Our Retreats

The Bible uses the word “abide” instead of the word attach, but the meaning is similar.  Jesus calls us to abide in Him or to attach to Him like a vine and a branch.  He, being the vine, and us, the branches.  He wants us so securely attached that we cannot bear fruit without Him.  

Most of us today have heard of the term attachment styles.  (Secure, Avoidant, Insecure, Disorganized)  These styles came about after extensive clinical studies of human attachment.  Attachment is such a wonderful and interesting topic and one of my favorite things to study and talk about.  Did you know the study of human attachment has been happening for over 100 years?  As a Christian and mental health professional, I have been so grateful to know that as I shift my primary attachment to the Lord in deeper ways, my life and inner world becomes more healed, ordered and secure. 

This conference studies the phenomena of human attachment in light of our most profound relationship, the one we most uniquely have as the image bearers of God, attachment with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

 I’ve been on my own healing journey for years and years and although the healing I am receiving in this season now is not nearly as earth-shattering as it was when I first began the journey, God sure surprises me sometimes and does a new thing.  He continues to heal something in me that helps me see Him more securely and to have life more abundantly.

Quite a long time ago, I realized that however we see relationship with God is so closely linked to the way that we attached or did not attach to our parents and care givers.  This also applies to other critical relationships and any traumas large or small that happened in our lives that may have caused us to pull away in self-protection.   

Trauma, neglect, and attachment breeches impact how we see ourselves and the world as does any abandonment, betrayal or hurt.  Experiences like this retreat offer you a place to explore this pain in a safe place with people who know that pain, welcome it, and can help you move through it. 

Our attachment with God is always mysterious of course and all humans are unique, but what is common is that no one comes out of this life unscathed by hard moments and relationships. Our system is set up from the get-go to protect itself as a result of these hardships.  This strategy can serve us for a time in the midst of ongoing abuse or neglect, but it doesn’t serve us long term because deep love, abundant life and a purposeful calling will require risk.  Risk means we have to let down the walls and try the vulnerable thing.  Until our attachment wounds are more healed we are risk adverse ever protecting ourselves from the unknown; but Jesus is in the repair business.  He comes in to redeem what is harmed, unseen, unheard, forgotten, unexplored, or left alone.  Jesus comes to redeem so that our attachment to Him is greater than anything or anyone and from this security comes great healing and strength. 

Jesus loves to go beyond what we know and bring us to a new place, a place of peace, love, and confidence.   This retreat, this battleground (much better word) is meant to capture back the you, that was left behind.  As we ask Holy Spirit to repair the breeches and traumas, our truest self emerges, the one that was designed by your Creator to reflect great and divine glory.