I started this post, part 3 of my Strength for the Journey week, WEEKS ago. on May 2nd. I am finally getting around to finishing it. I wanted to share some of what I learned from the speakers, workshops, etc. Part of what is below was previously written. I take up today below the information on the tie-dye ice hats.
As I reflect on the past week at Steiner Bell Lodge with Strength for the Journey, I am full. My heart, mind, and soul became filled through connections, conversations, worship, learning, campfires, hiking, doing crafts, sitting in the rocking chairs looking at the view, blowing bubbles from the deck and watching the wind take them away. I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to serve on the retreat team.
I was a tad apprehensive about going. Not because of the people. I honestly don't know what was there in me to cause that. It could have been the unknown-- a new place, serving on a team and only knowing a few people, not fully knowing what to expect.
But, any ounce of apprehension quickly melted away and was replaced with peace once I got there.
In my 2nd post, I mentioned how accepted I felt. I felt seen, heard, and loved. That's an incredible feeling.
Every time we worshipped, we sang "Draw the Circle Wide". This song is written by Gordon Light and the tune is by Mark Miller. I've written about it three times before, have used it in a celebration of life service, and have heard it in several places. It is a perfect song for Strength for the Journey. It can be found in Worship & Song, #3154
(handout used for celebration of life service)
one of many versions found on YouTube
I have notes from our speakers and worship times to go back over to see what else caught my attention during the week.
The ice tie-dye craft was fun! I enjoy tie-dye and have made a shirt, but I mostly buy from others. To make my own hat was pretty cool. One doesn't quite know how the colors are going to turn out, so it's a "wait and see" experiment.
Here are some photos from that:
Everyone's hat turned out so cool! There is something about doing a project together with others that is not only fun, but uplifting.
We had other activities too-- a card making craft. Small artist cards. You could be as creative as you wanted to be. There were stamps, you could cut out pictures, there were stickers, ETC. These small cards are fun to make and there's a world out there that makes them, trades them, and collects them. I just had fun making one and seeing what everyone else did. Here is mine:
Have I mentioned the campfires yet? If I have, please indulge me. :) We had campfires for three of the nights, as the weather co-operated. Campfire time was a time to relax, sing, share about the day, and hang out with one another. Colored flames added to the fun. The music was great It's a tad difficult for me to put in words how meaningful this time was. I have always enjoyed campfire time-- from camping out with my family to attending and working camps throughout my life. There is something special about this time. Here are a few photos of our campfires:
Here is the altar in our worship space for the week. Things were added along the way, but this is the only photo I took. I really liked the Guatemalan cloths.
I looked up my notes in one of the notebooks, as I cannot find the other one right now. :)
We each got this notebook for the week:
Here are some of the things that stood out to me in the various speaker sessions, worship, etc.
Find the genuine in you and embrace it. This caused me to reflect-- what IS my genuine? I wrote down "play, authenticity, in creation". I imagine there is more to unpack there, but for now I'm just writing down some of the notes.
In the wilderness, look for trail markers-- blazes, maps, cairns, clouds, pillars of fire. 'You never know what events will lead you home.'
Isaiah 43:14-19. God makes a way. God does a new thing. We will find God in liberation, in the place of wilderness. We can not do the wilderness journey on our own.
It's okay to be afraid in the wilderness.
Those are just a few of the notes I took. I am sure I absorbed much more than that.
Here's what was written about wilderness on a handout. I am not sure who wrote it, compiled it, or from whence it came. But, it is a great statement about wilderness:
"Wilderness is a time or place where we encounter what is new, strange, scary, lonely, unknown or mysterious. The wilderness is a wild and beautiful time and place where we can discover the sacred within each person and all creation. The wilderness can inspire us and guide us, assuring us of God's constant presence. As the Spirit guides us through the wilderness, we find what we need to face our fears and the very real challenges that impact our world. The wilderness teaches us the importance of community and the ways we navigate challenges together. The wilderness reveals our strengths, growing edges, and potential as God equips us for the unknown still to come. The wilderness awaits us all, ang God meets us there."
I could probably write more about my time with Strength for the Journey, but I think I will stop now. There is so much within me for which I am grateful for this opportunity to attend. To all the "campers", thank you for sharing your time for the week. There were many meaningful conversations. To all the staff, thank you for all the work done in preparation and during the week. Everyone pitched in and did their part to make this happen. I look forward to being with and working with all of you again.
In closing, here are some pictures from my time in the wilderness, on the trail we hiked on Thursday. It was at the Greenbrier entrance of the Smoky Mountains. The trail took us by a creek and up to a cabin. There was a cemetery along the way, lots of cool nature things, such as rocks and more.
There's a song in the Worship & Song book (3113) that was introduced at the beginning of the retreat: "A Wilderness Wandering People". What a perfect song for the theme, the time, the retreat. It wasn't planned, it just happened. When the music leader opened the worship book, that's where it opened. Serendipity.
The lyrics are below. I invite you to read through them and reflect on them. What word, words, or phrases stand out to you? Hold those as you listen to the song in the link below the lyrics.
May we find our destination in our longing to be whole.
Our Holy God is calling to us.
With Jesus by our side may compassion be
our compass; may the Spirit be our guide. 2. May we cherish all our children, let us heal our family’s pain.
Help us cure our city’s madness, let love and justice reign.
Reconciled with one another in prayer and praise and song, we’re the body of Christ together and we know that we belong, we belong, we belong, we belong.
As I read the lyrics, here is what stands out to me:
a journey of the soul
longing to be whole
compassion
guide
cherish
heal
let love and justice reign
reconciled
together
we belong
What this time apart reflecting on the wilderness has meant to me is a little bit hard to explain, but I will attempt it.
