John Parrish and Christine Schichtle will be leading a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat at The Cove this May 4–7.
This May 4–7, we invite you to The Cove, where you can step away from the noise of everyday life and experience a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat with John Parrish and Christine Schichtle—created for those longing for deeper intimacy with God and understanding of His Word.
John Parrish, Pastor in Residence at The Cove, has years of experience guiding individuals through meaningful seasons of reflection. Alongside him, Christine Schichtle, chaplain for women at The Cove, offers prayerful support as she helps attendees listen for God’s voice in whatever circumstance they are facing. In this Q&A, they share their heart for these retreats and encourage those in need of spiritual renewal.
Q: Many people long for deeper intimacy with God but struggle to find time for stillness. Why is intentionally stepping away for a spiritual retreat so valuable for our faith?
Christine: To be intentional with a spiritual retreat is to be intentional with God, which develops intimacy with Him. It is imperative to strengthen our faith through seeking encounters with our living God and a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat offers acute opportunities to fellowship with Him.
John: I recently heard it said that the younger generation longs for a quieter place in which to worship—less noise, less loud worship songs—more quiet. I would say, this longing goes far deeper than just a longing for more quiet experiences. The true longing is for what quiet makes possible—transcendence.
Stillness and quiet set the stage so we are more available to hear God. When we step away from the traffic, we then are enabled to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We discover He is also the God who desires to speak to us. We are drawn to the still places because of our hunger for more of God than we are currently experiencing. We long to hear the God of the universe speak.
At the same time, we tend to fear the quiet and still places because of what we may discover about the real source that lies beneath the disquiet in our souls. Our addiction to frenetic busyness is actually what enables us to keep the disquiet of our souls at bay. If we keep busy then we don’t have to engage with the real terror we sense lying just beneath the surface in our souls.
David, in one of his psalms, makes a request of God that speaks to our need for self-awareness and the need to see the blind spots that separate us from God and others; “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
Like David, our souls are like leaky buckets always needing to be refilled by God’s presence and His transcendence. This is why spiritual retreats are so valuable for refilling our needy souls and admitting our need to move towards Him for the refreshing our souls.
Q: As you guide people through this retreat together, what excites you most about seeing how God might work in the hearts of those who attend?
Christine: John and I often speak of how those in attendance come hungry for an encounter with God—and it brings great excitement for us both when we see God meet others in a personal way. It happens whether it’s through John’s teaching, small group time, or one-on-one counseling. The Holy Spirit’s presence is tangibly felt in many different ways during the retreat. It is truly a beautiful testament to prayer and God’s faithfulness.
John: Christine and I take time to reflect after each retreat. We find ourselves constantly amazed at how God has worked in each attendee even after a short window of time. His unmistakable fingerprints are on every participant’s lives with stories of transformation.
During the initial session of each retreat, participants are asked, “How many of you find yourselves having just come through a season of transition, find yourselves currently in a transition, or find yourselves anticipating a season of transition just ahead?” Without fail, 70% to 80% of participants raise their hands. Transitions are God’s assignment for realignment. People come to the retreats hungry for more of God.
As the retreat progresses, participants engage in triads (men with men, women with women) and experience a deeply transforming sense of community as they share and pray for one another’s needs. Some arrive feeling “stuck” and seeking God’s will but unsure of what to do next. During the retreat, they often experience the value of genuine Christian community, sometimes for the first time in years. This connection with a few others becomes a life-giving relationship that points them to Jesus, renewing hope and a sense of future direction.
One triad I recall included three women who shared during group discussion that each had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. They ministered to one another better than any pastor ever could.
For Christine and me, it’s an awesome thing to have a front-row seat to watch God show up and receive all the glory.
Q: For someone sensing that they need time with the Lord but feeling unsure about attending a retreat, what encouragement would you offer them?
Christine: To retreat with the Lord is an invitation to unplug from worldly pressures, rest with the Prince of Peace, and find joy in the sounds of His beautiful nature. Emilie Griffin, in her writing “Wilderness Time,” puts it this way: “In the country of God’s affections, such a time and space are ours for the asking. God is waiting for us, expecting us, offering us a time of restoration. What we’re looking for goes by the simple name: retreat.”
Don’t hesitate. Come to The Cove and experience the Lord in a fresh and renewing way. Accept His invitation of rest and experience His joy and love for you. Whether you are at a crossroads and need His leading, your heart and mind are weary from worldly pressures, or you are facing suffering in relationships, God beckons you to ask, seek and knock so you may receive and find what He has for you (Matthew 7:7).
John: To the person sensing a longing for more of God and a desire to know Him better, I would encourage them to step out of their comfort zone—to take a seat at the table God has provided through a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat. All genuine and lasting transformation requires stepping beyond what is familiar. If one chooses to stay in their comfort zone, nothing changes. If you are seeking change in your relationship with God, consider what a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat experience at The Cove has to offer.
John Parrish and Christine Schichtle will be leading a Guided Personal Spiritual Retreat at The Cove, May 4–7, 2026. Although this event is currently full, you can still join the waiting list in case space becomes available.
You can also explore other upcoming events at The Cove and plan a time to step away, grow in your faith, and draw near to God for a time of reflection and renewal.Cove and plan a time to step away, grow in your faith, and reconnect with those you love.