SOZO
Grief Retreat

When Becca first asked if I’d want to go on a grief retreat, I agreed hesitantly. “It’ll be great,” she said. But what’s so great about sitting around with strangers, being vulnerable, and talking about loss?
It actually was great—but not in the way I expected.

Honestly, it was the last thing I wanted to do. I’m not one for sharing deep feelings in group settings. But curiosity got the best of me. I also wanted to get to know Becca more—because, really, who wouldn’t? She’s magnetic in the way only people who carry strength and purpose can be.

Even after I said yes, I spent the following weeks trying to talk myself out of it. But my husband wouldn’t let me. He handed me the plane ticket and said, “You’re going.” So there I was—boarding a plane to Costa Rica, heading into the unknown, knowing only Becca, and walking straight into discomfort.
But I’ve learned this: comfort is the enemy of growth. And God calls us to grow—even when it's uncomfortable.

In that unfamiliar space, healing happened. We released hurts, faced fears, and—surprisingly—laughed far more than we cried. The experience was fun. Life-giving, even. Within hours, it felt like I’d known these women forever. We were all different, but our hearts spoke the same language of pain, of loss, of hope.

I didn’t just walk into a retreat—I walked into God’s deeper revelation for me. I’m a private person, but somehow I felt safe enough to be real. And in doing so, something cracked open. There was healing. There was sisterhood. There was joy.

If you’re someone who has experienced a loss that left a gaping hole in your heart, I encourage you to do what I did—be brave - Say yes. You might just leave more whole than you ever imagined.

Becca, Kim, and Brenda – you each have such a special gift and calling to help lead others to reach out, look up, and heal the most painful parts of the soul.