We are counting down the days to the Become Good Soil Intensive, experiencing a deep anticipation and expectation of what the Father desires to do for his sons through this event! The excitement is overflowing. God’s fierce intention is to make an increasing way for life. And with this choice to dive into the deeper waters come the preemptive attacks of our enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. He will try whatever he can to take us out in big ways or small to sabotage what God is hoping to bring us through the Intensive.
Here are critical action steps for preparation as well as thoughts on safeguarding against the enemy. Please read everything below.
The weekly preparation averages around 20 minutes a day for six days a week of focused attention on your masculine soul. It is our hope that this daily preparation will till the soil of your soul so you are ready to offer and receive the full portion of what God has at the event.
Dallas Willard once said, “The most important thing about a man is not what he does. It is who he becomes.” As men, we have so few opportunities to talk about who we are apart from what we do. At the Become Good Soil Intensive, we are committed to flipping this script and centering the entire experience around who we are. To this end, we agree to not disclose what we “do” for a living. Instead, for the duration of the retreat, we stack hands on one answer to the question of “What do you do?” Our shared answer is simply, “I’m a chimney sweep.” Anytime you need to talk about your work as a context for your masculine initiation, be sure to refer to it as a chimney sweep. Focusing on who we are apart from what we do for a living is foundational to digging deep into our masculine hearts, and committing to the “chimney sweep” guideline is vital to this end.
When in your life do you get permission to unplug for four days and allow God and your masculine soul to be the focus of your attention? In order to create the best possible environment for this mission, the Intensive is a technology-free zone. All phones and digital devices will be collected and safely stored at the event. Get ready, it just might be one of the hardest and best moments of your life. We will not be making any exceptions to this rule.
Bring a watch/alarm clock, as your phone will not be available.
Internet and phone service will not be available for the entire event, so please give the phone number below to anyone who might need to reach you. You can be reached 24 hours a day in the event of an emergency at (719) 445-9020. Please provide that number to your family.
You will need to arrive at Trail West between 4:00 and 4:30 pm on Thursday, August 25. (Note: Facilitators are arriving Wednesday, August 24. We ask that you not arrive early, as we need the dedicated prayer and preparation time with our facilitator team.) We will conclude by 12:00 pm on Sunday, August 28. It is ESSENTIAL that you plan your travel so as NOT to leave early—you will not want to miss the conclusion of the retreat.
Trail West, Buena Vista, CO
You are responsible for your own transportation to and from Trail West. Approximate travel time from Colorado Springs Airport to Trail West is 2.25 hours; from Denver International Airport, it’s 3 hours. Find directions from Denver International Airport here.
We had originally planned to offer a shuttle service to and from Trail West. Because the market for renting a shuttle bus has made it impractical to offer this service, we are setting up a chat space at the bottom of this page to arrange carpooling with one another. If you are planning to drive or rent a vehicle and have space in your vehicle, please post that at the bottom of the page. If you're looking for a ride, please post that. If we get closer to the event and you are still having trouble arranging transportation, please contact us at [email protected].
We’re in the mountains at high altitude. It can be 80 degrees and sunny, then below freezing and snowing on the same day. Bring casual clothing and good boots for hiking. Rain gear and a good cold-weather layer, especially for evening campfires. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bedding and towels will be provided; however, you will need to bring your own toiletries. Bring a watch and alarm clock.
Use of electronic devices such as iPads, laptops, smart phones, or any other devices will not be permitted to allow all of us, as a community, to experience a technology-free and distraction-free encounter with God. So pack a journal/notebook and a pen!
We cannot emphasize this enough: Do everything you can to not come in exhausted. Your heart matters. Let that be a signpost. I know it’s a hard ask with all the demands of buttoning up your world to unplug and head out into the wilderness. But it is worth it, for your heart and the hearts of the other men. Safeguard some time pre-retreat to get some life for your heart.
We strongly recommend you reach out to several trusted allies and ask them to cover you in prayer for the Intensive, fighting for and agreeing with the full portion God wants to bring.
Ask God, “What are your advance words for me as I go into the Intensive? What do you want to say in preparation for my heart?” Ask. It’ll be worth it.
If you have any questions, contact our team at [email protected].
For the Kingdom,
Morgan for the Become Good Soil Intensive Team
If you are interested in carpooling to the event, we welcome you to post here. You will be prompted to log in to Disqus or create a Disqus account if you don't already have one.
