Are you in need of a day away? Desperate for a break from the routine? Interested in reflecting on where you are and where you could go?
I am inviting you to invest in yourself for one full day by getting away and allowing your soul to be refreshed. I am again hosting an outdoor event created for people like us.
In preparing for the original event, I found the following words to be totally in line with the burned out state I and others found ourselves in.
“To be our best physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, we must engage in re-creation – a necessary and God-intended part of the human experience that ‘re-creates’ the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual resources we’ve expended in the pursuit of our calling. Without replenishing our internal resources, we can’t hope to carry out God’s purpose in our lives long-term. Instead, we will prematurely flame out.” “Preventing Ministry Failure”, Michael Wilson & Brad Hoffmann, InterVarsity Press, 2007, page 170
Based on feedback received from the participants in 2015 when the event was originally launched, and from the participants from every event since then, everyone showed up with the same needs and felt the same way.
The more I reflect on this and relate it to my personal journey, the more it’s clear that there is a desperate need for busy men and women to intentionally make time to break the routine and to get away to re-create. Our days are full of meetings, phone calls, emails, traffic, relationship issues, meal preparation, car repairs – a seemingly endless list of things which compete for and use up our energy. I recognized this as the idea for the event was still forming in my spirit. It has been confirmed in the feedback received following every occurrence of the event.
In 2013 I began taking regular quarterly personal “spiritual retreat” days to get away from my normal schedule and environment. These days of re-creation have been deeply fulfilling times of refreshment – times of recharging physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. These “hours without noise” have enabled me to come back home and re-engage in all the things that make up my life and to do it with renewed energy and sense of purpose.
The benefits and value have been clear:
- A time away to reconnect with what’s important
- Revelation of gaps in my life at various levels
- Clarity on what I should be focusing on
- Reminders of Whose I am
- A structured method of planning out the coming weeks and months in pursuit of personal goals
- Enjoyment of the magnificent creation that we’ve been given
After hearing from several people about their interest in my retreat days, I developed this event as a part of my coaching services. “Take a Hike to Re-create” was created as a faith-based, day-long outdoor event which combines a five-mile hike in the North Georgia mountains with guided inspiration and coaching. The event includes:
- Music
- Laughter
- Silence
- Physical exercise (you can do it!)
- Fellowship
- Complete change of the daily routine
- A celebration of creation
- Decadent German pastries
- Scripture
- Assessing key areas of your life and making a plan for moving forward in a few of them
- Reflecting on who God made you to be – Beware! This might lead you to think more deeply about what he wants you to do next (hint: I can help)
- Encouragement
- Challenge (mental and spiritual)
- Tools to help you dig deeper and to begin to map out a plan for the next phase of your life
The participants who chose to invest in themselves through one of the previous events came back refreshed, more clear on some thoughts and dreams and ready for the next phase of their journey.
Registration is now open for the next “Take a Hike to Re-create” and I would love to have you join us.
From a logistics standpoint, the plan is as follows:
When: Friday, October 9, 2020
Where: Depart the Park ‘n Ride lot in Buford at 985 & Highway 20 at 7:30 a.m. and return to the lot by 6:30 p.m. Note: Alternate meeting time and place are 8:45 at Hofer’s Bakery and Cafe located at 8758 North Main Street, Helen, GA
Destinations:
Part 1: A trail north of Helen, GA
Part 2: Unicoi State Park
Your One-time Investment: Registration is $148.
Food: You’ll need to bring a lunch or snacks to fuel you. Refreshments will be provided for mid-afternoon.
Oh, and about that physical exercise thing – you really can do it. This won’t be a full-on, 55-pound pack carrying, wintertime Appalachian Trail hike like the ones I having been doing off and on for the past 30 years. It will be a five mile round-trip trail walk in the mountains along a beautiful waterway which is capped off by a surprising, hidden waterfall. With built-in pacing and guidance, it is the perfect mix of exercise and growth.
I ask you to prayerfully think about this opportunity to Re-create to see if it is something that you would be interested in being a part of. I also encourage you to consider inviting adult family members and friend(s).
SIGN UP HERE: I would love to have you hike with me. Let me know if you want to go so that one of the remaining spots can be reserved for you. CLICK HERE TO LET ME KNOW
If for some reason fresh air, time away from the routine, recharging, a great opportunity for focus and “decadent German pastries” don’t appeal to you, find another way to Re-create. You need it!
Let me know if I can answer any questions about this event. Everyone deserves a chance to re-energize and recharge in a guided way so I want to eliminate any doubts or questions by answering whatever you might be thinking about this.
I’m cheering YOU on!
Rob