ADVENT RETREAT RESOURCES
These resources are helpful for anyone at this time of Advent and Christmas, and will be of special significance to those who enjoyed the ADVENT RETREAT.
Verses, music, books, counselling:
A list of Bible verses about hope:
https://www.womansday.com/life/inspirational-stories/g27654150/bible-verses-about-hope/
MUSIC:
BOOKS: I don’t personally know Bethany, but each of the other authors I do and I can really recommend their books to you. I’ve read each of these and found them helpful.
If Only, by Jennie Pollock. When life doesn’t always go the way we’d hoped, and we find ourselves struggling for contentment in the midst of disappointment.
Journey With Grace, by Sarah Grace. Unpacking the journey and learning to feel comfortable in our own skin. Sarah is a psychotherapist who has been on her own journey of faith and finding emotional freedom. (She’ s also my publisher!)
From Burned Out To Beloved: soul care for wounded healers, by Bethany Dearborn Hiser. From the back cover - This book will equip you to confess your limitations, embrace your identity as a beloved child of God and flourish in your call to serve.
Taking Off The Mask, by Claire Musters. Claire uses her own story to help us take off our masks and be who God created us to be, moving away from disappointment and shame.
And two I’ve found helpful in previous Advents - daily readings moving towards Christmas.
Redeeming Advent by Lucy Rycroft. Discovering that the Christmas story was busier, messier and more haphazard than we ever imagined. Written for busy people!
Those Who Wait, by Tanya Marlow. Follow Sarah, Isaiah, John the Baptist and Mary and find empathy for our disappointment and doubt, perspective and purpose in delay, and above all, find God in the waiting.
COUNSELLING:
If some of the areas we touched on in the retreat brought up difficulties or disappointments or doubts or any other issues for you, do talk to someone who can help. It may be the clergy, pastor or minister at your church; your homegroup leader, or a trusted Christian friend.
It is often really helpful to talk with a Spiritual Director (another name for someone who accompanies you on your Christian journey and can be a confidential and empathetic listening ear) and you could ask your pastor or clergy to recommend someone. I have a few spaces available too (click here to read more) which are available in person or online - I have people from the UK and the USA and we chat quite happily on Zoom or Facetime! One of the benefits of our modern technology.
And maybe for deep life issues, a counsellor or psychotherapist would be helpful. I can recommend SarahGrace Counselling and Swift Counselling, both of whom are Christians and offer online or in person counselling and psychotherapy and each of whom I know personally.
Don’t wait if you have things troubling you; this is a good opportunity to change something in your life for the better and to get true help to do that.
There are affiliate links which earn me a few pennies if you click through. THANK YOU - but no pressure if you want to get them from your local bookshop!
THE SPICE RETREAT
I will be leading the SPICE RETREAT again in late December/early January if you’ve not yet done it. For those on the ADVENT RETREAT there is a promo code for you to get a discount, which will be emailed to you so look out for that!
I know that for many, going on Retreat or Pilgrimage is a life changing event; but many of us are hesitating to travel right now or commit to travel yet . So a destination retreat isn’t possible right now.
And many of us are feeling a little lost, a little weary, with all that's going on right now.
Wondering who am I? Wondering what's the point of me? Or even, what difference can I make in the current world situations?
Here’s where the SPICE RETREAT online can be of help: By the end of this new online retreat, you’ll know how God made you YOU, you’ll know your best YOU, and you’ll be able to be your best YOU in everyday life, work and relationships. No matter what is going on around you.
SPICE: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Creative, Emotional
The SPICE RETREAT is for:
- Anyone who wants to go deeper with God and discover how he created you to be
- The person who feels lost and uncertain in life, especially in these uncertain times
- Someone who needs to re-set and start-over, to be re-activated with a new purpose
- Those who are created by God
Don't worry if you are not based in the UK - you’ll have Forever Access and can watch at a time to suit you. There are 5 weekly sessions of an hour each; a downloadable retreat handbook; downloadable journals each week and other downloadable resources; options for one-on-one sessions of Spiritual Direction.
"A good basic grounding in spiritual disciplines that make you think about strengthening and valuing each aspect of life, to be true to and value your real self and grow deeper in the knowledge of God’s love. It really encouraged me to continue to take the steps I needed to take to become freer and enjoy life ...... it was a real blessing and God given for this time. " - Jackie S
Finally - A SCENT OF WATER will be published in the spring next year. It’s a daily devotional for the first 6 months of bereavement and is being produced as a gift book - a hard backed smaller book, with wonderful photographs, a ribbon marker; daily thoughts and some meditations. Full details soon! It’s with the publisher now, which is exciting, and I’m thrilled that my little book will be available to help others with grief and loss.
THANK YOU - for joining me on the Advent Retreat. May God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him.
The Revd Penelope Swithinbank is an experienced pilgrimage and retreat leader, conference speaker and Spiritual Director/Therapist. She has been leading retreats and pilgrimages for nearly 20 years, regularly leads pilgrimages in the UK and on the Via Francigena in Italy, has had an international ministry, including churches in America and the UK, and speaking on Women's Retreats and leading conferences. Her most special memory is of opening the US Senate in prayer and being guest chaplain there for a day. Penelope was the first ordained woman on the staff of The Falls Church, Virginia, where she headed up the Connections and Communications Ministry in a church of nearly 4,000. Later, she was the first chaplain at St Mellitus College, London, and then ran The Vine at Mays Farm, a Christian Retreat House providing sanctuary mostly to burned-out clergy, although normal people came too, for retreats and time out. She now works partly as a Chaplain at Bath Abbey and partly mentoring, supporting and pastoring clergy. Author of two books, she is a wife, mother and grandmother and says of the 6 grandchildren that they are so wonderful she should have had them first.