Lynn001
05-28-2007, 02:00 PM
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (Psalm 62:5)
“You just got on my last nerve.” “I wish I had some peace and quiet.” “Calgon, take me away!” If any of these catch phrases have crossed your lips—or even just your mind—lately, or if you have felt exhausted, or are in need of direction in your life or work, you may need to retreat from life for a day, or two, or more. Webster defines the word retreat as follows: “to draw or lead back.” I have found no better way to do that than to go on a personal retreat, and I take at least one every year.
Jesus Christ himself spent time alone when necessary. Once after he instructed his disciples to go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, Jesus dismissed the crowd around him and went upon a mountainside to pray. There is no specific purpose mentioned for that prayer, but one can assume that he just wanted to be alone with the Father (Mark 6:45-46).
On another occasion, Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before choosing his disciples the next morning (Luke 6:12-13). He may have been seeking guidance and input from the Father before he made such an important decision as to whom to name as the first apostles.
And on another occasion, he prayed for strength while in anguish and distress (Matthew 26:36).
Whatever your reason for drawing back, or retreating, a little planning should take place. You must first determine your main purpose, which will help you decide where to go and what to do once you get there. If all you need is a little R&R, choose a place that has comfortable accommodations, a beautiful view, and you’re all set. If, however, you feel your mission is a bit more complex than that, then it will take a more defined plan. That is what I want to share with you—how to plan a personal retreat that will leave you encouraged, energized, and equipped once it is over.
Where to Go
There are so many options to choose from when deciding upon a location for your retreat. If you want to escape from crowds, schedules, etc., you will probably want to choose a rural location. Many retreat centers give you the choice of a lodge or a private cabin and are usually located near hiking trails and lakes. Nonprofit, religious retreat centers are usually the most affordable, but some state parks also provide lodging at reasonable rates. If, on the other hand, seclusion is not necessarily that important, you may choose to stay at a hotel facility. If money is not a concern, then you might want to stay at a quaint bed and breakfast or a luxurious resort. You will also want to take into consideration the types of activities you enjoy doing in your leisure time, especially if your retreat will be for a weekend or longer, because you may have a lot of time at your disposal.
What to Do
The purposes for my personal retreat two years ago was to find direction in my ministry and to rest. I spent a weekend at a former convent school for girls on a mountainside overlooking a pastoral valley. My activities included Bible study and meditation, prayer, goal setting, reflection, and rest while enjoying the serenity of my surroudings.
Last year’s retreat was solely for the purpose of relaxation. I reserved a room at an historic bed and breakfast and spent my time touring several antebellum homes, walking through the fields of an old Civil War battleground, enjoying a novel while reclining on the front porch swing, and reading my Bible in an overstuffed chair in the parlor while sipping a hot cup of coffee.
My most recent retreat was a spur-of-the-moment jaunt to a lake resort lodge to relax and find inspiration for a new book that I am writing. My laptop went everywhere that I did, and I spent most of my time writing while sitting on a deck overlooking a peaceful view of the lake or in the lodge restaurant soaking in the brilliant sunset from my window table.
What to Take with You
Depending upon the reason for your retreat (and the weather), your tote bag or backpack may contain any or all of the following items:
- comfortable clothing
- personal care items
- groceries, or cash for dining out (if no kitchen or microwave is available)
- Bible
- journal or notebook and pens
- book(s)
- day planner
- camera
- cell phone or change for phone booth (in case of an emergency)
- flashlight
- umbrella
- bottled water
- first aid kit
What to Bring Back
A deposit from God into your soul is what you will want to bring back from your retreat, and that deposit will be dependent upon what you were seeking. If you needed encouragement, and allowed God to give that to you, you should come back inspired and filled with courage and hope to spur you on as you move forward in your life or ministry.
If you were seeking to be equipped for a particular situation, call to ministry, or inspiration for a new writing project, the deposit God may have placed in you would be appropriate provisioning for your task, such as vision, definite goals to fulfill that vision, steps to reach each goal, ideas, strength, joy, and peace.
And if you just needed to be energized, hopefully God would have given you a rich deposit of vitality (physically, mentally, and spiritually), vigor, and power of endurance to move forward with Him as He finishes the good work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, NIV).
