Experience 40: Spiritual Retreat
View written study below or download here: 2021_Friday030521_WE.pdf
SPIRITUAL RETREAT DAY - SAMPLE 1
7:00 am
Breakfast with my spouse and children. Tell them what you’re intending to do today and that you will be praying for them.
8:00 am
Thoughtful Preparation - pack up with reading materials. Include my favorite Bible, journal, a book I’m excited about reading. Pack a comfortable chair, sun screen, a few bottles of water, and a blanket.
8:30 am
Depart- as you drive listen to some praise and worship music.
9:00 am
Arrive at a place where you want to pray– quiet your heart and mind and begin focused, strategic prayer. Use the A-C-T-S (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) model. Read a small number of Psalms.
10:00 am
Practice meditation - find a comfortable spot, select a Scripture passage and engage in Scripture meditation, which can be simply reading the same passage 4 times each very slowly and deliberately. Read a few related Scripture passages, respond with a journal entry.
11:00 am
Intercessory Prayer - sit quietly and ask God to guide my thoughts. Pray for whomever the Spirit leads (my family, Life-Group, Rooted friends, a friend in crisis, the ministry of CCoF- specifically where you volunteer, and most importantly – a lost friend).
11:30 am
Travel to a nearby park or place to relax outdoors.
12:15 pm
Spiritual Reading - take out a favorite or new book and begin a prayerful, thoughtful reading of each page. Keep my journal handy and make notes as the Spirit leads me through the reading (avoid the temptation to get through the book). The point is – get the book through me! You might want a camping chair and some sunny spots in the woods nearby your part of town!
1:30 pm
Relax – Just kick back and enjoy the nature around me - this is my opportunity for physical refreshment.
2:30 pm
Reflection - take a few minutes to think about my life, the systems I have in place for maintaining spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Consider: Am I healthy? Is my family healthy? What things am I addicted to? Where am I out of balance? What are three changes I could implement that would have dramatic results? Am I operating from my core competencies or is my life consumed with “busyness”?
4:00 pm
More Reading and Reflection - for the last hour, read a couple of articles from a favorite blog or journal; review notes that I’ve taken during the past 3 months; or look back through my journal remembering how God has worked in my life. Look at my calendar for the last month - did I do life God’s way, giving my time to things that will have maximum impact with eternal results? What can I do different in the coming month? You’ll need to print these up ahead of time!
4:45 pm
Wrap up / Accountability - end my SRD with a prayer of thanksgiving. Write a one page summary and send it to my spouse, and life group.
5:30 pm
Arrive at home - gather my family and eat a favorite meal. Give dedicated time to each of my children before they go to bed. Leave the TV off and just talk with my spouse the rest of the evening.
SPIRITUAL RETREAT DAY – SAMPLE 2
7:30 am
Send kids off to school.
8:00 am
Walk around my neighborhood praying & listening to worship music or audio Bible.
9:00 am
Read Scripture focusing on 1 or 2 verses you sense God is leading you to spend. Spend 15 minutes meditating on these passages.
10:00 am
Intercessory Prayer – pray for the needs of others: neighbors, family, CCV, and co-workers.
11:00 am
Read a book you’ve been putting off.
12:00 pm
Eat a light lunch (a heavy lunch will make you tired afterwards).
12:30 pm
Travel to a park or other comfortable location.
1:00 pm
Practice (key word) Solitude and Silence.
2:30 pm
Worship (singing, prayers of thanksgiving, writing, etc.)
3:00 pm
Journal about your experiences so far, record what God is giving you.
3:30 pm
Spend time in prayer.
4:00 pm
Wrap up – send your T-group an e-mail summary of what happened, phone a friend, celebrate your time with God.