Is 2024 Your Year to Join us?
Happy New Year to all of you!
I hope this New Year brings you so much joy and fulfillment … in Jesus!
Friends, we can look to fill our needs, our dreams and our desires, in this world, but we know this world is NOT where we’ll find true joy.
~ Joy is found in knowing we can cry out “Abba Father” and He hears us (Romans 8)
~ Joy is found in reminding our hearts about the Good News of the Gospel every day (1 Corinthians 15)
~ Joy is found when we live in incredible freedom as believers in Jesus Christ (Galations 5)
~ Joy is found when we live in the “Fruit of the Spirit” that glorifies God (Galations 5)
~ Joy is found in the peace that comes from knowing He is working in our lives for good, to those who love Him… (Romans 8)
~ And joy is found in seeing God’s vast beauty in nature all around us… (Psalm 19)
Psalm 19:1 reminds us: “The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of His hands.”
What an incredible verse to share with the world, to see and be in awe of in His vast creation, and to remind our hearts of as we live our lives out daily.
And if that was a mouthful to start this first blog post of 2024, I’m not sorry… because it is the HOPE we can have to live this messy, hard, trial-filled life out with JOY.
We need to be the “Good News” bearers in 2024, and that is what I want to talk to you about this year…
But first, let me say a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in my Advent December Daily Class! I learned so much from reading and digging deep into the birth of our Savior, and I hope you did too. And in the process it was such an eye opener to see it spoken of throughout the entire Bible. Wasn’t that such a cool reminder of the Sovereignty of God in all of {His}story? So thank you for allowing me to slip into your email each evening and thank you for sharing some of your journals with me too.
As 2024 has begun, the verses in Luke 2 have clung to my heart and stayed in my mind. They have ushered in a New Year of great JOY, and my desire is to share that with each one of you on this blog and with those of you who will join me on our retreats this year.
Luke 2:10: “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
This good news of great joy is for everyone to hear… our friends and family, the person who makes our coffee, the guy having a bad day in front of us, and the entire world in 2024 friends!
Here’s what’s on the Schedule for 2024
I’m thrilled to start this year with the verses I shared above, and let you know a few things about the retreats this year.
At all the retreats this year I will speaking on the Sovereignty of God and His incredible Grace. I am humbled by the fact that THIS is the theme I feel lead to share with you this year, but let me tell you there is so much HOPE for us in these truths! Even in a dark world where sin seems to reign… God is still on the throne and He reigns supreme. He knows what’s going on, He’s not some distant God that created us and them took a step back… Not a chance friends! Scripture tells us over and over again that He knows every detail of our lives, He cares for us deeply, and He loves His children. That is why we can cry “Abba Father” at any time, day or night, and He hears our prayers!
I’m excited to unpack what this looks like in Italy, England and Vermont, & encourage you to find joy & peace in these truths too.
Here’s this year’s theme Title:
The Beauty of Grace in our Stories of Faith
How our Soveriegn God is writing the most beautiful testimonies.
I’ve been writing a lot these last few weeks and getting started on this year’s devotional. I still can’t believe I get to do this, and that these devotionals have become something God has used around the world. I’ve mailed them to different countries, I may have left one in the apartment we used in Venice, Italy… (pray for that to be used in some way) and I’ve heard from so many of YOU who are going through them. I continue to pray that He uses them for His glory and this years will be the best one yet!
So, now onto the retreats for this year:
Ff you’ve been thinking and praying about joining us this year, here’s an update on what we have left, and what you can pray about it.
2024 Art & Faith Creative Retreats
First off, you may know by now that the English Countryside Creative Retreat is SOLD OUT. Thank you to everyone who is coming on this very first retreat in England for us! I am so excited about this retreat and know it’s going to be an incredible time with these ladies.
NOTE: If you were thinking about joining us on this one and didn’t get your registration in, you can email me and I can put you on the wait list I’ve started. Sometimes there are women who have to cancel, so this list is what I use to reach out if there’s a spot to fill.
Our next retreat is in Bellagio, Italy - June 22-29, 2024.
For those praying about joining this retreat, there are only 3 apartments left! One is a studio apartment (so one person would fit best) and the other 2 are one bedroom apartments with two beds, so 2 people in each apartment, unless you want to pay for single occupancy. One of the 2 bed apartments may be gone soon, (a friend and her daughter may grab it) so if you’re on the fence for this retreat… don’t wait too long! NOTE: This is the only retreat this year where husbands are welcome to join us. If you want more information on that, email me soon.
Here are the details and registration page for Italy:
I alway tell ladies that have never come with me on a retreat before, THIS is the retreat to come to first. We are blessed to have so many women join us multiple times in Italy and the other locations we host retreats… but if you really waNt to get a sense of the beauty of Italy, experience what an Art & Faith Creative Retreat is all about, and feel deeply loved by the people WE love in Italy… then this one is for you! Bellagio is like home to us and the ministry the Lord has blessed us with in this little part of Italy is something most women can see, feel, and are deeply moved by. So be praying about this one and let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to answer them on a call or via email.
The last retreat we have for 2024 is in Woodstock, Vermont October 4 - 13, 2024 (dates are depending on if you join us in Maine as well) It is our third time we’ll be hosting a retreat in Vermont, and we’ve added Portland, Maine as an “add-on” to those who are interested! It’s our second time at the Farmhouse and it’s becoming a place I really treasure, and you will too. We’ll gather in this gorgeous farmhouse, (on lots of land for exploring) and share this beautiful place together… it’s going to be really, really special ladies! (This is a ladies only retreat)
Sharing a farmhouse together allows us the time to get so close because we end up talking late into the night in our pjs, we get to gather in the living room by the fire and start are morning devotions in God’s Word together, we share breakfast together in the amazing gourmet kitchen and we explore the fall foliage that speaks of God’s beauty so loudly, it shouts of His glory!
Here are the details and registration page for Vermont:
This retreat has about 4 or 5 rooms left. Because it’s a giant farmhouse it has 8 bedrooms and we all share the space together. (unlike Italy where you have one apartment for 1 -2 people, with a bedroom, kitchen, living space and bathroom to yourself) In the farmhouse each bedroom is set up with either a King bed or two twins. Some have their own bathrooms, but most of them share a bathroom between two bedrooms, and we all share the common areas. There’s a huge kitchen, breakfast room with a big table and and area with big comfy chairs too, a dining room (where we will create art), a living room with fireplace, and a TV room for hanging out in. This place is HUGE… it also has a fire pit outside, volleyball court, a huge barn, nature trails, and lots and lots of land to explore!
You can request a room by yourself (at single occupancy rate) if you like, but it’s really a beautiful house to share with someone as well, and the ladies who came last time loved every part of this experience.
PLEASE NOTE: If you want to join this retreat, I will need to know by the end of THIS MONTH. (January 2024) I’ve talked with the owner of the farmhouse and she needs a definite answer from me by February. Unlike my Italy retreat where I can confirm apartments, add or delete apartments based on retreat numbers… this is a whole house I have to commit to. So IF you have been praying and thinking about this one… I would need to have a commitment from you by February 1st. You can check out the link above to show you what’s included and sign up on that page as well.
I would love for you to join me in Italy or New England this year, and I hope you’ll prayerfully consider it. I know the Lord is going to teach us so much in His Word, through creative expression, through the beauty of His creation… and that’s just the beginning!
There is so much He has for us friends, and I can’t wait to share the JOY of the Lord with you wherever we meet this year!
Hugs to all,
Laura McCollough
P.S. Please feel free to reach out via email, IG or my cell phone number if you have any questions about either retreat, I’m happy to help answer any questions you have.