I’ve shared this watercolor before, but as I’m actually in Spain, looking at this very view in the evening from the balcony outside my room, it feels fitting to share it again.
We’re retreating, looking at Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and exploring how we live in and for Christ. Group discussion, imaginative prayer, walking the labyrinth… it’s been a great week so far and we’ve got more to enjoy! Check out El Palmeral for more details – you won’t be sorry.
I woke early this morning, still on Spanish time. Yes, I know it’s only an hour difference, but I like the thought of a wee bit of jetlag as I reflect on the week at El Palmeral and move back into family life in London. Jetlag – especially the proper “I’ve crossed many time zones” jetlag – can be a means not only of adjusting our bodies to the different culture, but our hearts and minds too. I feel we leave a bit of our hearts in the places we’ve been, especially when we leave dear people behind. These longings reflect our deepest longings for our Home and Homemaker.
In Spain I try to take photographs that make me pause. The beauty of people and a much different climate and plants that I’m used to jolt me into wonder and thanks to a God who oozes creativity. Enjoy these photos, perhaps pausing to ponder.
I hear that bookings are starting to come in for the retreat I’m leading at the fabulous El Palmeral in Spain in June. Could you join us?
This retreat is one of my most favorite weeks. The setting is tremendous – Julie and Mike Jowett have set up a haven of hospitality in the desert. The dry heat envelops us as we feast on amazing Spanish cuisine and enjoy the company of the other guests. There is plenty of space for time on one’s own too – the gardens are lovely for quiet reflection, including a labyrinth. My favorite is sitting by the pool.
This year the theme we’ll explore is:
Finding Ourselves in God: We all face changes in life – we lose or gain a job, we experience a bereavement, if we’re parents our kids grow up – and these changes may lead us to wonder, “Who am I? With a different role, what’s left of me?” When this search for faith, home and identity lands on God, we find our true home and true self. Join Amy for inspiring sessions with plenty of time for guided prayer exercises.
To find out more, check out their website at El Palmeral, including contact details. Mike and Julie run other themed retreats, or you may prefer a time-out retreat on your own.
I’m here at El Palmeral near Elche in Spain leading a retreat called, “Adventures with God.” It’s all about life with God and how we can communicate with him – and he with us. I find prayer so exciting, for through it God breaks into our lives and showers us with his love and affirmation.
He also reveals himself in creation. I snapped these photos yesterday in the gardens here at El Palmeral, reveling that the Lord would make cacti so interesting and the new buds of dates so beautiful. Join me here in Spain, imagining you feel the hot Mediterranean sun warming you as you look at the photos.
When I think of retreat centers, the images that come to mind are draughty convents with sparse rooms and stodgy food. Places to meet God, but not necessarily somewhere that allows you to relax fully or feel pampered. But recently I enjoyed a week’s retreat at El Palmeral in Spain, which blew away any preconceptions of a retreat entailing suffering for the Lord. It was more of a “holi-treat,” a delightful fusion of a retreat and a holiday (or maybe even a “holy-treat”!). We certainly encountered God, but we also soaked up the Mediterranean sun, splashed in the pool, feasted on glorious Spanish cuisine, and even hooted with laugher during a group film night. (The Blues Brothers – after all, they were on a mission from God.) I hasten to add that the introverts were free to escape to their room or to a quiet place in the grounds for their needed space.
Our focus for the week was “Adventures in Prayer,” so we engaged with different types of communication with God – confession, listening prayer, practicing the presence of God, and walking the labyrinth among others. I may have been leading the retreat, but I gained so much, not only from the guests, but from the Lord as I received peace, love, affirmation and direction during the times of individual reflection.
One of the unexpected gifts was the rhythm of Celtic Daily Prayer (as produced by the Northumbria Community) in the morning and evening, led by our hosts, Julie and Mike Jowett. I loved meeting in the outdoor chapel, sitting before the simple table with its cross, candles and intricate lace tablecloth. Praying the lilting words and listening to the sung liturgy was rich and meaningful. I especially appreciated the added aspect of community that the Prayer Pot afforded. Each morning we’d select three slips out of the pot, which was filled with the names of those who had journeyed with Palm Grove Community as a volunteer or a guest. We’d pray for them, trusting that God knew their needs. Interestingly, some of the names kept being selected again and again. Julie said that when that happened, they would contact the person to see if they needed prayer for something specific. More often than not, the timing was amazing with something significant going on in their lives – as we experienced several times during our week.
The beauty of the Mediterranean surroundings fed my soul too. I came downstairs on the first morning, camera in hand, eager to capture the some of the interesting plants in the grounds. As I left, I heard Julie say to Mike, “Look, they’ve bloomed! We have three blooms!”
I didn’t know what they were speaking about, and went off wandering in the garden to take some photos. I especially enjoyed snapping close-ups of the date and olive trees as I marvelled at the interesting patterns in the cacti and other vegetation. But I was most taken with the gorgeous flowers on the tall cacti trees, and shot them from many different angles. 
Later I showed Julie the photos. When we came to the cacti, she said, “You know those flowers only last a day!”
I was stunned. What an image of God’s extravagance – that he would create such a thing of beauty that remains only for a day, on a plant that might flower just once a year. As I pondered this bountiful yet fleeting gift, I thought how it reminds us to live in the present moment. Not to squander the majesty or wonder or delight of what surrounds us, but to stop and be fully present. And to give thanks to the One who created the beauty, who is our source and life.
Now when I think of retreats, El Palmeral comes to mind. I think of warming sunshine and the sparkling water of the pool. Swimming in the morning before the activities of the day. The neighbour’s cats coming over to be fed. The rustic outdoor chapel for worship and communion. The well-stocked library for intellectual stimulation. The dry air that warms the bones of a chilled dweller of the UK. The garden sporting its labyrinth and rendition of Golgotha. And not only the physical features, but the love and community that El Palmeral exudes in the warmth of the welcome and the feeling of acceptance it offers. The bonding through the sharing of good food and drink – the tasty Mediterranean dinners with the space for meaningful conversation. And above all, the setting which affords a deep communion with God.
The perfect place for a holi-treat.
I’m leading my “Adventures in Prayer” retreat again: 16-20 September 2013. Click here for more details, and for information about the retreats by such stellar speakers as Adrian and Bridget Plass and Jeff and Kay Lucas (currently taking place).
I’ve adapted this post from an article that appeared in Woman Alive, April 2013.
