I walked back from school today, past the land and found myself worshiping God and praying that that would be the experience of anyone who walks past.
Matthew 9v13 “I desire mercy not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Started to pray, Lord who is this retreat for?
I have always thought christians, but hoped that non-christians may be drawn in too.
Is it for non-christians? Doesn’t seam humanly possible that non- christian teenagers would want to come to seek God. Maybe I am underestimanting teenagers and God. Lord please strech my faith.

Matthew 9v 16-17 “new wine into new wineskins” Have we got the focus back to front?

A place of retreat for young people.

Currently the world around is fast moving and concentrates on getting. There are very few spaces left to be still in a persons life and this is especially true of young people.

We plan to build a place of retreat that focuses on bringing space, stillness to a young person’s life. We won’t build climbing towers or fill the place with things to do, rather we will build a site that has walks that will take you on a journey from Genesis to Revelation. A place to be still and contemplate and find God.

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing various posts that will chart this progress of restoration.

Rich

We have found a field that would suit us perfectly in setting up the retreat centre. It is a 6 acre field has a flattish top part (with wonderful views into Lostwithiel) and then sloping to a wooded area and stream at the bottom. It borders some housing and might or might not yield planning permission to build some houses or maybe something else.

As we have started to pray and focus on what God wants it seems that getting some land and starting to provide/build a place of retreat in the form of a garden – a place of quiet would be a beginning. We usually think of a retreat centre as buildings you go and visit and get some quiet and maybe teaching. All along we have wanted to turn the idea of retreat on it’s head – particularly with young people. This is why we think buying this land and building a garden as a place of retreat is next for us.

It is a huge task. Splitting a 6 acre field into a place of retreat. Ideas abound for a rose garden, a secret garden, paths that wind in and out and cause you to believe you’re walking miles. A sensory area, a place of discovery. Maybe some animals, an allotment? How do we include God, so that it isn’t just a ‘nice’ place. There are a lot of questions. You might have more or you might have some answers, please feel free to use the comments box at the bottom of this post to join in this discussion.

And so to the final bit. The land will cost £110,000! We have however agreed with the owner to pay him £60,000 with a further £50,000 if we get planning permission for any development. So we need to raise £60,000. It sounds huge and when I say it I feel like there is no way we can raise that level of money. But I did feel God challenging me to break it down. 60 x £1000. Well we already have some money saved so suddenly it is more like 56 x £1000. So we now need 50 people to give £1000. Ok that still seems a lot. What if 10 people each gave £100. Ok now that is even easier….. You get the drift. If we don’t start somewhere we will never start.

So, I can’t promise anything. All I can do is ask. Please could you pray and see whether this is something you want to be involved in. I am hoping that if we can raise the money without incurring debt we can very quickly move on to the next phase. I have an architect, a very skilled and gifted team who will do all they can to help us see the retreat built but we do need your help.

Pray, pray, pray and visit. Come and take a look at the field and if you feel you can give. The money will go into a Littlebigfoot account where it will be properly accounted for.

Many thanks for reading.