It’s amazing what can happen when women step away from the noise for a single day.
Last week, a small circle of us gathered for Restoring Her - a day designed to help women come home to themselves and to God. No to-do lists. No rushing. Just space to breathe, move, and be.
We began in a big barn, meeting each other for the first time. We started the day talking about how much there was for each of us to carry.
Children.
Food.
Running of the house.
Schedules.
Aging Parents.
Jesus.
& so much more.
We saw how our cups are overflowing and while we have so much capacity, we simply can't hold it all.
From there, we sat together and talked about surrender. Not the kind that’s romanticized in books, but the gritty, real surrender that comes when you finally stop fighting to control the things you were never meant to hold. Some shared stories of seasons of overwhelm where letting go felt impossible and we wrestled together with the question: What would it look like to actually hand this over to God? Little by little, the answers came sometimes through quiet nods of recognition.
To really surrender is to simply have a posture of faith and offering everything up to Him.
Between conversations, we talked about simple health rhythms the little choices that help a body feel safe and supported: slowing your breath before meals, taking your first steps outside into morning sunlight, drinking water before coffee, moving your body in ways that feel joyful instead of punishing. These weren’t overwhelming checklists, but simple ways to treat your body like a friend instead of an enemy.
There’s something about standing beside a creature that big - it demands presence and leadership. Horses don’t play along or pretend. They mirror you. When you’re tense, they sense it. When you soften, they respond. One woman who approached timidly found the horse ignoring her and doing whatever it wanted instead, almost reflecting her hesitance. Eventually, as she breathed, took leadership of the situation, and let herself relax, the horse stepped forward to meet her. It was a living metaphor for trust, surrender, and connection.
Then we prayed using SoulCore, which is prayer woven with gentle movement. At first, everyone moved a little stiffly, our bodies holding the weight of busy schedules and daily demands. But, as we prayed through the Rosary with each stretch and each breath, something shifted. Shoulders lowered. Jawlines softened.
All throughout the day, Jesus was the center. His name wasn’t just spoken in prayer, but it was woven into the way we listened to each other, in the laughter over lunch, in the moments when the wind picked up and the trees swayed above us like they were agreeing with everything being said. There were times I looked around and thought, He’s here. Right now. In this moment.
By the time the day closed, there was a visible difference in the women who had arrived that morning and it wasn’t because all their problems had been solved, but it was because they had been reminded of who they are, and more importantly, whose they are.
That’s what Restoring Her is about. Not escaping your life, but returning to it more whole, more anchored, more able to stand in the truth that you are loved, seen, and held.
Listen to the recent episode on Surrender & the retreat.
Interested in learning more or joining the next retreat? Let Brigid know!
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