Compelling conversations for passionate followers of Jesus, longing to stay open, unhindered, undistracted, and excited about the adventure of walking with Him. You’ll be inspired by each episode and leave with helpful practices to deepen your intimacy with God and others and take one more step in becoming all you were created to be.
#63 What If You Took An Anniversary Getaway With God?
We all have a deep need for meaningfulrelationships—first and foremost, with God.
What if, just as you intentionally set aside time to bewith your family at Christmas or get away with your spouse on your anniversary, you set aside time each year to get away alone with the Lover of Your Soul?
Join us this week as we explore the beautiful practiceof silence and solitude retreats—stepping away from the noise, responsibilities, and distractions of everyday life to simply be alone with God.
What exactly is a silent retreat?
Is it even Christian?
What do you do with all those quiet hours?
And what might be waiting for us when we intentionally make room to be alone with Him?
Answering that longing deep inside, once you taste it, you'll never want to be without it again.
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Helpful Resources: The One Who Jesus Loves Silence & Solitude Retreat (https://www.thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com/events)The Abide Prayer Cabin (https://www.thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com/the-prayer-cabin)Silent Retreating: Is that Even Christian? Article (https://www.thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com/blog/silent-retreat-what-in-the-worldis-that-even-christiannbsp?rq=song%20of%20solomon)Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God (https://www.amazon.com/Invitation-Retreat-Necessity-Transforming-Resources/dp/0830846468/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ABB2OKBKRF5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.b2BIRQ6LE5NbzIRG3rFtqUJhro1vb_3pGyi9ugKA3FKXe8c5sBwnHIXoYwZzYKkaCDzRMso8cxCqX1BZjmK_s-rdDYtJ3iCOXZSOqBEeCNpaTHHlIutfdK9fUPW0rnBtDxyxVG0Dt400y0F_1L-LTG4NkDxF2G0YBnClLVu8eW2OEWNdAHLMm1QF5inTATOVi-_qHXN32sYXzOQDeYoKbQ.hpqI4w6l0m2-Fm_sjVcGhB-BEGlXqbfR05r_sD8u1aY&dib_tag=se&keywords=invitation+to+retreat+ruth+haley+barton&qid=1790788647&sprefix=invitation+to+retreat%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-1) book by Ruth Haley BartonFirst Love (https://open.spotify.com/track/5cFcnVhD9x6JBq4z05Uthn) worship song by Chris Tomlin
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Thank you so much for joining me today.
For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek, or you can email me at lori@thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com
26 Sept 2026
#62 Cheers to 40 Years! Two Are Better Than One with special guest Bryan Melton
Welcome back to Episode 4 of our Sanctuary Stirrings Fall Series—and the final part of our Cheers to 40 Years conversation!
This week, my husband Bryan Melton is back with me as we celebrate 40 years of marriage and talk about one of thegifts we’ve come to treasure most:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9
This truth isn’t only for those bound together in marriage, but for all long-term relationships joined in faith and purpose.
It’s incredible what God can do through two or more that they could never have done alone!
For Bryan and me, for many years, that looked like the ordinary work of building a home, raising six children, welcoming people around our table, serving in small groups, and simply trying to be faithful to what God had placed in front of us.
But eventually, God began weaving together Bryan’s giftsas a visionary and builder with my love for retreat, spiritual direction, and creating spaces for people to be alone with God—and The Sanctuary at Bear Creek was born.
In this episode, we’re sharing that story—from Bryan playing in these woods as an 11-year-old boy, to losing the property we loved, to God unexpectedly bringing us back years later and calling us to create a space for others to come and grow in their intimacy with Him.
And continuing with your story ...
* Who has God placed in your life to link arms with--to fulfill His kingdom purposes?
Email us at lori@thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com ... We'd love to hear!
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Resources :
Cheers to 40 Years, Pt. 1: The Gift of Marriage (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1g3TUpMMo3fsKMJYGpKUfE)
Cheers to 40 Years, Pt. 2: In It for the LongHaul (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tn9ZAEXd5vPK6OHntURpO)
7 Years, 7 Days, & 7 Hours: How the Sanctuary at Bear Creek Was Born (https://www.thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com/about?rq=7%20years)
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Thank you so much for joining us today.
For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.
19 Sept 2026
Cheers to 40 Years Pt 2: In It For the Long Haul with special guest Bryan Melton
Welcome back to Episode 3 of our Sanctuary Stirrings Fall Series!
This week, we’re continuing our conversation about thegift of marriage with a man who, by the grace of God, has walked beside me for 40 years—my husband, the one-and-only Bryan Melton.
And today, September 19, 2026, we’re celebratingour 40th anniversary!
We’re picking up exactly where we left off—with myroommates giving me five minutes to call Bryan back … to our very un-Pinterest-worthy proposal (which may or may not have happened in a Burger King parking lot!) … to some of what we’ve learned about building a life together and being in it for the long haul.
It’s a story formed less in the extraordinary and morein the beautiful, ordinary places where God has met us along the way.
Then join us next week for the final part of our conversationas we talk about one of the most beautiful gifts we’ve discovered in lifelong marriage: walking out the Lord’s callings together
… and the story of how The Sanctuary at Bear Creek was born.
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Resources Connected to this Episode:
Missed Part 1 of this conversation? Click here to Catch Up: Cheers to 40 Years, Pt 1: The Gift of Marriage (https://preview.kit-mail3.com/click/dpheh0hzhmh4/aHR0cHM6Ly9vcGVuLnNwb3RpZnkuY29tL2VwaXNvZGUvMWczVFVwTU1vM2ZzS01KWUdwS1VmRQ==)
· Becoming One: Do We Really Have To Pray Together?Article (https://preview.kit-mail3.com/click/dpheh0hzhmh4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlc2FuY3R1YXJ5YXRiZWFyY3JlZWsuY29tL2Jsb2cvYmVjb21pbmctb25lLWRvLXdlLXJlYWxseS1oYXZlLXRvLXByYXktdG9nZXRoZXI_cnE9cHJheSUyMHRvZ2V0aGVy)
· A Little More Room For Us: 100 Devotions for the EmptyNest Couple (https://preview.kit-mail3.com/click/dpheh0hzhmh4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9MaXR0bGUtTW9yZS1Sb29tLVVzLURldm90aW9ucy9kcC9CMEdQQjVGODVXL3JlZj1zcl8xXzE_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) by Charlotte and Gordy Guest
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Thanks so much for joining me today!
For more resources to help you grow in your relationship with God and one another, or information about the Prayer Cabin, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.
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