When I began my ministry in Argyle, I found in Madison (about an hour away) St. Benedict’s which is a Catholic retreat center. Once each month I would drive there early in the morning, carrying with me only my Bible and my spiritual books. I would spend the day in reading, reflection, and prayer. By the time I got home at night I felt like I had just taken a couple of days off.

Over time, St. Benedict’s began opening up their center to more and more conferences and it became difficult to get a room on the day I needed it. So, once a month, after I got the kids off to school, I would sit in my favorite chair, turn on the coffee pot and the answering machine and have my holy retreat day at home.

I am still doing this once a month and I just want to encourage all of you to do it. I know we all lead busy lives and I’ll even admit after all these years, I still feel guilty when I tell someone I can’t meet on the day I plan on retreating. I also still wrestle with, especially in the morning, the feeling that I should get busy and “really do something.”

But I also know that at the end of each one of these days, I know that I just did one of the most important things in my month – time alone with God.

Give it a try – force yourself to do it. Fight the guilt and know that your relationship with God is your job. I have no doubt that you will find it just as refreshing and rewarding.

God bless, Dan