Good morning…
“When you read the four biographies of Jesus in the New Testament, one thing is painfully clear: Jesus’ life template was based on a rhythm of retreat and return, like breathing in and out,” writes John Mark Comer on page 57 of Practicing the Way. “Jesus would retreat: He would slip away from the noise and press of the crowd and find a place where he could pray, alone or sometimes with a few very close friends. He would inhale. Then he would exhale, or return: He would come back to preach and teach and deliver and offer love.”
We, my friends, are wired to follow the same sacred rhythm. We prayerfully retreat with God from the noise and the crowd, alone or with a few special others. We inhale. We breathe deeply. We fill our inner being with the gracious gifts of God.
Then, when the moment is right, we exhale. We return. We come back to the normal needs our daily lives, offering to all the living love of God.
Like breathing in and breathing out, we retreat and we return. We retreat and return, regularly. Retreat. Return. Like Jesus.
After this, more and more people started to hear the news about Jesus. Crowds were coming to hear him teach. Sick people also wanted him to make them well. But Jesus would often go away from the crowd to pray in quiet places (Luke 5:15-17, EASY).
…Sue…
P.S. Might you come away to a quiet place with God and join us on our spring retreat? Here are the details. It’s time to sign up.
S.T.I.R. U.P. the Gifts of God Women’s Retreat – Heritage Retreat Center
Get away with us to Heritage, a gorgeous, new retreat center just past Lake Oconee. The weekend after Easter, April 25-27th, is a perfect time to retreat with God before the busyness of May. Inhale nature’s beauty. Breathe deep the Holy Spirit. Savor time alone and in meaningful conversations. With retreat leader Sue Allen and a small group of special women, we will stir up the gracious gifts of God planted within us. Returning to our ordinary lives, we will more fully exhale the love of God with resurrection power.
Just a two hour drive away, we will arrive at Heritage Retreat Center at 3:00 pm on Friday and leave for home at 11:00 am on Sunday. With limited spaces available, please contact Sue Allen (SueA@NorthsideUMC.org) or Christa Groves (ChristaG@NorthsideUMC.org) as soon as possible for instructions on how to submit your payment via check made out to Northside Church.
Accommodation Information:
One-bedroom cottages provide a thoughtfully appointed bedroom with twin beds to sleep two guests, a private bathroom, a cozy sitting area, and a breakfast nook with a mini-fridge, microwave, and Keurig coffee maker. Might you plan to room with a friend?
A screened porch completes this serene oasis in the woods, while proximity to Pine Lodge puts guests just steps away from programs and meals.
Total cost for the weekend (all meals, retreat materials, accesses to the private grounds, cozy cottage) is $385.60 per person.
If you prefer a private studio cottage, the cost for the weekend is $488.20 (We are developing a waiting list for these.)
