Reader Recs

As part of the blog, I'd like to be able to post information about camps/retreat centers that blog readers have used and would like to recommend. You can post a comment to this post with your camp name in the subject line OR send me an email with the camp specs and why you love it and I'll create a post under the subject heading Reader Recs: (Camp Name). Thanks for helping create a network of user-friendly retreat locations.
Peace,
Rachel

Retreat Centers for Personal Retreats

For my friends at The Writers' View and others interested in taking a little time for yourself to just be in the presence of God without distractions and other voices (unless of course you're a writer and those voices are talking to you again!)...

Please note: This list is not comprehensive but is compiled through the research of retreat centers that I did for The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats. If there's a retreat center near you, it's worth a call to ask if they are open to personal retreats (you might have to explain that a personal retreat is where one person comes and uses their lodging for a set period of time, generally no meal service provided, just a quiet place to think/reflect/pray/write). Also, as with planning any retreat, you should fully check out the facilities in advance (web site, okay; personal site visit, recommended) to make sure that they meet with your expectations.

If you have additions or feedback to this list, I'd be happy to post them on this blog for the book. Just reply to this post or email me at rachel@writerrae.com.

Blessings to you as you Write For Him!
Rachel


Covenant Camp
Fairfield Bay, AR
985-839-2391
www.covenantcamp828.com

Christ Haven Lodge
Florissant, Co
719-687-3425
www.christhaven.net

Camp Manitoqua
Frankfort, IL
815-469-2319
www.manitoqua.org

Techny Towers
Techny, IL
847-272-1100
www.technytowers.org

Lutherhaven
Albion, IN
260-636-7101
www.lutherhaven.org

Dayspring Retreat Center
Germantown, MD
301-428-9348
www.dayspringretreat.org

Saint Joseph Retreat Center
Cohasset, MA
781-383-6024
www.cjsretreatcenter.org

Camp Geneva
Holland, MI
6116-399-3150
www.campgeneva.org

Maranatha
Muskegon, MI
231-798-2161
www.maranatha.gospelcom.net

Dunrovin Retreat Center
Marine on St. Croix, MN
651-433-2486
www.dunrovin.org

The Bear's Den
St. James, MO
877-543-3943
www.bearsdentretreat.com

Hermitage Spiritual Retreat Center
Pittsburg, MO
816-363-3968
www.hermitageretreats.org

Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center
Boulder City, NV
702-293-7208
www.lasvegasorthodox.com

Singing Hills
Plainfield, NH
888-863-2267
www.singinghills.net

Bishop Stoney Camp
Santa Fe, NM
505-983-5610
www.campstoney.org

Stella Maris Retreat and Renewal Center
Skaneateles, NY
315-685-6836
www.stellamarisretreat.org

Mount Shepherd Retreat Center
Asheboro, NC
336-629-4085
www.mtshepherd.org

Sacred Heart Monastery
Richardton, ND
710-974-2124
www.sacredheartmonastery.com

Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center
Fremont, OH
419-332-6522
www.pinesretreat.org

Menucha Retreat and Conference Center
Corbett, OR
503-695-2243
www.menucha.org

Shalom Prayer Center Retreats
Mt. Angel, OR
503-845-6773
www.benedictine-srs.org/retreats.html

Franciscan Spirit and Life Center
Pittsburgh, PA
412-881-9207
www.osfprov.org/FSLC.htm

Our Lady of Peace Spiritual Life Center
Narragansett, RI
401-783-2871
www.intap.net/~evanpro/OLP.htm

St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center
John's Island, SC
843-768-0429
www.stchristopher.org

Penuel Ridge Retreat Center
Ashland City, TN
615-792-3734
www.penuelridge.org

Scarritt-Bennet center
Nashville, TN
615-340-7500
www.scarrittbennett.org

Mo-Ranch Camps and Outdoor Ed
Hunt, TX
830-238-4455
www.moranch.com

Wind Walker Guest Ranch
Spring City, UT
435-462-0282
www.windwalker.org

Bishop Booth Conference Center
Burlington, VT
802-658-6233
www.dioceseofvermont.org/Orgs/BishopBooth.html

Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Westfield, VT
802-744-6525
www.ihmwestfield.com

St. Joseph's Dwelling Place
Ludlow, VT
802-228-4952
www.stjosephdp.com

Weston Priory
Weston, VT
802-824-5409
www.westonpriory.org

Roslyn Center
Richmond, VA
800-477-6296
www.roslyncenter.org

Rolling Ridge Study Retreat Community
Harpers Ferry, WV
304-724-6653
www.rollingridge.net

West Virginia Institute for Spirituality
Charleston, WV
304-345-0926
www.WVInstituteforspirituality.org

Ring Lake Ranch
Dubois, WY
888-458-5253
www.ringlake.org

Thomas the Apostle Center
Cody, WY
307-587-4400
www.thomap.org

Release Date

The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats will be out in bookstores nationwide beginning December 10. It is also available through www.judsonpress.com or www.amazon.com.

Rachel will also be conducting mini-retreat planning workshops and book signings at Chicago area bookstores and is working to schedule more comprehensive retreat planning workshops at camps and conferences centers throughout the midwest. Please watch the blog for updates.

The Long and Winding Road

Last night I showed up for praise team practice a few minutes early and walked in on the choir finishing rehearsal. They were working on Blessed Assurance, which is one of those golden oldies from church hymnal days. Regardless of your church background growing up, you likely heard and/or sang that song on more than one occasion. And I thought what my friend Christine, the choir director, said before the final run through of the evening was particularly touching.

"I think this song is exactly what this congregation needs to hear right now," she began. "I know the message is in your hearts. You know that Jesus is your assurance. But we need to send that message to the people who will be out here. They need to know that the world can go crazy around us but that Jesus is our blessed assurance. He's all we need."

I agree with Christine, whole heartedly. Yet what I've been getting in touch with recently (to quote my psychologist father) is the amazing sense of peace that comes from yielding total control to God. Time and again with this book of mine, I've had to give up all my wishes and wants and just let things rest in God's hands. Not that I sat back, inactive. I've been working harder at writing than I've ever worked in my life, but it's amazing to me how easy writing has become in return because I'm letting God drive.

In theory, I should, like the rest of my fellow Americans, be in panic mode over the state of our current economic and political conditions, especially since when I literally cleared my calendar for God back in February to concentrate on writing my book, I gave up my main reliable source of income. It required a big leap of faith to pursue this new path, in particular because I dragged my husband and my kids right along with me. It's been challenging for us to maintain things without my income that used to pay for a number of living expenses that still exist even though my check does not. Yet I am trusting that God is going to see us through this because I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing with my gift of writing. I don't know, detail-wise, how this is all going to unfold, but already new doors are opening up. I do know, God will provide.

So when my publication date got moved up to December from April, I said, "Thank you, God! I trusted in you to show me the way and you are." And when Judson asked me to partner on a second book before the first even went to the printer, I said, "Thank you, God! Of course I'll keep working for you." And today, when Judson's marketing director emailed to say that Lifeway Christian Stores will feature The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats as one of their "recommended reads" in all their stores for January/February/March, I said, "Thank you, God! Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging. Your love is a mountain, firm beneath my feet." (Well, actually Brenton Brown and Brian Doerksen said that in Hallelujah! Your Love Is Amazing).

I am in awe that I can be filled with such a sense of peace, which is seemingly at odds with the total loss of control that I am experiencing, not only in my writing but in our currently topsy turvy world. But that's a good thing...a God-thing...a blessed assurance on this long and winding road. Amen. Let it be.

Content Coming

As the publication date draws nearer and pre-press publicity has started, I will be updating this blog with all kinds of support information for The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats. If you have questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me at churchrae@yahoo.com. Stay tuned...

And Better!

Yesterday was a topsy turvy day. I discovered, by accident, that my beloved cover design for my first book had apparently been changed. It wasn't that I didn't like the new cover, but I LOVED the original. I felt sort of like a new parent must feel when you're expecting to have a boy baby and it comes out a girl. Thrilled, overjoyed, grateful...but surprised, nonetheless.

