About Our Retreats

Grieving the Life You Planned:

Finding New Direction in a Journey You Never Chose

Life can change in an instant. A diagnosis. An accident. A chronic illness. A disability. A surgery that never quite restored what was lost. Perhaps you’ve battled cancer, developed an autoimmune disease, suffered a traumatic injury, or found yourself living with ongoing pain, fatigue, or limitations that others simply cannot see

Whatever brought you here, you know the quiet grief of realizing that life no longer looks the way you imagined it would.

This retreat was created for those who are grieving not only what has happened, but also the life they thought they would have. Together, we’ll gently explore the emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual impact of life’s unexpected detours.

We’ll acknowledge the losses that often go unseen—the dreams that changed, the independence that slipped away, the activities you can no longer enjoy, the career that took a different path, the strain on relationships, and the daily uncertainty that can make even ordinary tasks feel overwhelming.

Most importantly, you’ll be surrounded by people who truly understand that some days are harder than others, and that needing to slow down is not the same as giving up.

If you’ve ever felt guilty because the laundry piled up, embarrassed that your house isn’t what it used to be, frustrated that you had to cancel plans again, or worried that others see you as lazy, weak, or making excuses, please know this: you are not alone.

Living with chronic illness, disability, or the aftermath of a life-changing event requires a kind of courage that many people never have to develop. This retreat offers a safe place to lay down the weight of unrealistic expectations, process the grief you’ve been carrying, and discover healthier ways to care for both your body and your heart.

You will leave with more than a retreat guide—you’ll leave with renewed hope, practical tools, meaningful encouragement, and the comforting reminder that although your journey has changed, your value has not. Together, we’ll explore ways to adapt with grace, rediscover purpose, strengthen resilience, and find beauty in a life that may look different than you planned.

Because while you may not have chosen this road, your story is far from over.

Facing Forward: 

Divorce is so much more than the ending of a marriage.

It often brings the loss of dreams, identity, routines, friendships, financial security, traditions, and the future you believed you were building.

Many people experience overwhelming anxiety, depression, insomnia, panic attacks, grief, difficulty concentrating, and even physical illness as their bodies struggle to process profound emotional trauma.

Everyday decisions suddenly feel overwhelming, and the future can seem frightening and uncertain.

Whether your divorce was unexpected, unwanted, or ultimately necessary for your safety and well-being, this retreat is designed to help you find your footing again.

Together we’ll explore the emotional roller coaster of grief, betrayal, loneliness, co-parenting challenges, rebuilding confidence, navigating practical decisions, setting healthy boundaries, and rediscovering who you are beyond your pain.

Most importantly, you’ll leave with renewed hope, practical tools, meaningful connections, and the assurance that while divorce may become part of your story, it does not have to define the rest of your life.

A Gentle Christmas

Join us for a beautiful afternoon as we celebrate the joy and wonder of the Christmas season. 

You’ll be welcomed with a beautifully prepared traditional high tea featuring savory favorites, seasonal desserts, specialty teas, and festive holiday beverages. 

Together we’ll enjoy Christmas music and a sing-along, create a meaningful holiday craft, hear from our special guest, and spend the afternoon surrounded by laughter, friendship, and the warmth of the season.

Whether Christmas is a time of celebration or one that carries a measure of heartache, our hope is that you’ll leave feeling refreshed, encouraged, and reminded that you don’t have to walk through the holidays alone.

We’re delighted to welcome our special guest, Lynda Simmons of Bedford, New Hampshire, affectionately nicknamed “The Queen of Bedford” by those who know and love her.

Lynda is not only one of my dearest friend’s mother-in-law, but also an etiquette consultant and certified tea specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute (Levels I & II), with a genuine passion for the timeless tradition of afternoon tea.

Through her business, Tea for You & Etiquette Too!, Lynda has brought elegant high tea experiences directly into people’s homes, complete with beautiful china, fine linens, homemade lemon curd, delicate pastries, and every thoughtful detail that transforms an afternoon into a cherished memory.

More than her impressive credentials, Lynda has a remarkable gift for hospitality and making people feel genuinely welcomed and cared for.

We are honored that she’ll be sharing her knowledge, her love of tea, and a few etiquette tips while helping us create a truly memorable Christmas High Tea. We know you’ll leave with a full heart, wonderful memories, and perhaps a few new tea traditions to enjoy with those you love.

* Seating for 150 at this event

Life has a way of piling on responsibilities until we barely recognize ourselves. We spend our days caring for everyone else, carrying invisible burdens, and wondering why we feel exhausted, discouraged, or disconnected from the joy we once knew.

Whether you’re navigating chronic stress, caregiving, illness, grief, betrayal, parenting, or simply the relentless pace of everyday life, this retreat was created with you in mind. You don’t have to earn a place here by having everything together. You simply need permission to pause.

From Overwhelmed to Overflowing is an invitation to step away from the noise and into a day of rest, renewal, and hope. Together, we’ll explore practical tools for managing stress and protecting our emotional well-being while rediscovering the peace God longs for us to experience.

Through inspiring teaching, meaningful conversation, gentle reflection, beautiful surroundings, delicious food, and reflective moments, you’ll leave with renewed perspective, practical strategies, and the reassurance that you were never meant to carry life’s burdens alone.

Our prayer is that you won’t simply return home feeling rested—you’ll leave feeling equipped, encouraged, and overflowing with hope for the journey ahead.

Treat yourself to a beautiful afternoon celebrating the healing power of friendship. Surrounded by elegant décor, uplifting music, delicious food, and women who understand the importance of genuine connection, you’ll enjoy a day designed to nourish your heart.

Your day includes:

🌹 A delightful breakfast with specialty coffee, tea, and warm conversation

🌹 An elegant High Tea luncheon featuring delicious treats and delightful goodies

🌹 A beloved special guest speaker, affectionately known as “The Queen of Bedford,” sharing her warmth, wisdom, and humor

🌹 A beautiful keepsake craft to create and take home

🌹 A thoughtfully curated gift basket filled with meaningful surprises

🌹 An inspiring panel featuring Judee’s own lifelong friends as they share how they met, navigated life’s joys and heartaches together, and built friendships that have stood the test of time

🌹 Beautiful music, heartfelt conversations, laughter, encouragement, and opportunities to connect with women who may become lifelong friends themselves

Come by yourself or bring a friend. You’ll leave with more than wonderful memories—you’ll leave reminded that healing often begins with belonging, and that every woman deserves friends who become “sisters”.

*100 seats available for this event

Based on Judee Southern’s long-awaited book Motherhood Is a Circus, this uplifting one-day retreat explores the surprising ways God uses the beautiful chaos of motherhood to shape our hearts.

Just as every act in a circus serves a purpose, the everyday joys, challenges, interruptions, and unexpected moments of raising children become opportunities for God to develop patience, flexibility, humility, humor, self-control, self-worth, and unconditional love within us.

Through laughter, storytelling, biblical encouragement, practical tools, and meaningful discussion, you’ll discover that while you are raising your children, God is faithfully raising you into the woman He created you to be.

Come be refreshed, encouraged, and reminded that the sacred work happening in your home is also the sacred work God is doing within you.

*150 seats available for this event