I came into a community knowing very few people. About a handful of staff, if that. I knew some names of others from conference, but didn't know them well. Others I didn't know at all. Then there are the campers. I didn't know a single one.
There was a sense of belonging from the get-go, a sense of acceptance, connectedness, love, and grace. I have experienced acceptance and grace in community before. I have written about it. The Emmaus Community has been a major community of acceptance and grace for me since 1998. Yet, this week has been different. These people didn't know me, they received me, accepted me, and allowed me into their lives.
It has been life giving to
worship together
do crafts together,
listen to people's stories
enjoy campfire time together
laugh together
share meals together
fellowship together
etc.
I would venture to say that this week has been life-changing for me. It has allowed me to use the gifts and graces that the Creator has given me and to receive the gifts and graces from others.
The weather has offered thunderstorms, rain, and breezes. The beauty of the changing weather, the view of the mountain, the mountain laurel, the roses, and other blooms has sunk into my soul. I didn't know how much I needed the nature therapy.
Do you want to learn more about Strength for the Journey?
Here's a link to an article written by Buzz Trexler from May of 2025 that offers great insight into the retreat:
This is a multi-layered topic, as it is also the name of a yearly retreat in the Holston Conference.
Let's explore the history of "Strength for the Journey", what strength looks like in general, what things might give us strength for the journey, and what this retreat is all about.
First, let me share how I got here.
I first learned about "Strength For The Journey" as a lay person while attending Burks UMC. It was one of the ministries in the Holston Conference that Burks UMC contributed to. I think it was listed on "The Advance", a list of organizations, ministries, and missionaries that can help a church become a "5 Star Church" by donating. Here is a PDF of "The Advance". "Strength for the Journey" is still listed. It falls under category "I" "Support for Action Ministries". It is Holston Project #300.
It is a ministry that has had my attention for years. I had always hoped to learn more, to attend. But my schedule wouldn't permit and I was involved on the conference level with the Hispanic Ministries Team (a team I enjoyed serving with for years.)
At last year's conference, I went by the Strength for the Journey and spoke with John King. I bought a t-shirt from a previous year to support them. I shared with John my interest and he told me to talk with his wife Gaye.
I later learned John had some stained glass supplies and glass he was willing to sell as he was decreasing his stained glass time. I went to their house in December to purchase some items and we talked about "Strength for the Journey". The timing of the retreat fit my schedule and the theme of "Wilderness" was right up my alley. I committed to being part of the staff.
Yesterday I drove the three hour trip to Steiner Bell Lodge on the Wafloy Mountain Village Retreat Center in Gatlinburg, TN. It was a beautiful day to drive and the mountains were beautiful. Upon my arrival, the GPS sent me to the main entrance. I was lucky and blessed that a colleague turned in that same road and I flagged him down. He told me it was one road further and I followed him.
I followed him up the winding narrow road to the top. It reminded me of the road to the Hinton Center in Hayesville, NC. But more narrow and more winding. It isn't a road I would want to do in the dark.
When I got to the top, I saw the building and the welcome sign.
Though it was my first time here and there was much unknown, I was able to lean into the new adventure. I'm still leaning. We had a staff meeting last night and it was good to get to know people and to go over the week. There are three of us "newbies" this year. Some of the participants came in yesterday and I am getting to know them. The rest of the participants come today. We begin a journey of wilderness together.
There will be tie-dye, hiking, small groups, and much more. Because of the predicted rain, we were encouraged to take a look at the view before the staff meeting. I went out on the front porch. This was the view.
Wow.
How beautiful are the mountains.
I'm not sure what this week has for me fully or what I have to offer. I do know that I am here to be fully present, to walk with, to listen, to share the love of Christ. I have a feeling that I will get much more than I give. I met one participant last night who shared about a book she wrote. I ordered it and it will be waiting for me when I get home.
I will share from my perspective and experience without giving away any confidentiality.
I promised some history at the start of this blog post.
Strength for the Journey (SFTJ) is a compassionate ministry of the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church that provides a safe, caring, and healing community for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Through annual retreats and year-round connection, participants find space for spiritual renewal, emotional healing, and supportive fellowship.
A Place of Renewal
Since 1997, Holston’s Strength for the Journey retreats have offered a peaceful sanctuary in the Smoky Mountains where participants can rest, reflect, and reconnect with God and one another. Each retreat is designed to:
Heal your spirit and nourish your body
Provide time for reflection, recreation, and rest
Encourage open discussion, spiritual guidance, and worship
Offer opportunities for art, journaling, hiking, and community connection
Every aspect of the retreat is centered on love, acceptance, and renewal. Participants often describe the experience as “a place to be me, to be who I am without judgment” and “a time that strengthens me to live with renewed energy and joy.”
Rooted in Compassion
Originating in 1988 in the California-Pacific Conference, Strength for the Journey has spread across the country, reflecting the Church’s calling to embody compassion and hope. The Holston Conference was the first in the Southeast to host a retreat, beginning in 1997. Today, this vital ministry continues through the generous support of churches, individuals, and organizations across multiple denominations.
This PDF gives a little more history of the beginnings in 1988 and tells how to set up a retreat. This guide is from 2018, so there might have an updated version somewhere. I am proud of our Holston Conference for being the first in the Southeast to start a retreat in 1997.
In my research, I found information from Cal-Pac Conference on a documentary.
Where and how do you need strength in your journey?
Maybe there is something here in this post that offers you hope, encouragement, strength.
Thanks for joining me on my journey. I look forward to learning more about Strength for the Journey this week and to offering and receiving strength for the journey.
