A RESOURCE OF PRAY CHATTANOOGA
We set out to create a series of retreat guides that can be used in individual, small group, and church-wide settings.
Sabbath Rest
Retreat Guide
By Micki Ann Harris
What if there was a place where you could find rest for your body and refreshment for your spirit? What if you could check your heaviness at the door and step into peace? What if the cost of abiding here was free—a sheer gift, ready for you to receive? There is such a place, not located in geography but in time. It is a 24-hour day of potential bless- ing and restoration, woven into the DNA of creation. It is sabbath rest—God’s remedy for the weary soul.
Often, our tired souls and bodies call us to pay attention to the damage being done by the dangerous pace of our lives and the blurred margins between work and rest. From the moment He formed humankind, God has known our limitations. He provided a remedy to keep us from destroying our- selves: it is the weekly practice of sabbath rest. This resource will guide you through learning about the Sabbath and creating your own weekly time of sabbath rest.
The Rule of Life
Retreat Guide
By Adam Whitescarver
Used by Christians since ancient times, the effectiveness of a Rule of Life is time-tested and as relevant as ever for those of us distracted by the cares and riches of this world. We need help to focus on Christ, to make Him the most important person in our lives, and to put every other good thing in its proper place. This will not happen by accident or without great intentionality. A Rule of Life helps us to stay the course in cooperating with God’s work in our lives, ultimately transforming our thoughts, words, and actions.
This resource is meant to help you craft a Rule of Life that is both personalized and communal. It is personal in that it will fit you but communal in that it will connect you to the practices and rhythms the Church has practiced for millennia.
Stations of the Cross
Retreat Guide
By Adam Whitescarver
Throughout the centuries, Christians have created devotional practices to ensure they do not forget the command to keep Christ’s Cross front and center in our lives. The most popular of these devotions is the Stations of the Cross.
This version has been slightly modified from traditional sources to work equally well for Catholics and Protestants, with the expressed hope that in some places Catholics and Protestants will do the Stations together. Regardless of denominational background or Tradition, this retreat guide helps all believers gain a new understanding of this ancient practice, and leads them through prayers and meditations to help them better deny themselves, take up their own crosses, and follow Jesus Christ.
Simply yet elegantly designed, this booklet is a non-distracting tool to help pilgrims walk through a set of Stations of the Cross at churches or retreat centers or wherever they may find them. Those who are seasoned in this practice as well as beginners will find it accessible and helpful as they seek a better grasp of the immensity of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.
Reviews
“The Rule of Life Retreat Guide is a gift. Out of all the books and resources I have read on crafting a rule of life, this one is the most efficient, beautiful, practical, and hopeful. It is filled with practical guidance without sounding should-y or checklist-y, and perfectly communicates the essence and benefit of crafting a rule: how it ultimately leads to freedom and nearness to God. It is grounded, insightful, and truly helpful. Everyone should have this guide as a companion to crafting their rule of life.”
- Kacie Dreiling