08/16/2026
I think I just invented a new word: Retreation. đ
Somewhere between a retreat and a vacation.
Thatâs what this recent family trip felt like for me.
It wasnât really a vacation in the traditional sense. We didnât spend our days touring or trying to see everything the city had to offer.
It was more intentional than that.
I attended a three-day Christian conference while the children enjoyed themselves, played in the pool, ate plenty of good food and simply enjoyed being in a different environment.
And honestly, that alone was a blessing.
For me, though, the biggest gift was rest.
I stepped away from my usual work-work-work rhythm.
I had time to worship, listen, think, sleep, reflect, unwind and just be.
And somewhere in that space, I became aware of something about myself that I hadnât really been able to explain before.
I realized how much my relationship with driving has changed.
There was a time when driving, particularly longer highway trips, created a level of fear in me that I couldnât quite explain.
This time, I drove, and I actually enjoyed it.
That moment made me think about how easily we can move through life without stopping long enough to notice what is happening within us.
Reflection is powerful.
When we reflect, we become aware.
When we become aware, we begin to understand ourselves differently.
And sometimes that awareness reveals things we didnât even realize we were carrying.
It can reveal where weâve grown.
Where weâve healed.
Where we are still hurting.
And perhaps even where we are being called next.
Maybe thatâs why rest is not simply about doing nothing.
Sometimes rest creates the space for us to finally see.
See ourselves.
See our journey.
See what weâve overcome.
See what still needs healing.
See where weâre going.
Iâm learning that healing isnât always a dramatic moment. Sometimes itâs a quiet realization that something that once had power over you doesnât have quite the same power anymore.
So yes, this wasnât exactly a vacation.
It was a little bit of a retreat + recreation = RETREATION. đ
A spirit-filled reset.
A family experience.
A chance to rest.
And, unexpectedly, a chance to discover something about myself.
Perhaps we all need a little more of that.
Rest. Reflect. Become aware. Heal. And live with purpose.