(c) 2006, by D. Lynn Jacobs
All rights reserved.
“You just got on my last nerve.” “I wish I had some peace and quiet.” “Calgon, take me away!” If any of these catch phrases have crossed your lips—or even just your mind—lately, or if you have felt exhausted, or are in need of direction in your life or work, you may need to retreat from life for a day, or two, or more. Webster defines the word retreat as follows: “to draw or lead back.” I have found no better way to do that than to go on a personal retreat, and I take at least one every year.
Jesus Christ himself spent time alone when necessary. Once after he instructed his disciples to go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, Jesus dismissed the crowd around him and went upon a mountainside to pray. There is no specific purpose mentioned for that prayer, but one can assume that he just wanted to be alone with the Father (Mark 6:45-46).
On another occasion, Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before choosing his disciples the next morning (Luke 6:12-13). He may have been seeking guidance and input from the Father before he made such an important decision as to whom to name as the first apostles.
And on another occasion, he prayed for strength while in anguish and distress (Matthew 26:36).
Whatever your reason for drawing back, or retreating, a little planning should take place. You must first determine your main purpose, which will help you decide where to go and what to do once you get there. If all you need is a little R&R, choose a place that has comfortable accommodations, a beautiful view, and you’re all set. If, however, you feel your mission is a bit more complex than that, then it will take a more defined plan. That is what I want to share with you—how to plan a personal retreat that will leave you encouraged, energized, and equipped once it is over.
Where to Go
There are so many options to choose from when deciding upon a location for your retreat. If you want to escape from crowds, schedules, etc., you will probably want to choose a rural location. Many retreat centers give you the choice of a lodge or a private cabin and are usually located near hiking trails and lakes. Nonprofit, religious retreat centers are usually the most affordable, but some state parks also provide lodging at reasonable rates. If, on the other hand, seclusion is not necessarily that important, you may choose to stay at a hotel facility. If money is not a concern, then you might want to stay at a quaint bed and breakfast or a luxurious resort. You will also want to take into consideration the types of activities you enjoy doing in your leisure time, especially if your retreat will be for a weekend or longer, because you may have a lot of time at your disposal.
What to Do
The purposes for my personal retreat two years ago was to find direction in my ministry and to rest. I spent a weekend at a former convent school for girls on a mountainside overlooking a pastoral valley. My activities included Bible study and meditation, prayer, goal setting, reflection, and rest while enjoying the serenity of my surroudings.
Last year’s retreat was solely for the purpose of relaxation. I reserved a room at an historic bed and breakfast and spent my time touring several antebellum homes, walking through the fields of an old Civil War battleground, enjoying a novel while reclining on the front porch swing, and reading my Bible in an overstuffed chair in the parlor while sipping a hot cup of coffee.
My most recent retreat was a spur-of-the-moment jaunt to a lake resort lodge to relax and find inspiration for a new book that I am writing. My laptop went everywhere that I did, and I spent most of my time writing while sitting on a deck overlooking a peaceful view of the lake or in the lodge restaurant soaking in the brilliant sunset from my window table.
What to Take with You
Depending upon the reason for your retreat (and the weather), your tote bag or backpack may contain any or all of the following items:
- comfortable clothing
- personal care items
- groceries, or cash for dining out (if no kitchen or microwave is available)
- Bible
- journal or notebook and pens
- book(s)
- day planner
- camera
- cell phone or change for phone booth (in case of an emergency)
- flashlight
- umbrella
- bottled water
- first aid kit
What to Bring Back
A deposit from God into your soul is what you will want to bring back from your retreat, and that deposit will be dependent upon what you were seeking. If you needed encouragement, and allowed God to give that to you, you should come back inspired and filled with courage and hope to spur you on as you move forward in your life or ministry.
If you were seeking to be equipped for a particular situation, call to ministry, or inspiration for a new writing project, the deposit God may have placed in you would be appropriate provisioning for your task, such as vision, definite goals to fulfill that vision, steps to reach each goal, ideas, strength, joy, and peace.
And if you just needed to be energized, hopefully God would have given you a rich deposit of vitality (physically, mentally, and spiritually), vigor, and power of endurance to move forward with Him as He finishes the good work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, NIV).
(c) 2006, by D. Lynn Jacobs
All rights reserved.