Turns out, another retreat planning book came out this fall with a cover very similar to mine. So, at the last minute, the publishing team pulled it in favor of their second choice. I'm all good with that decision, just trying to get used to the new look is all.

On the heels of that information came the exciting news that you can already pre-order The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats online at Judson Press.com and at Amazon.com ! Pretty neat seeing my name out there for the first time:)

But the highlight of my day was that I also received an email from my editor asking if I'd be interested in a second book project, working with her to update content from two old books and adding new material of my own. This continuation of my writing for Him is exactly what I prayed would happen when I cleared my calendar for God this past winter and gave all control back to Him. As I said to my husband, it's so hard to believe a second book is coming through before the first one even hits the shelves and yet it's so easy to believe because this is such a God-thing, from start to finish. And more than excited, what I feel is thankful, along with a sense of contentment from trusting that my Father knows best. Amen. Let it be.

It Just Keeps Getting Better

Thrilled by the news that my book, The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats, was coming out 4 months earlier than expected, I emailed all my faithful supporters to share my exciting update. Then this week I got word that my book will be the inside front cover of the Judson Spring 2009 catalog. Wow! For the most part I'm overwhelmed with gratitude...to God, to Judson, to my family and friends and people I met along the way who helped the book take shape. And as much as I'm starting to feel a little anxious about living up to the expectations related to this book, I find that I can laugh off the nerves and know it will be all good because this book has been such a God-thing from start to finish. And I know God's not even finished yet! For a girl who prefers a peaceful, even keel, the energy of being full speed ahead is feeling pretty natural. Who woulda thunk? Thanks, God!

From Discarded Dream to Joyful Reality

What a road I've been on to get where I'm going. I'd say I can't believe I've finally arrived...at the brink of "real" authorhood with the upcoming publication of my first book by a legitimate, royalty paying publisher...but that's not true. I can believe it because it has been such a God-thing from start to finish, and, in many ways, my life (as an aggregate of 40 years lived) makes so much more sense now. I can see why this book didn't go anywhere 7 years ago when I "first" wrote it...God wasn't finished with it yet, nor with me.

In any case, here I am, with The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats due out in December, 4 months earlier than my editor said (when does that happen???). When I officially got my contract back in April, I threw myself a little "publishing party", and my family and I celebrated this milestone with those who have been encouraging me in this writer's journey. However, with the recent news that my book will actually be in print before the end of the year, I was overcome with emotion to discover my response was not to party...but to praise God.

Ten years ago when I was starting in the Christian freelance field, I applied to Group to become an approved writer for their curriculum. Part of the application was to create a full lesson based on an assigned scripture. My text was the Israelites' response to God when Moses leads them out of Egypt to freedom, and my task was to apply it in explaining our response to the knowledge that Jesus sets us free. Well, I read that passage over and over again and for the life of me could not get the connection. Then slowly but surely the truth sunk in...the Israelites' response to freedom from physical and spiritual bondage was to worship God in the wilderness. Our response to Jesus' forgiving, redeeming, bondage-breaking love should mirror that of our Bible relatives. Naturally, spontaneously, joyfully we should worship and praise God for the gift that changed our lives, that changes our lives, forever. As children of God, when our true focus is on him, worship is part of our innate expression of who we are and what God means to us. It's not something we "have to do" on Sundays; it's something we want to do, every day of our lives. (BTW I did get approved!)

And so, I can't think of any better way to celebrate this book coming into being than to ask my church to hold a Book Baptism, so to speak. I've made a request to our church staff to hold a special worship service in the late afternoon one Sunday before my book hits the stores. I want to sing the songs that most connect me to the Lord. I want my kids to be a part of the worship team and lead these praises with me. I want my "good strong women" friends who prayed me through the final stages of my book proposal to now publicly pray for this book and God's plans for me as I share it with others. I want my pastor to give the message, encouraging me as I go out into the world as a servant of the Kingdom. I want God to know that I know it's all because of him.

From discarded dream to joyful reality, I find that I instinctively desire to celebrate this gift of authorship that God has given me by praising and worshipping him. Wow! Does this mean I'm growing up (into Christ)? Would that I could always keep him this much in focus. No doubt my life would be so much easier! Stay tuned...