IV Spiritual Formation Retreats

A word of blessing to start your retreat.

For this particular examen, you are invited to narrow in on one memory from the last month. As we spend some time paying attention to that challenging moment and our response in it, ask Jesus what we need from him to respond to a particular challenge in a way that is more aligned with the Spirit's work in our life.

Visio Divina is latin for, "divine seeing." It is a way of reflecting on art as prayer. In this piece, Bette Dickinson, the artist will lead you through a guided meditation with prompts followed by some reflective music. While the music plays, consider journaling your prayers in response and hitting "pause" if you need more time.

A traditional lectio divina on Acts 3:1-10

Enter the text of Acts 3:2-6 with your imagination from the vantage point of the beggar. Rest in God's loving gaze upon you in this text.

Make the most of your Intimacy in the Waiting retreat day with this Introduction by Bethany Givens Blankespoor. Through these 4 retreats, we will explore how God's Spirit invites us into intimacy, forms our character, goes with us in mission, and fuels our ministry of reconciliation and justice.

To prime your heart for this retreat, listen to this soundbite from our interview with Natalia Kohn Rivera as she shares how she grew in intimacy with Christ through waiting seasons in her life.

Reflect with God on the last month through this examen led by Bethany Givens Blankespoor, Spiritual Formation Specialist in Mid-Atlantic Region.

Psalm 84 Modified Lectio Divina read by Jovin Adjeitey. Sit in a comfortable place and allow the text to lead you into deeper intimacy with Jesus.

Reflect on this painting, "Home" by Bette Dickinson as you are led in a contemplative exercise called Visio Divina, Latin for "divine seeing." Allow this painting and meditation to lead you deeper into intimacy with Jesus.

Begin seated for this guided reflection and then when prompted, take a contemplative walk as you listen to this meditation on Acts 1. Journey with the disciples as God forms them in the waiting.

Close your retreat with this breath prayer and receive a benediction from Brenda Wong based on Ephesians 3:14-21

In this interview, Bette Dickinson talks with Natalia Kohn Rivera, Associate Director of Spiritual Formation for InterVarsity's LaFe ministry to Latinx students about what she has learned about how to cultivate intimacy with Jesus in seasons of waiting. Check out Natalia's book, Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence, cowritten with Noemi Vega Quinones, and Kristy Garza Robinson published through InterVarsity Press. It is now available in Spanish!