Helene and Milton completely changed the look of the island. These are pictures of the wellness retreat space that I took yesterday. Our dock is destroyed. We had to climb piles of debris to even get to the house. We walked to the beach and just cried at how unrecognizable the path was. Some of our neighbors’ homes are completely gone. Some are marked unsafe to enter. The beach where yoga took place during our wellness retreats is nonexistent. The pictures simply do not show the devastation. It is heart-wrenching. As you can see, our house is still standing and for that I am feeling very blessed. The retreat space that was located on the bottom level, however, is completely destroyed. It will take years to rebuild this island to be anywhere close to what it once was.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
To say that I am grieving is an understatement. When I was diagnosed with PTSD from traumas that happened many years prior to the diagnosis, I underwent trauma therapy which included EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.) During EMDR, I went to a place in my mind’s eye where I felt calm and safe. This island was that place for me. This is part of why I felt so strongly about hosting wellness retreats here for women so that I could share the experience with others.
In the book Relaxed by Megan Fate Marshman, the author explains it is okay to grieve losses here on this earth. The difference in grieving for a Christian is to add HOPE to the grief. This world is not as it should be but it will not always be like this either. It is the hope in the eternity that God has prepared for us that helps our struggles here stay in perspective.
As I was processing all the big emotions when we drove away in the boat yesterday, I realized that the only constant place where I can truly go for safety and peace that passes all understanding is our Heavenly Father. I am in a Bible study right now where we are reading the book Abide by Jen Wilkin. Last night, we discussed the connotation of the word home in the context of making our home with Christ. Home means feeling safe, loved, accepted, and comforted. Those are not emotions that can exist in a place because places can be swept away (literally) in an instant.
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I have HOPE for the future of these retreats. I have no idea where they will be held or in what capacity but I still believe the Lord placed this vision in my heart for a reason. So please stay tuned for upcoming events.
If you are in the Bartow, FL area by chance, I would like to mention that you can still take advantage of a few of the activities that were offered at our wellness retreats. My dear friends at Oak Wellness are the affiliates that I partnered with to provide yoga and massage therapy so please don’t wait to take advantage of those modalities!
https://oakwellness.center/https://engedimindbody.com/
If you are interested in learning more about the gut brain connection and how what you eat can contribute to your wellness, consider coaching with another dear friend of mine at Organic Habits. She offers virtual services as well so you do not have to live in the Bartow area to participate. She doesn’t cook for you the way she did at our retreats but she can give you all her tips and tricks for eating healthy and delicious!
https://organichabits.net
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