He Dwelt Among Us: A Busy Moms’ Retreat

One of my very favorite Catholic songs is “It Was His Delight to Walk Among Men” by Marie Bellet. Go listen and enjoy! Then come back. I’ll wait.

So when I decided to write a Busy Moms’ Retreat for Advent, I knew I wanted to include her song as one of the retreat resources! Marie sings about how perplexing it is to her that our Lord delighted in being with us here on earth, among pathetic sinners like you and me.

It is equally perplexing, to me, that God came down and humbled himself to be born as an infant in such wretched circumstances as Scripture describes. I think it’s why I’ve always loved the beginning of John’s Gospel best.

John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

There is so much to unpack in those words, and thus the first Heart of a Mother Advent Retreat was born! Together we will reflect during Advent on how it was that the God of the universe walked among men as Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, and also on how He still dwells among us today in our homes, amidst our daily duties.

The Busy Moms’ Retreats are designed for moms to sprinkle in the retreat content throughout our already full days. As we read Christmas stories, go shopping, look at Christmas lights, and serve hot cocoa, this retreat will give us inspiration to ponder in our hearts, as Mary did so long ago.

Solo DIY Retreats

The Retreat Guide has more than enough content to last the Advent season, giving moms many options to read articles, watch videos, respond to reflection questions, spend time in prayer, and more. And this variety allows us to pick and choose what works in each season of our mothering, only doing what we can, not allowing our time with the Lord to overwhelm us.

A mom can take the material and enjoy the retreat in one day or spread out over many days, during Advent, or any time of the year. Each of the six retreat “hours” are named for the Liturgy of the Hours and provide a rhythm of both spiritual and practical guidance for mothers in all seasons. An hour can be done in one day or one week, and you can even invite a local friend to meet you for some portions!

Virtual Retreats

But I am really enjoying releasing some of my Busy Moms’ Retreats as Virtual Retreats where we gather both in spirit and online to pray through the material together. This option includes a printable Retreat Journal, Zoom calls for discussion, and emails and videos from me alongside the Retreat Guide mentioned above. This option still provides just as much flexibility as the DIY format and includes the additional benefits of accountability at whatever level is appropriate to your season of life and building community with other moms on retreat.

The Advent Virtual Retreat is our first retreat to spread out over four weeks instead of one week, and I’m looking forward to the slower pace with more time to space out the retreat content. Advent is the perfect busy season to include a little spiritual respite for busy moms, as we so commonly focus all of our energies on our children and families and forget our own prayer lives.

He Delights in YOU!

If you’ve already purchased the Busy Moms’ Retreat Guide or the Virtual Advent Retreat, I’m thrilled you’re joining us! Whether you choose to use the Retreat Guide on your own or join me for the extra Virtual Retreat content, the Lord will surely bless you and your family for every minute you squeeze out for Him!

Because He delights to be with us and wants us to delight in His presence, as well! By reflecting on the beginning of the Gospel of John and related resources and questions, my prayer is that your heart might more easily recognize that He joins you amidst the pots and pans, during the reading and Algebra lessons, and that He longs to be welcomed into every moment of our busy days.

The Virtual Retreat runs November 28th - December 23rd, 2022, so if you’re reading this during those dates and want to join us a little late, please reach out to me here, so I can send you a discounted rate for access to all the remaining resources!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) I would love for you to join me in inviting the Word into our hearts this Advent and prayerfully reflect on His miraculous Incarnation together!