men to share their strengths and vulnerabilities with one another. There are women's retreats to give ladies a safe place to share their testimonies. There are retreats for recovering addicts. There are retreats for those dealing with divorce or grief.

There are retreats with specific themes, such as the Emmaus Walk or ACTs Retreats.

But what they all have in common are that they allow you to 'retreat' from your daily routine. They give you a break from the demands of your life and allow you to spend some time to heal, nourish, and rest your soul in Christ.

In my time on retreat, I watched ladies receive their first confession. I got to see another receive emotional healing. I, myself, have been broken down and built back up. I've seen small miracles that lead to big changes in another's life. This most recent retreat lead me to start this blog you're reading. But like with anything else in this life. You get out of it what you put into it. Go to your retreat with an open heart, willing to follow wherever God wants to lead you. Let down your walls, ask God to show you what he wants you to see and experience. And He will.

References

Drake, T. (2023, March 16). Why you should go on a retreat. NCR. https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/why-you-should-go-on-a-retreat

retreat. (2024). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retreat