“Rest and be thankful.” ~William Wordsworth
I think Laity Lodge and The High Calling might be two of the best kept secrets in the world of all things writerly, and scholarly, and sacred, and blog-worthy. I have a certain friend who — nearly every time she sees me — asks, “Now, tell me, again about The High Calling. I want to understand it.” So, I tell her how The High Calling is an online community that encourages everyday conversations about work, life, and God. How we believe the lines between sacred and secular, work and life are blurred at best. Constructs, perhaps, that we’ve made up to compartmentalize the journey.
My friend looks at me and I can tell she is almost persuaded. But not quite. I am pretty sure the significance gets lost in my translation. The same is true of Laity Lodge. You may have met someone who’s been to “the canyon” as it’s called. If you have, they have tried to tell you about it, but their explanation fell short of fully capturing the way the Spirit of God sweeps down into the hollow of the hewn-out walls of rock and how your heart and soul cannot escape it, and wouldn’t want to if they could. I wasn’t convinced until I spent a weekend there for myself. Since then, I’ve been back two more times. This November will be my fourth retreat. If I could only go to one retreat each year, as a participant, this would be the one.
Peace like a river. There isn’t any other way I can think to describe it. The canyon is one of those places you have to experience for yourself. My pictures will never do it justice. Because the place it touches most deeply are not visible to you or me. When you leave the canyon, you are a different person. Better. You feel stronger. You stand taller. You breathe more deeply. You sleep well. You might even glow.
The High Calling retreat at Laity Lodge takes place November 21-24 this year. The assignment? Reflection and rest. Only thirty spots remain, and I think one of them might have your name on it. Scholarships are available, and I encourage you to apply for one if the thought just crossed your mind. Most of The High Calling editors will be there. I’ll be there. Many of your friends from The High Calling network will be there, too. I’d love to walk a path beneath the sky, or rock in a rocking chair overlooking the Frio River, right next to you.
Have you been to Laity Lodge? How would you describe it? Will you be there this year for The High Calling Retreat? What questions do you have? Type them out in the comments; I’d be honored to answer them for you.