Where do you go when you’re faced with a challenge and you feel a little overwhelmed? Or when you have some deep thinking to do? Or you need to be away from the day to day and connect more closely with the God and Creator of your being? When you need a retreat?

Here’s where I went yesterday.

Today will have a very different landscape, though the goal of “retreating” is the same. I’m joining fellow Northwest writers, Judy Gann and Karen Barnett, and hitting the road for our agency retreat. But I go with much to think about. My editor was kind enough to hold back the main editing notes for Willa until next week, leaving me these next few days to focus on agency stuff and writerly fellowship. But she did send me a cliff notes version, highlighting the main issues in Willa that could be strengthened, for a better, more focused story.

I sense God’s hand in the timing. While I was willing to spend every free moment at this retreat sequestered in my hotel room with a laptop, doing the rewrites on Willa, instead (since I know the main story issues that need attention, and because the answers to solving a few of them aren’t readily apparent), I’ll have these days to let it all stew, to brainstorm on paper, to think and pray it all through. God willing, by the time the retreat ends and I come home to the full edit notes from my editor, I’ll be on the same page with her, and ready to dig into the work.

Have a blessed week everyone! I may be a little scarce on the blog for the next few weeks as I embark upon an aspect of writing I’ve never encountered before, but one that’s necessary for growing stronger stories. Content edits!