God's Presence in Our Pain

Led by Lori Smith**

Suggested Donation of $50 (scholarship help available). Lunch provided.

Where is God in the midst of our pain and darkness?  When everything goes wrong, has He abandoned us?  Is He with us?  Does He care?  And how do we know that?

In this day-long retreat, we’ll examine God’s presence in the midst of our worst experiences.  Lori will share her own 20-year journey with chronic Lyme disease, the questions she’s wrestled with, and how she’s seen God with her through these long years.  We’ll look at where God is and what He is doing when we lose all sense of His presence; what are the things we know about what God is doing even when we don’t feel them to be true?  And we’ll think about how, with God’s grace, we walk faithfully through pain.

We’ll also have time for silence and personal reflection, so bring your journal, art supplies, or exercise mat — whatever helps you reflect and respond.  

**Lori Smith is a writer whose books include A Walk with Jane Austen and The Jane Austen Guide to Life. She's been a member of The Falls Church Anglican for 14 years, and lives in Falls Church with her golden retriever, Franny (who was named after St. Francis, but has a ways to go!). Lori is happiest hiking, paddleboarding, or curled up with a cup of strong British tea and a good book. Her favorite place in the world is a slip of beach off the North Carolina coast.