It’s the highlight of the year here at Velvet Ashes this weekend! All across the globe, we are retreating. We are doing the Velvet Ashes Online Retreat, the spiritual Retreat that comes to you right where you are. Some of us are gathering in groups, some of us are doing a personal Retreat alone. It’s not too late for you to join us (access is open until May 28)
This space right here is for us to process, to share our Retreat experiences. So do your Retreat and then come share with us! Or if you’re spreading out your Retreat, share as you go through it.
If you have pictures of your Retreat location or experience, we’d love to see! Any pics of your Retreat time can be shared in the comments below, or on Instagram with #VelvetAshesRetreat.
What did you bring with you emotionally, physically or spiritually into your Retreat time?
What was your favorite part of the Retreat?
What was it like to journey through the shalom Scripture passages? What truths did God speak to you?
Tell us about your experience with “Invitation to the Table.”
Did God reveal a false name that you’ve been carrying? What new name did He give to you?
What resonated with you as you watched the testimony videos? How did God speak to you through these stories?
Share with us your experience with the Worship, the Crayon Exegesis, the Spa Pedicure, or the Barre Exercise.
What other ways did God speak and move in you during your Retreat as you took time to be with Him?
What do you want to carry with you as you re-enter your everyday life?
We’re excited to hear from you and to have God speak to us through each other’s experiences.
We pray that you experienced God’s intent for you during your Retreat.
Shalom, friends.
The Velvet Ashes Team
The retreat has helped me to process the upcoming death of my friend as her cancer quickly spreads, by seeing it through the lens of Shalom. I wrote some thoughts out in a blog post, along with some pictures from my walk this afternoon. Thank you for all the work that went into this retreat. I have been especially blessed by the Shalom passages and by the music.
https://jodiejournal.blogspot.com/2019/04/to-my-friend-facing-death.html
Jodie, what an incredible gift you’ve given to your friend with your words. I commented on your blog, but it posted as “unknown”. Just wanted you to know I was blessed and touched by your words. His shalom is so amazing, ministering to us even (especially?) in the valley of the shadow of death. Praising him for how He met you during your Retreat. Shalom to you.
Thanks so much Danielle. I’m grateful too for shalom in the valley of the shadow of death.
It was very restful and restorative to have the space of this retreat. Reading all the shalom verses in that version of the Word really brought such a sense of peace and hope. I was thankful this year to actually have things like colored pencils, a candle, and coconut oil that has come with me from Asia, to Australia during this impromptu home assignment/sabbatical time in my HUSBAND’s home country! I’m still so reminded of Father’s faithfulness after all these years single in Asia, bringing such an amazing man to me. 🙂
Thank you so much for this retreat! I was able to sneak away just by myself for a couple of nights and it was such a gift to be lead through a time of rest. I really like the Shalom study and the trinity connection. My favorite part (well, I had many) was the invitation to the table. At the small condo where I am staying there is a table on the patio with four chairs and after I had watched the video I sat down to lunch there and *wham, suddenly I couldn’t eat overwhelmed with the idea of sitting at the table with the Trinity – anyway, good thing I was by myself because things got real (or should I say supernatural) and I had a good long needed outloud chat/prayer, right there at the table and I listened for my name (smile). Thank you again for all the effort you have gone through to provide this retreat and ministry to women all over the world. I enjoyed how thorough it was including even a spa, exercise, worship and art time(photo) – all of which I participated in – I’m so grateful. Keep up this life giving work!
I just finished my retreat (first one!) As I finished my reflection time I ended up going back to read the story of how Velvet Ashes started. In one of the linked articles on the Velvet Ash tree (the one on the smiling leaf scars) it said that the Velvet Ash is a member of the Olive family! What a fun extra treasure to discover after meditating on what it means to be an “olive tree flourishing in the house of God.”