The Blessing of the 24-Hour Retreat and Interview with Joel Hogan

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray (in seclusion).” Luke 5:16 AMP

It was an article I couldn’t forget.

It wasn’t long—maybe 200 words in a small column on the right-hand side of the page in the newsletter of one of my favorite retreat centers, The Hermitage Pause.

I don’t remember any article ever jumping out at me so strongly—and then staying with me like this one.

It told the story of a Hermitage guest who had been coming consistently for monthly 24-hour retreats, not just for a year or two, but for over 30 years.

As someone who deeply values time alone with God, this astounded me.

I’d had my own practice of taking day retreats and even taking one or two annual 2–3-day retreats. But I had never been this disciplined or gotten out my calendar at the beginning of the year to write in a 24-hour retreat EVERY month.

For many Christians, retreating seems optional, unnecessary, and even selfish. It’s rarely taught or encouraged as a vital part of our discipleship.

We read verses about Jesus slipping away early in the morning to have time with the Father, or even for days at a time. Yet, we’ve don’t dig deeper into what part, time alone with the Father played in Jesus’ life and what role it should play in ours.

It seems we are afraid that if we go up to the “mountain with God,” we’re not going to want to come down again. But God may be more concerned that we’re not going at all.

By not going, we are missing out on a vital and beautiful component of our life with Him.

Slipping into the Trap

We so easily get caught up in all the things we think God wants us to do for Him and forget that the thing He wants most is our intimate relationship with Him. This intimacy was so important to the Father that He sent His only Son and endured the agony of watching Him be ridiculed, beaten, and crucified, so that we could have an unhindered relationship with Him.

There is no substitute for time alone with God.

Many believers have done well with their daily and weekly devotion, yet have been completely oblivious or negligent of longer time alone with the Father. But just like a weekend away with your spouse--there’s no amount of daily interaction or occasional date nights that go as deep as those times when you get away from everything else to just be together.

There are treasures waiting---nuances of our relationship with God, unchartered joys, and secrets the Father longs to whisper to us in the quiet -- that we can only receive by taking these set apart times.

And the Father wants it more than we do.

Beyond Legalism

Having these times away isn’t something I want to make into a religious rule, yet it does seem strange that we aren’t more intentional about something that Jesus Himself practiced so regularly.

Reading that little article about this man’s decades-long practice called out to me.

As I prayed about 2026, the idea of taking 24-hour retreats came strongly to my heart again. So, I pulled out my calendar and scheduled my first few.

Then I remembered our Sanctuary Stirrings spring podcast series and wondered if I could find out who the man in the article was and interview him about his experience.

I was hungry to understand:

• Why did he begin taking these retreats?
• What did they look like in the early years, and how have they changed?
• What challenges did he face?
• Most importantly—how has the Lord shaped him through this practice?

I wasn’t sure if the Hermitage would remember the article or have a way to connect us. But lo and behold, it was easier than I expected.

I won’t spoil the rest of the story, so you can hear it unfold.

Listen to the conversation with Joel Hogan here →

It was a fascinating and encouraging conversation that I know our community—so passionate about deepening intimacy with God and others—will truly appreciate.

Because extended time alone with God isn’t often taught, many people simply don’t know how to do it or where they would go. To help with this, I’m including a few helpful resources below that offer a simple framework and wonderful retreat venues.

Please reach out if you have questions. It is truly our joy to help you grow in this practice. I can only imagine the blessings the Lord has in store for us as we spend this intimate time with Him.

Click Here to  Listen to the episode and subscribe →

Retreat Resources:

Our 7 Favorite Retreat Venues Article

Take a DAWG Day Article by Linda Andersen, the author of Spiritual Retreat for Tired Souls, the perfect guide for a 24-Hour Retreat!

The Hermitage Retreat Center

The Sanctuary at Bear Creek Abide Prayer Cabin