a christ- centered retreat for soul rest and renewal
RETURN & REST
Return to the Father.
and to the Rest that
belongs to your soul.
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and trust shall be your strength.
-Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)
Can you hear Him whisper, come to me...
Return & Rest is a Christ-centered retreat for women who are weary of striving and long to experience the peace, presence, and transforming work of God.
If you've been carrying the weight of work, family, ministry, leadership, or simply the pressures of everyday life, this retreat offers a sacred space to step away from the noise, renew your mind through God's Word, and rediscover the rest that comes from abiding in Christ.
Over four days in the peaceful Texas Hill Country, you'll be invited to slow down, quiet your heart, and create margin for what matters most—your relationship with the Father.
During this retreat, you will experience:
Christ-centered biblical teaching rooted in spiritual formation
Scripture meditation, worship, prayer, and personal reflection
Practical teaching to help you move from survival and performance into wholeness
Quiet moments to rest, listen, and abide in God's presence
Encouraging conversation and authentic community with other women
Time in God's beautiful creation for prayer, reflection, and renewal
Practical rhythms you can carry home to keep living a life of surrender, obedience, abiding, and rest
You'll leave spiritually refreshed, renewed in your thinking, and equipped to walk with greater confidence, peace, and intimacy with Christ.
Whether you're feeling spiritually weary, emotionally overwhelmed, or simply longing for uninterrupted time with the Father, this retreat is an invitation to come away with Him.
Space is intentionally limited to preserve the intimate nature of the retreat and give each woman the opportunity to fully engage. We encourage you to reserve your place early, as registration is expected to fill quickly.
Come away with Him. Return. Rest. Leave renewed—until Christ is formed in you.
Rest in His peace.
Held in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with private room accommodations, this retreat offers a peaceful space to disconnect from distractions, draw near to God, and find true rest.
The Return and Rest is for:
The woman who feels spiritually weary and longs to hear God's voice again.
The woman who has been carrying too much for too long.
The woman who is tired of striving and ready to learn how to abide.
The woman who desires to move from survival and performance into wholeness.
The woman who longs to deepen her relationship with Christ through intentional time in His presence.
The woman who simply needs uninterrupted time with the Father.
The woman who needs a break from a busy reality that never seems to stop, take the break you deserve.
Our retreats are exclusively for women.
Return and Rest Retreat is an invitation to step away from the noise, demands, and performance of everyday life and enter a sacred rhythm of abiding with the Father. This retreat is intentionally designed to create space where your soul can slow down, your heart can grow attentive to God, and your mind can be renewed through His presence and His Word.
Each day follows a gentle rhythm of Scripture meditation, guided biblical teaching, quiet reflection, personal prayer, worship, journaling, and unhurried time in nature. There will be opportunities to sit quietly before the Lord, walk in prayer, rest by the fire, enjoy meals with gratitude, and simply be present with Him without any pressure to perform or produce.
Throughout the retreat, periods of intentional silence will allow you to listen for the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. Rather than a way of escaping life, silence becomes a place of surrender—where distractions quiet, burdens are laid down, and God's truth takes deeper root in the heart.
Our teaching sessions will explore what Scripture reveals about surrender, obedience, abiding, and true rest. Together, we will examine the patterns that so often keep us striving, anxious, and exhausted, allowing God's Word to renew our thinking and reshape our hearts until Christ is formed in us.
This is not a retreat about emptying your mind. It is about filling your heart with the truth of God's Word, cultivating awareness of His presence, and learning to live from His peace rather than your performance.
Whether you spend time walking quiet trails in prayer or resting with an open Bible in your lap, every element of the retreat is designed to help you slow down enough to remember who God is, who you are in Christ, and how to return home to His rest.
You will leave not simply refreshed, but equipped with practical rhythms to keep living a life marked by surrender, obedience, abiding, and rest long after the retreat ends.
October 9-11, 2026 - Texas Hill Country
Meet Your Retreat Host
Merline Ulloth is the founder of The Uncommon U, a Christian spiritual formation ministry and brand dedicated to helping women move from survival and performance into wholeness—until Christ is formed in them (Galatians 4:19).
For more than 30 years, Merline has walked alongside women as a mentor, leader, Bible teacher, and coach. Her passion is championing women as they move beyond striving and performance into a life of surrender, obedience, abiding, and rest in Christ.
Drawing on decades of leadership, ministry, discipleship, and coaching, Merline creates Christ-centered spaces where women can slow down, hear God's voice through His Word, renew their minds, and grow in spiritual maturity. Her teaching is rooted in sound biblical truth, practical application, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Return and Rest was born from her conviction that many women faithfully serve everyone around them while quietly neglecting their own souls. This retreat is an invitation to step away from the noise, make room for God's presence, and rediscover the peace that comes from abiding in Him.
Merline also brings extensive experience in event planning, leadership, and hospitality, having organized and supported retreats, conferences, workshops, ministry gatherings, and community events throughout her years of service.
Throughout the weekend, Merline will guide participants through biblical teaching, Scripture meditation, prayer, worship, and personal reflection, along with intentional moments of quiet and plenty of space to simply be with the Father.
Her desire is to point women to Jesus—the One who restores weary souls, renews minds, and transforms lives from the inside out.
Come as you are.
Leave the striving behind.
Return to Jesus. Rest in His presence. Leave renewed with a fresh wind from the Holy Spirit.
October 9-11, 2026 - Texas Hill Country
What You'll Experience
Step away from the noise and make room to hear God's voice.
Exchange striving for the peace found in Christ's presence.
Rest your soul through Scripture, prayer, worship, and intentional silence.
Renew your mind with sound biblical teaching and Christ-centered reflection.
Deepen your relationship with God through unhurried time abiding with Him.
Find renewal through a gentle rhythm of rest, reflection, prayer, and fellowship.
Lay down burdens, distractions, and performance-driven living before the Lord.
Receive practical rhythms to help you continue living from surrender, obedience, abiding, and rest.
Return home refreshed, renewed, and equipped to live from wholeness—until Christ is formed in you.
Space is intentionally limited to keep the retreat experience small and personal. Please note this retreat may sell out quickly, so be sure to register as soon as registration opens to reserve your spot.
Your registration includes everything you need to step away from the demands of everyday life and fully embrace a weekend of rest, renewal, and spiritual formation.
Two nights of comfortable accommodations
Delicious, nourishing meals each day
Coffee, tea, and water throughout the retreat
Snacks and desserts
A welcome gift bag
Digital detox opportunities
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Complimentary parking
Pre-retreat preparation and post-retreat resources
$475
Airfare or other travel expenses
Airport transportation
Fuel reimbursement or mileage
Travel insurance (recommended)
Visa fees (if applicable)