I leave Thursday for a spiritual retreat – a four day silent one that feeds my soul. I love spending time in deep conversation with God and getting away from the noise that bombards me – both internal and external. But one thing I have learned from taking multiple retreats is to take the first step days before leaving. How do you prepare your heart for a spiritual retreat? A farmer wouldn't just cast seeds on hard uncultivated ground. A writer outlines a book plot. A cook purchases the necessary ingredients for the big meal. Priming your spirit for spending time with God is like any of these types of work – usually some preliminary prayer and pondering best prepares us. 6 tips on how to prepare your heart for a spiritual retreat: Pray – Ask God to start now to quiet your internal chattering, so you can listen deeply to his voice. Ask for protection for your time away. Ask God to be with your family so your worries can stay at home and not rattle around your spirit while you … [Read more...]
Search Results for: How to Prepare Your Heart for Spiritual Retreat
5 W’s of Preplanning for a Silent Retreat
Attending a silent retreat is an opportunity to slow down and be with God. I find too often I rush into this time away dragging the world's craziness and noise with me. I am learning to pause for planning for a retreat ahead of time – even if just briefly to enter the silence with more intention and depth. As you read this blog post today, I have just returned from a silent retreat. For more info, get the book I wrote about retreats - you can check it out in the blog's side column. I thought it may be useful to share with you 5 W’s to consider before going on a retreat. WhatWhereWhenWhyWhat to bring and what to ask What is a Retreat? A retreat is simply a time away with God. A break from routine. Getting out of your normal rut and finding a quiet interlude and place to slow down with God. You create space in your calendar, your surroundings, and in your heart for God. Jesus frequently took the time for prayer with his father. Jesus models for us this powerful spiritual … [Read more...]
Silent Retreat Expectations
At the end of this week, I attend my annual silent retreat. I’m tired. I’m empty. I’m lost. All ingredients for being ready for a time to be with God, listening, walking, and bathing in his love. “A spiritual retreat is medicine for soul starvation. Through silence, solitary practice, and simple living, we begin to fill the empty reservoir. This lifts the veils, dissolves the masks, and creates space within for the feelings of forgiveness, compassion, and loving kindness that are so often blocked.” David A. Cooper Last year’s community silent retreat was canceled due to the pandemic. I did take a few days in August to stay by myself in a hermitage and walk with God on the retreat grounds. Nice, but interesting enough, I missed being with community in silence. I have written in the past about the value of this spiritual practice and encourage you if you are interested or even hesitate, to take the time to read and pray about going on … [Read more...]
It’s Time for a Silent Retreat
Attending a silent retreat is a primary spiritual practice of mine. I hesitated when going for the first time in 2004 and was filled with fear and anxiety. Four days of not speaking???? What would I do? The void threatened my soul. I felt vulnerable, almost naked without the cushion of noise and the comfort of busyness to protect my ego. But not only did I survive, but I also heard God in newer and deeper ways. As I kept track of my journey in my journals each time, God gently unfolded my heart in a fresh way and touched me with his healing love. One year I skipped this practice and as that year progressed, I felt restless, uncertain and longed for time – silent time – alone with our Creator. I have never missed an annual retreat since then and make scheduling one a priority every year. I leave this coming Thursday through Sunday for my next retreat at a retreat center about an hour from my home. I haven't been to this center in quite a while so I am looking … [Read more...]
Invitation to Retreat – New Book by Ruth Haley Barton
Here is your invitation to retreat – Dear Beloved Child of God Your presence is requested in my Presence. You are invited to come away with me. This time is my gift to you – being together with your Creator, Savior, and Spirit. This time is also my summons, a necessity for your soul-health. Come. Be. Retreat. The spiritual practice of going on retreat is a discipline I have experienced and believe is one of the most essential tools for nurturing my spirit. I have written about this practice in the past on several blog posts such as How to Prepare Your Heart for Spiritual Retreat and 5 Ways Spiritual Retreats Transform Your Life. I even wrote a book called Spiritual Retreats in response to a friend's questions about my practice. I was thrilled to hear about a new book on this topic by one of my favorite authors. What a great combination! Ruth Haley Barton just released her latest title: Invitation to Retreat – the Gift and Necessity of Time Away … [Read more...]
Healthy Spirituality Store – Feed Your Soul!
Newest Book Sacred Surroundings: Finding Grace in Every Place Fuel Your Faith: A Practical Guide to Igniting a Healthy Spirituality Spiritual Retreats - A Guide to Slowing Down to be with God. Whispers - Being with God in Breath Prayers Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room - An Advent Devotional Monthly Musings - A Journal to record highlight, lists and observations of your day in monthly format. Great Communicator Devotions for Speakers and Writers A few affiliate links are used here, which means at no extra cost to you, making a purchase by clicking these links helps support this site. Thanks! … [Read more...]
Prayers that Blessed my Retreat
Prayer opened the door of my heart during my recent retreat. I was surrounded and supportive with prayers from others from their own life journeys and prayers that bubbled up within me as I spent time with God.I am home now following this two-week retreat on the “Art of Guiding Individually Directed Retreats.” The setting was at the lovely St. Francis Retreat Center in Michigan and sponsored by the Dominican Center at Marywood. Our retreat leader was Sister Nancy Brousseau, my mentor and spiritual guide through my formation as a spiritual director. Nancy always invites us to go deeper, to let go and plunge into God. Knowing that should have prepared me for two weeks of not just learning with my head, but coming home with a new heart.I wanted to write a post today detailing the retreat about what I experienced and still am encountering with God. But I am lost to find the words to describe the intimacy and sacredness of these ongoing blessings.Instead I will share with you some of … [Read more...]
Have You Practiced the Covenant Prayer?
In the series as we explore different types of prayers, I have introduced prayer practices that are part of my regular time with God. Ones I do frequently like the prayer of examen and breath prayers. But this week I am featuring one I didn't know much about until I researched it more. The Covenant Prayer. I think many of us may have tried versions of this prayer but if you are like me, I never dug deeper into the details about it. The Covenant Prayer In Richard Foster's book, Prayer – he gives this prayer a full chapter. A covenant prayer is in essence the prayer we may say at baptism, confirmation, or an ordination/consecration. This prayer bubbles up inside my heart often on silent retreats too as a recommitment to God. We make a covenant with God and pledge our obedience to him. Our full obedience. Read and ponder this paragraph from Richard Foster: "We respond to the heavenly overtures of God's love first through the Covenant of Holy Obedience. Without reservation we … [Read more...]