Every little thing seemed to bother me. I was busy biting heads off at every turn. I imagine it must’ve been pretty hard to be around me. And that’s not even mentioning the tears.
Clearly I’ve been ignoring the warning signs or by now I would have done something.
You see, every now and again, I need to slow down. Pause. Before I crash and burn.
But thankfully, I don’t feel like I’m alone in this. In fact, Jesus saw the need for his disciples to retreat from the madness too. He knew that they needed rest, not just for their bodies, but for their souls as well.
Tweet ThisJust this past week, I closed my computer, dropped my kids to school and headed to my nearest retreat spot. This time it was an outdoor coffee shop near a local marina. Lucky for me it’s 80 degrees here so getting outdoors was just what the doctor ordered.
I spent the better part of three hours reading a devotional book, writing in my journal, enjoying nature and praying to God.
I won’t tell you that I solved all of my problems in those three hours but I learned a few things about having a personal retreat that might help you too.
- Recognize the warning signs
We all know those tell-tale signs that signal when we need a break. Sometimes it’s our family members that see them long before we do.
Until you get better at recognizing the symptoms consider asking someone close to you to give you a heads-up. Don’t wait until you get to the breaking point. Try to nip it in the bud early on.
- Break the routine
Sometimes day-to-day routines can feel like a burden. That’s when it’s time to shake things up. This might mean temporarily switching up my routine, getting a change of scenery or both. Simple things like alternating the kids’ drop-off/pick-up with my husband or having dinner out (no cooking for the mommy), can give me a little boost.
- Get with the Master
This is at the core of my personal retreat. Sure I love a good spa day as much as the other girl but for me to be truly rejuvenated, spending quality time with God is key.
As I head out to my personal retreat, I grab my bible, favourite devotional book, and my journal.
My journal is especially important because when I’m really at my wit’s end, I find it hard to pray. It’s as if the words are stuck in my throat. Writing down my thoughts as a prayer to God really helps me to focus and clarify what I’m thinking.
The words I’ve captured on my page usually bring to mind a bible verse or two that I can read and meditate on.
- Make it Your Own
So maybe you don’t live in the tropics like I do and you’re wondering how all of this will work for you in your current situation. Your retreat doesn’t have to look like mine. Here I give some ideas in this Free Guide. The guide covers many of the questions you might have (the what, why, who, when, where, and how) and gives you some tips on what to do during your personal retreat. I encourage you to find what works best for you and make it your own.
Sign up here to get your Free Guide or click on the image below.
- Keep it simple
The goal is to get some personal time with God where you can regroup and rejuvenate. It doesn’t have to be fancy and it doesn’t have to be a full day. Oftentimes that’s a luxury we can’t afford. Be realistic and keep it simple. A day-off might not be possible but perhaps you can steal an hour of alone time by swapping time with your husband or a friend. Use some of the tips in the guide to help you get started.
- Manage expectations
If you expect that all of your problems will be solved by the end of your retreat, it’s likely you’ll be disappointed. I won’t limit what God can do, but I’ll tell you that usually I find that the only thing that changes is my perspective. And frankly, sometimes that’s the only change that’s needed.
During my retreat this week, I didn’t walk away feeling completely resolved but I had a better sense of what was stirring in my heart and the steps I needed to take to address it. For me, that in itself was a blessing. In that case, the retreat was a means to an end, not the end itself.
If you manage your expectations about the outcome of your personal retreat you won’t feel jaded about the experience but will instead welcome the next one.
Put an End to Biting Off Heads
So maybe you’re not into biting off heads, like some people (ahem). But maybe there’s something else that you do that signals it’s time for a break. Do you know your warning signs? Start by recognizing them, shake up your routine, and get some one-on-one time with the Lord. Remember, you don’t have to follow someone else’s plan. Keep things simple and manage your expectations.
Don’t be surprised if you enjoy your personal retreat so much that you can’t wait to plan another one. And you might even find yourself recommending it to a friend the next time you notice her warning signs.
What about you?
Do you have some personal retreat tips you’d like to share?
How do you recognize your warning signs before it’s too late?
Don’t forget to click below to grab your free Personal Retreat Guide now.
