By Rev. Katie Grover, Master of Divinity 2013
After having a taxing year personally and professionally, I needed a rest. I needed a reset. I needed to reconnect with God—to experience the love of our Heavenly Father, to know again Jesus has experienced my sufferings, and to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. There is one place I know to find these things: Wilmore, KY and Asbury Theological Seminary.
The Office of Alumni at ATS offers Renewal Retreats—a retreat designed for you personally (based on your requests) and covered in prayer. I availed myself of this opportunity and walked away feeling loved beyond measure from the moment I stepped on campus. Worshiping in Estes Chapel caused my soul to rejoice. Sitting down with former professors was a blessing. Being prayed for, prayed over, and listened to in a prayer session was healing. Hiking the Absury University trails amidst the Kentucky River Palisades allowed me to “raise mine Ebenezer.” And, nothing beats the sunsets in Wilmore. The great thing about these personalized retreats is that I could have chosen to do nothing but sleep, sit under the blue skies, or bury my head in a book in the library.
If you need to get away, reconnect, unplug, study, rest, reset, or renew, then the Renewal Retreat offered by the Alumni Office is something you should consider. No, it is something you should do. Asbury Theological Seminary and its people continue to love on you even after you graduate. At Asbury, we become a part of a community that cares. This fact is demonstrated by the opportunities offered to alum through the Alumni office, especially the Renewal Retreats. I am extremely thankful for the extravagant hospitality and love which was offered to me as a part of the Renewal Retreat. I will definitely look to be a part of one again. Maybe this time I won’t wait until I am at the proverbial end of my rope.
If you are interested in participating in a Renewal Retreat, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can find out more information about renewal retreats and sign up here.