Ashborne
Ashborne is for the woman who came out of the fire-scarred but standing, still breathing, still His.
You are not what the fire took. You are what it left. And what it left is holy.
You walked through the flames and didn’t come out empty. You came out of the fire carrying something the world can’t name nor know: peace that defies logic, wisdom born in the dark, compassion forged in flame.
These are sacred gifts, but they are costly ones. The fire purifies, yes, but it also exhausts, and sometimes, even the faithful feel burned to the bone. So hear this: It’s natural to be tired.
God is a master of redemption & rest. He takes the ashes, your ashes, and shapes them into beauty. He weaves your former shame into stories of healing. He takes what nearly broke you and makes it bloom. Ashborne is for you, the woman who’s tired of pretending to be okay. The one who unclenches here, finally exhales, and lets the Lord hold what’s left of her.
She doesn’t curse the fire anymore. She’s learned to accept what burned because it made her bloom.
Her joy wasn’t spared by the fire; it was forged in it.
Joy, after all, isn’t a feeling. It’s a fight. And by some miracle of grace, you’re still in it.
Let Ashborne be your reminder: You didn’t just survive. You emerged carrying glory.
There is a place where silence is not empty, but sacred.
Where ashes are not waste, but witness.
Where the weary do not have to explain themselves—only come.
Ashborne is a retreat for the woman who has walked through the fire and forgotten what beauty feels like.
It is not loud. It is not hurried.
It is a slow return to the One who restores what the world has burned.
Come away.
Not to be fixed.
But to be held by the God who still speaks in whispers.
“He will give them a crown of beauty for ashes...” – Isaiah 61:3
There is a place beyond the noise.
Beyond the striving.
Beyond the woman you perform to be.
For the Woman Who’s Done Her Best to Keep Breathing
Ashborne is not a conference.
It’s not a weekend escape with curated playlists and surface smiles.
It’s for the woman who’s already walked through the fire… and is still carrying the smoke.
It’s for the one who is:
Burned out and can’t name why
Holding everyone else together while slowly falling apart
Spiritually parched but doesn’t know where to begin again
Quietly grieving what no one else sees
Longing for God, but afraid she forgot how to listen
If your soul is threadbare… if your fire has gone out… if your prayers sound more like sighs—
Ashborne is where you come to remember you’re still His.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not weak.
You’re just tired.
Bone-deep, soul-worn, too-many-tabs-open-in-your-brain tired.
Ashborne is for the woman who has done everything right and still feels like she’s drowning.
The one who loves Jesus deeply—but hasn’t heard Him in weeks, maybe months.
The one who answers every text, every need, every “Can you just…”
And secretly wonders when someone will check on her.
It’s for the woman who:
Feels guilty sitting still
Doesn’t remember what rest feels like
Is constantly pouring out but rarely filled
Wonders why the things that used to light her up now just leave her numb
Thinks, “Something’s wrong with me,” when really, she was just never shown how to live whole
No one ever taught you that burnout is not the badge of faithfulness.
That silence is not failure.
That emptiness might just be the invitation.
Here’s the truth:
You were never created to be everyone’s everything.
You were created to abide.
And Ashborne is where that begins again.
What to Expect
We won’t give you an itinerary.
We won’t map out every hour.
That’s not how sacred things work.
Ashborne is designed to feel like stepping into another world—
not because it’s far away, but because it’s still.
And when the world is loud, stillness feels otherworldly.
Here’s what you can expect:
Quiet. Not empty silence, but holy quiet. The kind that heals, not haunts.
Beauty. The kind you forgot to notice: flickering candlelight, still waters, early morning fog.
Guided reflection. If your soul feels tangled, we’ll gently walk you into rest with questions, Scriptures, and prompts to help you listen for God again.
Prayer stations. For when you don’t have the words, but still want to be with Him.
Soul space. You’ll have time alone. Unrushed, uninterrupted, uncluttered.
