Retreats

A spiritual retreat is the intentional setting aside of time to connect with God, our loving and holy Savior. Life is busy and pulls at us. We can feel weary, distant, disillusioned. Committing time for a retreat with God gives yourself permission to connect with him in unrushed space.

Whether you find yourself distant from church right now, are in the throws of parenthood that leaves your body tired and worn, are in a ministry position where you are always serving but never being ministered to, or anywhere in-between, giving yourself permission to breathe and be still before God is vital to your spiritual well-being.

Here at The Priscilla Initiative, we don’t have a magic formula. We simply aim to speak God’s truth over you and create space for you to connect with him individually.

“God hold us to that which drew us first,
when the cross was the attraction, and we wanted nothing else. “

-Amy Carmichael

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FAQs

• What exactly is a retreat? We aren’t referring to getting a massage or taking a little “me time.” When we refer to a spiritual retreat, we mean carving out time with our attention purposefully directed toward Christ.
• How is this any different than devotional time? Along with not having as much time on a daily or weekly basis to spend in devotions or quiet time, sometimes I find that devotions can begin to drift into a to-do to be checked off. A rhythm that includes retreats periodically helps me to refocus and reground myself.
• Is this different than a “silent retreat”? Yes. Silent retreats are wonderful in their own way and we highly encourage you to look into other area ministries who offer those. Here, at The Priscilla Initiative, we offer a hybrid model- a blend of structure and free time; a mix of fellowship and alone time.
• What’s the benefit of a group retreat? I find this helps me to honor my commitment and keep it on the calendar, because life will get crazy. We also find that the group time helps to pull us back to God’s truth. We were made for intimacy with God, but he also made us for community. This provides a little of each.
• What will I have to do? Our intention with these retreats is creating space for you and the Lord, not you and the gal sitting beside you. There will be no small group discussion. You’re of course welcome to chat or share, but it will not be a structured part of the morning. 
• What will the “feel” of the retreat be? Our goal is create a space that brings encouragement and spiritual refreshment. We want you to feel cared for and to have a space that gives you permission to set down the to-do list and breathe. As I like to say, it’s not another “to-do” but an invitation. 
• What if I’ve never been to a spiritual retreat? You’re not alone! Many of the women attending are new to this, or even new in their faith. The beauty of this time is that it’s yours! There’s no quiz at the end to see how successful you were. Just come, take a deep exhale, and be encouraged.
• Are you affiliated with said church? No. We are not affiliated with any church but are, instead, a community-wide ministry. Women on the team attend churches all over the West Michigan area. Different churches or locations are simply lending us their space.

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