“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24
I always feel like I’m supposed to be doing something. In the middle of the DMV’s fast-paced culture, it feels wrong not to be doing something all the time. When I finally find some hard-to-come-by free time in my schedule to rest, I always hear a little voice in my head asking, “Shouldn’t you be doing something more productive right now?” Especially as a fellow, having stepped out of the familiarity of home and devoted this short year to deepening my relationship with God and discerning where he’s calling me in my post-grad life, it can feel like I’m supposed to make every moment here mean something.
I think most of the fellows this year would agree that one of the biggest challenges of the program is staying present wherever our busy schedules take us. Retreats are designed to help us step back from the pressures of daily obligations, slow down, and care for our weary souls with rest– and thankfully, we have several scattered throughout our Fellows year. Last month, the Fellows ladies attended Fourth’s Women’s Retreat, where we were invited not to serve, but simply to show up and receive rest as part of the church’s women’s community.
I’ve never been on a women’s retreat before, but the ladies at Fourth know how to retreat. The comfortable rooms and plush accommodations made Turf Valley Resort more than an ideal setting for rest. We started off strong with an expansive ice cream sundae bar on the first night, and I enjoyed two hot tub and sauna sessions on the second day. There were trails to walk around the property, and the generous amount of free time gave us plenty of opportunities to rest outside of the scheduled activities. On the second night, women of all ages were brought together through music, singing, dancing to karaoke favorites, and sharing in joyful fellowship. Throughout it all, we sat under the biblically grounded and refreshingly convicting teaching of Mary Hannah, a professor at Memphis City Seminary and Director of Women in Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church.
As I reflect on my retreat experience, the moment that stands out to me the most is when my hot tub/sauna buddies and I almost missed dinner on the second day because we were so relaxed in the hot tub. That probably sounds bad, but please bear with me. Great conversations, the giddiness of new friendships forming, and the comfort of the steaming water made me forget where we were “supposed” to be (at dinner upstairs) and what we were “supposed” to be doing. For a moment, I found myself living completely in the present, a stark contrast to the usual distracted headspace I’m in at home.
Retreats are special pockets of time set apart to allow ourselves to be replenished by God. But this kind of rest isn’t meant to be limited to a weekend away; it’s meant to be prioritized in the rhythms of our everyday lives, even when it means sacrificing times of “productivity.” The worry-free posture I experienced in the hot tub, where I wasn’t thinking about what I should be doing next, is the posture I want to carry into my personal time with God and into the time I spend with others. When we are fully present, we can experience joy more deeply, see God more clearly, and find rest that truly sustains. This is the day that the Lord has made, and I hope to rejoice and be glad in it fully, intentionally, and daily.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
Sally and Christiana performing some very impressive karaoke at the Women’s Retreat!
About the Author
Sally Huang is a member of the Fourth Fellows Class of 2025-2026. She is from Ashburn, Virginia, and is a graduate of Virginia Tech. This year, she is working for the National Park Trust.