Is this your season for introspection? Registration closes on August 16, 2026.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)
As I watched my sons travel to Milwaukee to attend ICMC last month, I was reminded of the excitement I felt as a young believer whenever I had the chance to join other disciples in our great quest to win the world for Christ. I remember those campus conferences and retreats fondly. I relished the opportunity to drive to a remote place with my fellow campus brothers and sisters, fellowshipping into the night, and learning to walk as Jesus did alongside people from all over the globe. The spiritual intensity and strong sense of collective purpose were energizing as we sought to do great things for God. The question at hand was always, “How do we advance?” Now, decades later, I am witnessing my own children see their Kingdom dreams fan into flame. And it is deeply encouraging.
Can we acknowledge that amongst the many seasons of life, there is a season for vision? A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to meet and strategize; a staging ground for the next advance. Even as we get older, we mustn’t take our obedience to the Great Commission lightly. After all, for disciples of Jesus, advancing the gospel must never be a side project.
Yet “advancing” is only part of the story. As I have gotten older (I had my 30th spiritual birthday this summer). I’ve noticed another necessity for those who seek to follow Christ: the need for retreat. There’s a time to advance and a time to retreat. Now, I know that sounds counter-intuitive. You might be asking, “Doesn’t the word ‘retreat’ mean that we have failed in some way?” Perhaps in the military sense it does, but it’s worth considering that Jesus Christ, the Chosen One whom we worship as Lord and to whom we have left everything to follow, frequently went into the wilderness to be alone with his Father.
Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (emphasis mine). Although Jesus spent much of the last three years of his life loving and serving the masses in public ministry, we also clearly witness him habitually withdraw to solitary places, oftentimes with his disciples in tow (Luke 6:31). He retreated so that he could enjoy time alone with God and renew his strength. It was Jesus without the people. This reality begs the question: How can we say that we truly and completely follow him if we ourselves never get away to be alone with God?
I want to invite you to join me on a retreat. But can I make a confession first? I’m not great at retreating myself. If I’m being really honest, I am much better at doing stuff than deliberately attempting to not do stuff. I’m wired for productivity. So when I’m alone with the Father for an extended period of time, I feel . . . insecure.
And that’s precisely the reason I need to do it.
In this vein, “Listening for God in Glendalough” is a different kind of retreat. It is a contemplative Christian experience, happening in a tiny village nestled within the emerald hills of Ireland. What’s really special, however, is that it has been primarily configured with your connection to God in mind. Yes, there are some classes, but only in the mornings. Collective silence will be observed in the afternoons so that you can have precious one-on-one time with your Heavenly Father.
And I know you might be a little freaked out by some of that language. “Collective silence?” “Listening for God?” Is this some kind of progressive distraction from true discipleship? Are you trying to turn us all into monks or something? I get it. And I 100% agree that the Christian life isn’t supposed to be an exercise in self-focused navel-gazing. Jesus routinely left the crowds to commune with the Father, but he also came back to serve the people and complete his mission. Can I get an amen?
But I would argue that if you’re anything like me, lack of commitment isn’t your problem. Maybe you’re the person who gets stuff done. I bet it’s in your bones to give and to serve and to sacrifice. But what if for you, the hard thing is actually taking time to rest and be alone with God?
I think you see where I’m going, so I’ll get off my soapbox. Here’s the thing: retreat registration is well underway, with 80% of spots already filled. Only about 10 spaces remain, and registration will close on August 16. What if God is calling you into his rest through this retreat? What if Jesus wants you to break new ground, take your walk with him higher, or simply revive your heart? James 4:8 says, “Come near to God, and he will come near to you.”
By the way, does Ireland sound too far for you? Too expensive? I am co-facilitating a similar retreat in Alaska this September that also has space and is very economical.
Is God calling you into a season of introspection? Here are the details for both retreats:
Alaska “Embrace the Sabbath” Wellness Retreat
Date: September 12–19, 2026
Sponsored by Gateway to the Arctic.
Click here for more information and registration.
Listening for God in Glendalough – A Christian Retreat in Ireland
Date: September 30 to October 4, 2026
Sponsored by The Way Ministry and the Dublin Church of Christ
Click here for more information and registration.
