Are you a woman feeling like you’re in a perfect storm between launching kids and figuring out the second half of your life?
I’ve got you!
Come spend the weekend with other moms who understand at the…
Rest
The beautiful Cedar Lake Retreat Center in Cedar Lake, Indiana, is the perfect setting for you to rest your soul. Because this is a three-day event, you’ll have time to experience the peace of this unique place.
Recharge
Our bodies and souls run out of gas when we aren’t intentional about filling them up. This unique weekend, limited to just 100 women, will recharge your soul with passionate teaching, time for reflection, and a pace that will allow you to hear God’s voice.
Reignite
Your nest may be empty or on-the-way to being empty but your mothering isn’t over. You’ll be inspired by Jill Savage, author of Empty Nest Full Life, to learn what to hold on to and what to let go of as you transition into this new season. You’ll leave with a re-ignited vision that the best of life and motherhood is yet to come!
If you resonate with any of these statements below, you belong at the Empty Nest Full Life Retreat
I have a mix of emotions about the empty-nest and I need a vision for this next season.
I want to learn how to have the best relationship with my adult kids.
I want to discover or rediscover my purpose and passion.
I want a learning experience that will give me time to both think and learn.
I struggle with figuring out my place after years of raising my family.
I want to figure out what my next steps are.
I want to know how to connect deeper with the relationships that mean the most to me.
I am excited about getting away and spending time with other empty-nest moms at a casual retreat.
I’d love to have someone else cook for me for an entire weekend!
HOW THE EMPTY NEST FULL LIFE RETREAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
You will learn what you need to hold on to and what you need to let go of as your kids enter the adult years.
You will walk away with a community of friends who believe in you and are cheering you on.
You will have clarity on how to take the next right step in this unique encore season of life.
You will feel energized, refreshed and motivated to dream big and take a look at how God is connecting the dots in your life.
You will step away, take a deep breath, and find the refreshment you desperately need.
You will ask the questions your heart longs to ask in a safe, loving environment.
Your faith will be strengthened and your hope renewed.
You’ll go home and love your family well.
“The Empty Nest Full Life Retreat changed my life. My daughter had been in college 3 years at that time, and my son was leaving in the spring. I couldn’t cope until the retreat. I was able to do a 180 with my daughter, and when my son left, I was able to handle it so well!”
JW—Retreat Attendee
What’s Included?
RETREAT RESOURCES
Empty Nest Full Life Book
Empty Nest Full Life Journal
Program with Session Handouts
Attendee Bag with Goodies
RETREAT SETTING
Single or double rooms
Lake front
Walking paths in a beautiful, peaceful environment
Spacious grounds
RETREAT MEALS
Friday night dinner
Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner
Sunday breakfast and lunch
Plenty of chocolate…of course!
RETREAT SESSIONS
Inspiring Content
Girlfriend Time
Laugh and Learn
Intimate Community Experience
Individual Opportunities for Rest and Reflection
Next Step Clarity for Your New Season of Life
Limited to just 100 women.
Registration is all-inclusive! Meals, overnight accommodations, and programming all included!
Speakers
Brenda Yoder is a speaker, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and author of Fledge: Launching Your Kids Without Losing Your Mind and the host of the Fledge Parent Forum for moms in the season of raising and releasing kids. Featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Washington Post, and as the host of the Life Beyond the Picket Fence podcast, Brenda is also a former teacher and school counselor and was twice awarded the Touchstone Award for teachers. Connect with her at brendayoder.com where she writes about faith, life, and family beyond the storybook image, and on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Brenda is a wife of 30 years, mom of four children, ranging from teens to adults, and lives on a farm in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Jill Savage is the author of 16 books including the bestselling No More Perfect Moms, No More Perfect Kids, No More Perfect Marriages, and her newest release Empty Nest Full Life. Believing that people should laugh while they learn, Jill is a dynamic speaker who’s honest about the real, messy stuff of life. She loves to connect with moms on her blog at www.JillSavage.org, in her monthly Life on the Edge of Normal email, as well as on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. She’s also the host of the Empty Nest Full Life Facebook group. Parents of five young adults and grandparents of six, Jill and her husband Mark make their home in Normal, Illinois.
Referred to as one of Chicago’s best clean female comedians and speakers, Tracy DeGraaf has made a name for herself with her one-woman comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway.” Pulling material from her experiences as a wife, mother of five sons and middle-aged woman, audience members can be seen nodding along with punchline after punchline.” DeGraaf is the author of Laugh Anyway Mom and was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. She is happily married to her husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and they live in the Chicago area with their remaining Mini-muffins. You can find Tracy on Facebook, Instagram, and at www.TracyDegraaf.com.
Accomodations
Single and double rooms available. Cabins for larger groups are available too!
Request a single room if you’d like some personal space.
Request a double room to share with a friend or meet a friend! You can indicate your roommate or request to be matched with a roommate.
- a private bathroom
- a bunk bed and
- a double or queen bed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the schedule for the retreat?
Check in is at 4-4:45 pm Friday with dinner starting at 5 pm. The retreat sessions end at noon on Sunday and the retreat officially ends after lunch, which is is served at noon.
What else do I need to pay for at the retreat?
For those staying on-site, the retreat is all-inclusive of overnight accommodations, meals, and programming. Once you arrive, you’re completely taken care of! (Even the chocolate is included!)
For those registering with off-site housing, the retreat is all-inclusive of meals and programming. You will have to secure your own hotel options. We suggest finding a hotel in Shererville, IN or Crown Point, IN–both are less than a 20 min drive to the retreat center. (See suggestions in next question.)
There are optional “treat yourself” goodies you will have an opportunity to add-on closer to the retreat like private coaching sessions or a massage, but those are completely optional.
What hotels are nearby?
The closest hotels are about a 20-25 minute drive from the retreat center. Here are a few that our off-site attendees are staying at:
Holiday Inn Express and Suites Schererville
Is my registration refundable?
Full refund minus $50 admin fee up until Aug 15, 2024.
Half refund minus $50 admin fee Aug 16 – September 1.
No refunds available September 1 or after due to costs already incurred for event. (Anyone who needs to cancel over the last month will receive their books and retreat bag in the mail. They will also be given complimentary access to the Empty Nest Course.)
What is the closest airport to the retreat?
Chicago. Midway Airport is 1 hr 20 min away and Ohare Airport is 1 hour 30 min away. Car rental or Uber required.
Additional questions?
Email [email protected].