Is your soul aching for renewal? Maybe God is inviting you to meet Him in Alaska.

Picture this: a flight into the picturesque wilds of Alaska. A stunning view of the massive Denali, the highest peak in North America at over 20,000 feet. An ICOC-built retreat center nestled among the trees, surrounded by falling yellow and orange leaves. As I sat on my northern-bound flight to the Arctic, I knew that place would be perfect for an encounter with the Father. Except, something felt very wrong...

I was supposed to be co-leading a week-long Sabbath retreat in the remote Alaskan wilderness, but if I’m really honest, I was just stumbling in. “Physician, heal thyself” rang through my ears as I stepped out of my vehicle and into the cedar-clad lodge. 

The truth is that I felt insecure about being there. How could I lead others toward Sabbath rest when I felt like my own life had become so unmanageably busy? What right did I have to help others to find peace when I haven't been able to reliably foster that fabled "shalom" in my own heart? I felt like a fraud.

Thankfully, as the night fell and the northern lights began their streaky emerald dance against the crisp arctic sky, I began to simply breathe the chilled air. My shoulders started to relax. And then I remembered Jesus' words: “I will give you rest for your souls”. (Matt 11:29)

That's when it dawned on me: I was trying to BE Jesus for people, when all I need to do was to bring people TO Jesus, including myself. He said "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened". (Matt 11:28)

The truth is, retreats aren’t for perfect people. There is no performing here. Here, you are invited to just be. To breathe and to walk and to pray. To pour through the scriptures or simply sit in silence and wait for God to speak to you. I remembered that I didn’t have to be anything to “deserve” to be there. And guess what: neither do you. You don’t have to earn a retreat. It isn’t selfish to take one.

Instead, we rely on the perfect person of Jesus to do for us what we could never do for ourselves: give us rest for our souls. It is only through Jesus that we can find ultimate rest. And this can happen anywhere, including in a busy city. Physical wilderness isn't required, though being gob-smacked by God's creation in Alaska certainly helps.

I hope that if you have the opportunity, you will come and try this unique experience. The Alaska Sabbath Retreat isn’t an Eremos retreat, technically. It is facilitated by the Anchorage Great Land Christian Church and the Gateway to the Arctic camp. And it is a truly incredible spiritual adventure. It might even change the course of your life.

You can find out more about this year's September 15-22, 2025 retreat here: https://www.glccalaska.com/sabbath-retreat.