A one-of-a-kind retreat experience for empty-nest moms.

Hosted by Jill Savage 

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 150 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 150 women. 

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 14 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 eight, Jill and her husband Mark make their home in Normal, Illinois.

Jill Savage is the author of 14 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 eight, 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

Cedar Lake Retreat Center

Stay on-site at the Retreat Center

Single and double rooms available. Request a roommate or request to be matched with a roommate.

The majority of rooms are similar in setup in that they have:
  • a private bath
  • 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 ends at 1:30 pm on Sunday.

What are the COVID protocols?

Cedar Lake Ministries continues to safely welcome events in compliance with the standards and the guidance of the state and local health authorities. They are hard at work to ensure a safe environment for event attendees.

Our retreat will follow and abide by the recommendations received from Cedar Lake. We will do our best to communicate with attendees as it relates to any mandates or restrictions that are in place in Indiana. This is subject to change based on ongoing guidance for the Indiana public health authorities.

For our retreat, masks are optional although it is requested that unvaccinated attendees wear masks.

In an effort to provide social distancing, we will also be seating women 4 or 6 at a round top table in the meeting room and 4 to a round top in the lunch area rather than the usual 8 around the tables.

Single sleeping rooms are also available for those who prefer to social distance in their overnight accommodations.

Is my registration refundable?

Full refund minus $30 admin fee up until August 31.

Half refund minus $30 admin fee September 1 – September 30.

No refunds available after September 30 due to costs already incurred for event.

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 would be needed.

Additional questions?