Reflecting on God’s Faithfulness
by Giles Armstrong | President
As I write this, Angel and I are preparing to start another retreat where we are privileged to have a front row seat to watch God work in the lives of His people. In the first retreat of the year, God did amazing things. He didn’t change their circumstances, He changed their lives. So often we want God to change our circumstances, but what if it’s our souls not our situations that need a touch from the Master? As we prepare our hearts and minds for this retreat, it causes me to reflect on the beauty and the blessings of the ministry God has called us to. When it comes to serving God, it’s easy to focus on the problems and miss the privilege! Angel and I never want to miss or take for granted the privilege of walking beside those who are hurting and seeing God heal their hearts.
Much of life is lived looking forward, what I call looking through the windshield of life. But attached to that windshield is a little but critical thing called a rearview mirror. It allows us to look back without turning around and see what is behind us and where we have come from. While the ministry is firmly moving forward and we see wonderful places God is taking us in the future, we are also reminded of His faithful provision in the past. How, out of burnout and pain in the lives of Bob and Sandy Sewell, God birthed a place of hope and healing for so many.
This year, as we reflect on 40 years of serving those in ministry, we will celebrate over 700 retreats held, over 5000 guests served, over 2000 churches reached in over 45 countries. What could God do through your challenging and sometimes painful situations? Reflecting provides the pause we needed to be reminded of a God who redeems. We have a God whose breath created life out of dirt. Would you join me in taking a moment to thank God for His Faithfulness?
I also want to reflect on the faithfulness of so many who have sacrificially served and given to make SonScape a reality. The many prayer warriors who have spent countless hours seeking the Lord on our behalf. The host couples who have given of their time to serve our guests with love and grace. The retreat leaders who have shared wisdom through their teaching and counsel. Our past presidents who have led and directed the ministry. All of our support staff that are so crucial to the ministry running smoothly. Our board members who have faithfully overseen the ministry. Our supporters that have given to meet the financial needs of the ministry. Recently I was blessed to sit with a man who was burdened for his pastor. With tears in his eyes, he shared how he had witnessed this man of God who had faithfully shepherded the flock grow tired and weary. Turning to me he asked, “What does it cost to send my pastor and his wife to SonScape?” He then wrote a check and prayed for them.
Thank you to so many of you for loving your pastor, missionaries, and their families. The work is hard but people like you make it a joy not a job. So, as I reflect, I am reminded of Paul’s words in Colossians 1:3:
“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.”
Two New Countries!
by Rob and Shini Abraham | International Retreat Leaders
In 2023 the Lord opened the doors for us to minister in two new countries!
The first of those is a restricted country. After several months of planning, our team was able to serve a group of pastors that serve in extremely difficult conditions with limited resources and little freedom in their nation. “We came exhausted, ready to quit ministry,” said one of the pastors. “God surprised us by speaking to us clearly through the teaching, personal sessions, and prayer times. Having understood his precious gift of rest and it’s powerful impact on life, relationships and ministry, we now return with new renewed vision and hope.” We continue to trust God for ongoing retreats in this region.
Restricted Country
The second country was Guatemala – our first opportunity in Central America. Years ago, a missionary serving in Guatemala attended one of our retreats in Colombia. Having experienced deep encouragement and transformation at the retreat, he had begun praying about how he and his wife could bring SonScape’s ministry to Guatemala. Things came together quickly and in November 2023 we held the first ever Central American SonScape retreat in Antigua. With a special passion to see local workers as well as ex-pat missionaries served, and alumni to champion us in Central America, we now look forward to more SonScape retreats in Guatemala in the coming years.
Guatemala
Guatemala
The needs remain overwhelming overseas. Pray for us as we depend on God’s wisdom, provision, leading, and his timing. Pray for SonScape’s Spanish team that continues to serve in two established locations in Colombia. And pray for us as we also explore various leads and discern where God is opening doors. Thank you for your continued prayer and support!
The SonScape Experience
by SonScape Alumni
Allen Waldrep
After 24 years in vocational church ministry, we have never received so much encouragement and direction for our marriage and ministry. We now recognize the impact of losses in our lives and have seen redemption in most of them and understanding in all of them. Additionally, we now have more clarity in our ministry. We believe the takeaways from this week will change our home, relationships, and ministry, all for the better. There is no question this week was/is life changing! We are certain of that. Our church graciously paid our way to SonScape but we are so impacted that we have decided to pay it forward by making the SonScape ministry a benefactor in our estate plan. Thank you, SonScape!
Robin Waldrep
SonScape Retreats is the place to go for all pastors and missionaries who need rest, relaxation, and healing from the hurts of ministry. You will be pampered, spoiled, encouraged, and loved on while getting necessary tools to continue on in ministry. I came here hurting from past trauma and deep hurts from the church we minister in. I’m leaving full of hope and well on my way to healing! I cannot say enough about our leaders! They were absolutely wonderful!
Tiffany Janofski
I came from Albania to sabbatical completely burned out and depressed. Even with only a few more months still left on the field, I didn’t know how I could push through. I have been in survival mode for the last several years . . . not realizing that I had been living “in the grip” for such a long time. Coming to SonScape helped me to process so much about why I have been struggling for so long, with my ministry, with my team, with myself. Through learning more about MBTI and how I’ve been trying to live out areas that are not my natural leaning/type, I realized why I’ve been depressed and burned out.
I was reminded this week of God’s unconditional love and delight in me and that there is no performing I can do to gain more of His affection. His invitation to rest in His love is still standing and I get to live loved. I have also been reminded that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. That He has created me for a specific purpose and that purpose is not to gain everyone’s approval, only His. That it is okay to set up healthy boundaries and that I can do so graciously but confidently.
I now prepare to leave again for Albania, refreshed, renewed, and refilled with the joy of the Lord. I can make it until the end of my term . . . and I could not have said that only a few weeks ago. God met me at SonScape and I am forever grateful.
Two important gatherings will take place in April . . .
The SonScape staff will meet on Saturday, April 6, for a day-long session led by Giles and Angel Armstrong. They will be continuing to sharpen the SonScape retreat program, wrestle with the impact of a changing culture, encourage one another, pray together, laugh, and very possibly cry together as they share the stories of the retreats they have led. SonScape is blessed with an amazing team but every team needs time to refine, renew, and recommit. April 6 will be a good day to be together. Your prayers for our staff retreat are appreciated.
Domestic Retreat Team:
Giles and Angel Armstrong
Rob and Shini Abraham
Ken and Sandy Moore
John and Becci Wood
Perry and Jeanien Meyer
Becky VanHook
International Retreat Team:
Rob and Shini Abraham
Hernán and Mariela Arango
Félix and Yury Méndez
Julio and Emily Peña
Then on April 25-27 the SonScape Board of Directors, along with the staff, will meet for an intense three days. There will be time to celebrate the many amazing things that happened in 2023 and in the 40 years prior and there will be time to prayerfully seek God’s plan for the future. The SonScape Board is a deeply committed group of people who believe in the ministry and its calling to help Christian leaders find the rest and renewal that is desperately needed by so many. Again your prayers for that meeting and the members of our Board of Directors are deeply appreciated as they, together with the staff, celebrate the past and seek God’s plan for the future.