Hello friends,

I wanted to share with you an upcoming event I’m hosting. It’s a personal retreat based on the book The Way of Trust and Love by Jacques Philippe.

I decided to do this because, as Stephen prepares to leave for a short deployment, I wanted a way to not just survive while he’s gone—but actually grow and thrive.

I figured some sort of challenge would shift my focus from his absence to my personal growth. As I looked around at some of the challenges that already exist, I realized that what I wanted to do was a little different from what I was seeing out there. So I decided to combine elements from what I found and make up my own 31 day challenge.

When I shared what I was doing with a friend out in Seattle, she immediately said: “wait, can I do this with you?!”

As I thought about what we could do together (virtually), I thought it might be fun to invite some other people to join us. So I came up with a plan and started pushing it on social. It’s been exciting to see people sign up, and I wanted to give my blog readers a chance to join in too.

WHAT IT IS

The goals for this retreat are #1 to foster a habit of prayer, #2 to ask God for the grace to grow in trust and love, and #3 to encourage each other in our journey toward holiness.

We will work toward these goals through prayer:

• praying the ‘surrender’ prayer every morning (I recommend taking a screenshot and saving it on your phone).
• participating in 15 minutes of daily reading and reflection on Jacques Philippe’s The Way of Trust and Love.

And through fasting:

• Wednesday and Friday two snacks + one meal
• no social media on Fridays. 

And through community:

• weekly emails with a Saint reflection
• daily encouragement posts and stories on @thewayoftrustandlove Instagram account.

If you are unable to do these particular fasts for health or other reasons, choose your own! Some ideas: black coffee, no sweets, no streaming any videos online, no complaining, no snacks between meals… the possibilities are endless. The important part is to pick something and to be consistent. 

From August 15-September 14, I will be sending you a weekly reflection about growing in trust & love for God.

I will use a Saint quote as a starting point and end with some practical ideas of how we can take their words and put them into action.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

As I mentioned on Insta, there are two ways you can participate in these 31 days. One way is to purchase the book on your own in time to begin reading on August 15th.

The second way I will purchase the book and send it to you. Additionally, I will send you a little gift toward the end of our retreat to help you celebrate completing these 31 days. 

If you are doing it the first way, you just need to get your book! If you’re doing it the second way, I will be sending you the link to purchase it. Once you fill that out, I will be sending you the book ASAP.

Please sign up by emailing me: mirandakatemixon@gmail.com.

I hope you will prayerfully consider joining this personal retreat. I know that it will be fruitful.

“My way is entirely one of trust and love.”

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

AMDG

Miranda