Wishing you blessings,
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It makes sense that you should try to keep your personal retreat simple and realistic so that you can properly rejuvenate yourself. My wife has been thinking about going on a personal retreat ever since she got fired from her job, and she wants to know what she can do to properly plan it out. I’ll let her know that she should focus on simplicity as she plans her personal retreat.
I’m happy to hear that you found these tips helpful to share with your wife, Stefan. I hope it will be a great time for her to reflect, rejuvenate and regroup.
Blessings to you both!
I’ve been dealing with stress right now because of my stressful job, and I’ve been thinking that a nice retreat will be a great help. I agree that we shouldn’t be expecting that everything will be fixed and will solve our problems if we go on a trip, that just doesn’t work that way. Just a break from a stressful environment is definitely a great factor already. Thanks for the nice article.
Such a fantastic idea! I have a coffee shop nearby that I love to get away to. It’s right on the water so even when its raining out (as it often does in Seattle), I can still enjoy the incredible view! Thank you for linking up with us! #TakeTime
That sounds lovel, Tarynn. I can imagine sitting there and soaking up that view. The next time you do, please share pics. I’ve been using the hashtag #SparkleMoment and #SparkleGetaway for these kind of moments.
Thanks for visiting from the #TakeTime linkup. I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Thank you for permission to get away! I love going to the bookstore. It unwinds me to browse all the books. It would also be a perfect place to have some alone time with God. I think I’ll schedule it as a monthly Saturday event! I hope all of us at Literacy Musing Mondays can find an hour to get away!
That’s a great idea, Tami. Sounds like a monthly ‘book retreat ‘ is in order. 🙂
Wishing you a restful weekend!
Great post! I love Jesus’s message you shared from Mark 6:31 “come with me…get some rest!”. How hard it is to listen and heed that call. Love your practical ideas, especially ‘have realistic expectations’ – isn’t that where I often fail – wanting a perfect ‘fix’. Thanks!
Hi Sandra, I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. I can relate to unrealistic expectations, sometimes thinking that God will fix all my problems in one go. Thankfully these alone times with Him help to get my perspective back on the things that matter most.
Marva, this was so good. I’m like you – I need my Bible and my journal – it is key to writing down the thoughts that grip my heart both internally and Biblically as I read the Word! Thanks for sharing this with us at Tuesday Talk – I pinned and am going to share on my Fb wall this week. Great stuff!
Thank you, my friend. I love visiting you at Tuesday Talk and I’m so excited to see how your Mom Time Out community is growing. Happy to be on the journey with you!
Thanks for sharing.
I think for me the key is going into the city and having a coffee somewhere different with a different view, and yes – my journal and Bible. This is a great reminder because I don’t recognise the signs when I need a retreat. I’ll pin it.
Thanks so much, Jennie. I’d love to be in any coffee shop in your city. So glad we connected!
I love this! I work at a Bible Camp, and we offer personal retreat space, but so few people take advantage of it. I wish more people understood the importance of simply getting away to be with the Lord.
And if you’re looking for a place to get away, call a local-ish Bible Camp. =)
Thanks for that tip, Ally. Sometimes knowing where to go can be a challenge so that’s awesome that your Bible Camp offers that space. Wish I was close by to take advantage of it! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and sharing the love.
Marva, I totally get this. I learned over the years when enough is enough and this lady needs what I call a “mental health day.” Time to get away, just me and unwind, de-stress and how I like doing that, a massage, a walk away from my normal route and a little reading time where there are no interruptions. Do share this on our Tuesday Talk linkup this week. Many need to be reminded on how important this is.
Your ‘mental health day’ sounds lovely. Sometimes we’ve just gotta stop the clock and get off our hamster wheel. 😉
Thanks for stopping by, my friend!
I really like the idea of a personal retreat even if it’s just for a few hours! What a great way to gain some perspective and move forward with the rest of the day and the obligations of every day life. Thanks for linking up @ #TAKETIME!
Sometimes a few hours are just the trick to save my sanity. 🙂 I take what I can get rather than wait for a huge chunk of down time that never comes.
