Healing Along Our Dangerous Roads & Finding Mercy by the Sea

Walking the hard and hallowed path of justice and healing requires us to drink deeply from the well of compassion and trust. Come to create. Come to cry. Come to celebrate. Together we will take a meandering path through the intimate and messy work of healing on dangerous roads. We will reflect on good Samaritans and the communities behind them. We will celebrate the old saints who understood the loneliness of truth seekers and gospel lovers. We will sip justice tea, blend fragrant essential oils, and listen to each other’s stories. Come walk along the shoreline, breathe in salt air, and let the ocean's vastness guide you towards deeper compassion and trust in the God who continues to call and equip you in new ways. Through prayer, deep rest, and shared reflections, we trust that new seeds we plant together will produce new fruits as we return to our ministries to love and serve our people with renewed vision and vocation. The retreat includes:

· A private room with a private bathroom

· Eight nourishing meals

· Beach access

· Sessions with Becca Stevens

· Fellowship and group reflection

· Time for personal prayer and silence

· Guests are invited to bring journals and share insights at the last session.

About the retreat leader:

The Rev’d Becca Stevens is a nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, priest, survivor, and founder and President of Thistle Farms. She has founded 12 nonprofits and justice enterprises, mentored another 70, and has raised over $75 million to support them. Becca has authored 12 books and sold over 300,000 copies. She has served as chaplain at St. Augustine’s Chapel on Vanderbilt’s campus for almost 30 years. Becca has been featured on PBS NewsHour, The Today Show, CNN, ABC World News, named a CNN Hero, and White House Champion of Change, and holds multiple honorary doctorates, including one from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Drawn from 25 years of leadership in mission-driven work, Becca leads important conversations across the country with an inspiring message that love is the strongest force for change in the world. Stevens founded Thistle Farms in 1997 with a single home for survivors of trafficking and addiction. Over twenty-five years later, it is a global movement for women’s freedom and a 13-million-dollar organization. Today the Nashville flagship includes a residential program that serves as a national model for women’s recovery and three justice social enterprises that provide jobs to survivors. Stevens developed the Thistle National Network to provide tools, workshops, and conferences to support young organizations wanting to follow its holistic recovery model. There are now 92 organizations, providing over 500 beds to survivors, in its network. She also created Thistle Farms Global Shared Trade which supports 1,400 artisan survivors through 39 partners in 21 countries.

Cost, which includes meals and lodging at Mercy by the Sea for 4 days.
Early Bird: $800 available until August 31 Standard Pricing: $900 beginning September 1

Who should attend?
Clergy and lay leaders across the Christian family from any denomination who seek rest, renewal, fellowship, and prayer to support their ministry are most welcome to join us.

What are the details?

All bedrooms are single bedrooms with private bathrooms. Meals included are dinner on the night of arrival through breakfast on the day of departure. Check-in is at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, October 21 and check-out is at 10 am on Friday, October 24.

Refund Policy
Cancellations before September 1, 2025 receive a full refund, less a $50 cancellation fee.
Cancellations between September 1 and October 1, 2025 receive a 50% refund, less a $50 cancellation fee. No refunds are offered after October 1, 2025 except in cases of emergency and illness.

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