Kathi Lipp - An Abundant Place: Daily Retreats for the Woman Who Cant Get Away

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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An Abundant Place

Copyright 2022 by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-7643-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-7369-7644-2 (eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021943918

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Contents

KATHI

F or someone who doesnt believe in luck, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

Ive spent the majority of my life living in San Jose, Californiathe heart of Silicon Valleyin tiny townhouses with no perceptible land, just a tiny cement patio for a backyard, and neighbors the width of a wall away. I longed daily to get off our busy street and head somewhere, anywhere, to get away from the crowding, the noise, and lets be honest, every once in a while, my kids.

I would pack up my laptop, some books, and my Bible. One of the advantages of living in the Bay Area was that no matter whether you headed east or west, something wonderful (mountains or beach) was just a couple of hours away. Sometimes with my husband, sometimes with friends, and when I was on a deadline, sometimes by myself. I would hole up in a tiny cabin on my own or in a big beach house with friends to read, talk, write, and just get away to be with people I love and to spend time with God.

After spending more than I could reasonably afford on short getaways to retreat centers and Airbnbs, my husband and I finally made the life-changing decision to move to the mountains of Northern California.

We were just looking for a cabin in the woods that we could stay in when we wanted to and rent out the rest of the time to cover the mortgage. What we ended up doing was buying a house on 33 acres in the middle of Northern California among the rolling hills of stunning wineries, where we now live with our dog, our cat, four chickens, and occasionally, a black bear who likes to see if he can break into our garage for snacks.

So now, the place where people dream of getting away? Its my full-time residence.

Cheri, on the other hand, has spent the last fifteen years in paradise.

Cheri is one of the relatively few people who actually live on the Pacific coast. Her backyard is the ocean. Cheri lives at the boarding school where she and her husband teach. What was once a military base on the beach now houses not only Cheri and her family, but an assortment of teachers, staff, and students from all over the country and around the world.

Both Cheri and I, almost by accident, live in places people dream about visiting. And now, we want to share those places with you.

There were many yearsbecause of time, money, kids, and responsibilitiesthat the word retreat was not in our vocabulary. There were days when I wanted to get away from the noise and chaos so much that I would retreat to my minivan in the garage. (My trick was to tell any kid who came out to ask me a question that we needed to clean the car out together. That limited the number of van visitors I had to contend with.)

And that may be where you are in life right this minute. If you are in the place where the word retreat feels like it is only a far-off fantasy, Cheri and I have an invitation for you. Come join us.

If you came to the beach, Cheri would tuck you into one of the guest rooms on the campus where she lives. She would arrange a little basket with a few teas, a cozy blanket, and then point you in the direction of the beach for when you wanted to take your walk.

And if you were coming to the mountains? I would show you the sunniest spot on our deck, or give you the reclining chair near the firedepending on what time of year you were here. I would show you where the coffee was and warn you about chickens who like to look over your shoulder when youre reading the Gospel of John.

But since you cant get away, please, let us, in the pages that follow, bring the mountain and the beach to you.

In the Seventh Day Adventist tradition, nature is often referred to as Gods second book. Im not a Seventh Day Adventist, but I have come to discover that nature, besides Gods Word, has become my greatest teacher. And why am I surprised? So much of what is recorded in the Bible is tying God to nature.

The way God has ordered and ordained life outside my four walls has made me understand and be mystified by God so much more than I have by any other teacher in my life. From the rhythm of the mountain to the schedule of our chickens, I see Gods design over every inch of our land.

We know that not everyone has the opportunity to spend as much time in nature as the two of us do. But it is our hope that through these observations and devotions, you will be excited and intrigued to view God through the lens of the nature around you: the trees at your neighborhood park, the dog lying next to you on the couch (like mine is right now as I write this), or the tomato plant growing on your back step that you hope to turn into a caprese saladsomeday.

God keeps unfolding His truths all around us. Its our prayer that each of us would make the space to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel those truths for ourselves.