Why Take a Vision Retreat

We’d get a sitter for a few days and sneak away with one mission… to seek God’s vision for the coming year. We spent our time away to play together and to pray together. (My all time favorite things!) We reconnected with each other and with God. Listening to each other and listening for the voice of God. At that time, Pastor Jimmy Evans had a video series we purchased to hold our hand and guide us on our Vision Retreat.

We found a sweet spot in making decisions together. We had vision, we had unity. We were of one accord with one heart and it was like a turbo boost to know exactly what we were called to do and to be in it together.

A kingdom power household sees God’s vision and intentionally pursues it in unity, bringing heaven to earth. That is a dreamy way to live the abundant life God called us to!

But it takes time and intentionality to seek God’s vision. He tucks away these treasures deep in His heart, inviting us to pursue Him and not just His blueprints.

After losing my husband suddenly, my entire framework for making decisions crumbled to pieces. The Lord stayed near but silent. God’s silence can be mistaken for abandonment or punishment. But God’s silence is wisdom’s gentleness. It’s His physical presence ministering to us when words wouldn’t have been enough anyways. But I needed vision more than ever… something, anything to look forward to. And yet, God was quiet.

In that time, He did give me a promise to hold on to but not a vision to work toward. And even though that was outside of what I was in the rhythm of doing, it was such a grace to give a broken heart a promise and not a project. Right? What kindness of God. Even if I didn’t see it that way at the time.

I was forced into major life decisions right after suddenly losing Dan. Schools. House. Church. Etc. Making decisions in that state of shock is … hmm. I don’t know an adequate word to describe that actually. Let’s understate it with “painful.” There’s no checks and balances anymore. There’s no sounding board or a partner. But I had to remember that God’s heart is for the fatherless and the widow, the orphan and the sojourner. So I had to trust and believe God’s hand is on us and that His grace in these decisions was abundant. Still is.

When the Vision Retreat wasn’t offered anymore and wasn’t really an option for me to get away like that anyway, I needed a new plan. Holy Spirit downloaded the idea of a Vision Planning Workbook. That has been a resource I go back to on a regular basis.

Because we just need to surrender the entire next year to the Lord. Some of us need to commit to less so we can commit to the things on God’s heart. Less “good things” and only God things. Others of us need to stop warming the benches and get in the game. The harvest is truly ripe and ready and the workers are few.

Whatever God’s vision is for you, catch it! It’ll be like a turbo boost to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. And a Vision Retreat is a great way to iron out the details. And if you’re grieving or in the throes of trauma, maybe just ask God for a promise to hold on to. Sometimes, that’s all we can do and that’s enough too. He is gracious and remembers we are made from dust.

May you have courage to seek His vision and follow through.