I love the theme for this month’s #taketime linkup which reminds us all to take care of ourselves. Thanks for being such a gracious host, Tiffany!
thanks for the tips. your ideas are great! Definitely being in tune with yourself to recognize the warning signs is important
Thanks for stopping by, Khaliah! I’m glad you found the tips useful. Wishing you a restful weekend!
When I have hit my limit, I panic then shut down. I shut down and I need space. If I can be outside I can usually get myself together, but winters are awful here so the winter can be tough. I like the idea of retreat. Just picking a certain place to go when I need a break. Great ideas.
I hope you can find a way to have mini-retreat even in the midst of winter, Jules. There’s nothing like going mad and driving every one else mad at the same time. Trust me, I know! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you a weekend of rest.
Oh that’s great to hear, Debbie. I’m glad we got connected — I’d love to check out your posts too. Wishing you a fun-filled, yet restful, weekend! 🙂
Marva – this is such a great reminder and post. great minds think alike and are motivated by the Holy Spirit – my last 2 blog posts have been on this very topic and I was just coaching someone through this on the phone this morning. I am so glad to have found you at #FaithFilledFriday link-up
This is so good, Marva. Important to recognize our warning signals and heed them. I also really appreciate what you say about a personal retreat being a means (to more effective living and serving) not an end in itself.
Thanks, Betsy. I’m trying to get better at spotting those warning signs before I completely blow it. Thank God for grace! 🙂
Always a pleasure to have you stop by!
What a great list! I need to remember it is a retreat to get alone with God! I don’t like that people often act like spending time with God is part of a to-do list in the day. “Check it off and move on!” No. It is a retreat! Thank you for sharing!
#RaRaLinkup
Truthfully, there are times when my time with God feels like another thing to do. That’s exactly when I know a time alone on the ‘mountaintop’ is needed! Christ never meant for us to follow out of duty but out of love. When I spend quality time with Him, I’m reminded of that sweet truth.
Great ideas, Marva! I don’t get away often by myself, but the next best thing is the sweet quiet of a still early morning house. Then, I can get alone with the Master and bask in his presence. Feeling the need for one of those ‘retreats’ now!
I’ll take that sweet quiet any day! I’m trying to make it a priority to have those kinds of special times with God every morning. It’s not easy but it’s oh so worth it!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing some sparkle, Carlie!
Oh my goodness, Marva, it’s like you read my mind or have been watching me the last couple weeks and wrote this just for me! 😀 the last few weeks have been rough with lots of sickness around here and I definitely feel the need for a retreat. Thanks for the encouragement to make it happen! And goodness, could I ever use some of your sun right now! 😉
Well it seems like we’ve been struggling with some of the same things. We’re definitely in this together, my friend. Now I hope you really do take that much-needed break. Sounds like we need to plan an island retreat! 😉 Wouldn’t that be amazing?
I know its time for a break when I feel like I am getting nothing done or spinning my wheels. If I can’t get away to take a moment to reflect I get on the tread mill with head phones and and block out the outer world and focus only on my breath and meditation.
That’s a great tip, Heather! It makes so much sense to do what you can right where you are, rather than wait for the perfect opportunity. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Love this, Marva! We run ourselves into the ground and close our eyes to the fact that we are doing it! These are great tips that so many sweet sisters need to utilize! I am sharing everywhere, friend!!!
Thanks, Lori. I appreciate you, my friend. I hope this message blesses others.
Over the years, I’ve told Rev that getting away for a retreat might be a good idea for him. Not because he was snappy, but I could tell the stress was starting to get to him. It always helped. Great post with some important tips. I don’t need long retreats. Like you a couple of hours can make a huge difference. Blessings!
I’m glad Rev took your hints. I’m sure it benefitted the entire family. We all need those little breas now and again. If I could grab more time I would but I’d rather take an hour than nothing.
Always a blessing to have you here, Deb!
I really appreciate your guide as our ladies ministry at church is planning a silent retreat. You provide a good outline if someone needs help setting up the day. Thanks!!
That’s awesome, Laura. I’m so glad that the guide will come in handy. I pray it blesses them and that the silent retreat will stir their souls. Blessings!