No pressure. You don’t have to talk, lead, impress, or share your story. You can simply be and that will be enough.
Beauty for ashes. Not metaphorical. Actual release. You’ll be invited to lay some things down. And no, you won’t have to do it alone.
There may be soft worship. There may be a gentle ceremony. There may be moments that break you open in the best way.
But mostly, there will be Jesus.
Unhurried. Undemanding. Unimaginably kind.
Waiting for you in the quiet.
Ashborne will take place August 15–16, beginning with your arrival at 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening.
To keep the experience sacred and personal, we’re opening the retreat to just 25 women—spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
You’ll receive more details as the date approaches, but for now, just know: we can’t wait to welcome you.
It will be held at:
Howell’s Mill Christian Assembly
99 Christian Camp Road
Ona, WV 25545
Things to Note
Frequently Whispered Questions
(Because this retreat doesn’t shout. Neither do your fears.)
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Not unless you want to. Ashborne is quiet by design. If you want to talk, we’ll listen. If you want to be silent, we’ll honor it.
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Then you’re among friends. Falling apart here is sacred. You won’t be left alone in your unraveling.
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Not exactly. But you will hear from the Word—and from the One who wrote it.
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In many ways, yes. But in other ways, no. It is weird because it is something won’t be used to. But fear not: No incense. No chanting. No pressure. Just stillness, prayer, presence, and Jesus.
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Perfect. Ashborne is for beginners, doubters, wanderers, and the quietly faithful. You don’t need experience. You just need breath.
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Yes… and no.
Silence can feel unfamiliar—maybe even a little terrifying.
But every part of Ashborne has been prayerfully and intentionally designed to guide you through that discomfort, not drop you into it.We know that stillness is a stretch for many.
That’s why we’ll ease you in with gentle rhythms and sacred pauses and we’ve woven in moments of quiet fellowship, too.
So when the silence begins to speak, you’ll have space to process,
to share, and to remember:
God is near. And you’re not alone. -
We’ve intentionally capped Ashborne at 25 women to keep the experience intimate and sacred. Spaces are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
What to Bring
A journal (but no pressure to use it)
A Bible (even if you haven’t opened it in a while)
Comfortable clothes (this isn’t a fashion show—it’s a holy exhale)
A blanket or sweater that feels like home
An open heart and whatever ashes you’ve been carrying
Water bottle
Optional: your favorite tea bag or mug
Any medications or essentials for personal care
What to Not Bring
Leave behind the to-do list
The inbox
The guilt of being away
The pretending
Your inner critic
Pressure to perform
The need to explain yourself
The fear of being too much or not enough
The lie that you have to be everything to everyone
There is a place where silence is not empty, but sacred.
Where ashes are not waste, but witness.
Where the weary do not have to explain themselves—only come.
Ashborne is a retreat for the woman who has walked through the fire and forgotten what beauty feels like.
It is not loud. It is not hurried.
It is a slow return to the One who restores what the world has burned.
Come away.
Not to be fixed.
But to be held by the God who still speaks in whispers.
“He will give them a crown of beauty for ashes...” – Isaiah 61:3
You are wanted here.
We won’t ask you to be anything but honest.
We won’t ask you to bring anything but yourself.
You don’t need to show up strong. You don’t even need to show up certain.
You just need to come.
If your soul has been whispering, “I can’t keep going like this,”
If your spirit feels frayed at the edges,
If you don’t even know what you need—only that you need something holy and quiet and true...
This is for you.
And yes, stepping into silence can feel overwhelming.
That’s why every part of Ashborne has been carefully curated to guide you through it—not with pressure, but with presence.
We will ease you in.
You will not be dropped into isolation.
You’ll be gently led into quiet, like walking barefoot through a garden at dawn.
And along the way, we’ve created spaces for fellowship—holy pauses to share what God is stirring in the silence, so you know:
you are not alone.
There is a place prepared.
There is beauty waiting in the ashes.
And the King is already there, ready to meet you in the stillness.