Hi, friends!

So excited to jump in today to share my recent trip with Blessed is She to Ireland for their Shine retreat. If you haven't had a chance to go to one of their retreats I would so recommend it. It's a beautiful weekend of prayer, scripture, worship, adoration, mass & community with other women of every age and from all walks of life. You can check out their full schedule for 2020 as they add dates & locations here. Here are a few highlights from my week in Ireland.

When I was so generously offered the opportunity to work the Shine retreat in Ireland I was ecstatic. I have worked multiple retreats this past year, each one so unique and beautiful, and it has been such a gift to me. When I started my blog in 2017 I literally couldn't have imagined that sharing my gifts and glorifying God through them would lead me to so many places. It has been such a gift to connect with women all over the world, and sharing a glimpse of the experience through social media is an honor. I spent the first weekend there capturing photos and videos for their social platforms, and you can see some of the finished product if you're following along with them on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

The retreat was held at the gorgeously serene Emmaus Centre, and it was such perfect place to spend time in prayer, community, and encounter.

Flight

My sweet friend Sarah (over at Simply Sarah) and I had the chance to fly over together out of Philly & I was so happy to have a travel buddy! She & I have been in a health & fitness accountability group with another friend for a few years & we were roommates for the weekend in Ireland, so I’m grateful for the time we had to grow closer in friendship. She is the absolute sweetest.

Retreat Weekend

I arrived Thursday morning and crashed for a few hours before we started setup. We basically went back and forth from IKEA 47 times & tried to make the decor work while drinking lots of coffee. The retreat began on Friday evening & all day Saturday. Don’t let my brevity fool you, it was so beautiful & spiritually moving in so many ways. I’m often hyper-focused on capturing others’ prayer experiences in the moment, though, so a lot of the fruit for me comes in the unpacking after the retreat. Not in the literal unpacking, I absolutely can’t stand that. I’m pretty sure I’m still not fully unpacked. Ok, I’m 100% I’m not, I just didn’t want to sound like a deadbeat.

Sunday: Dublin

We found a little brunch place near the retreat center in Swords called Gourmet Food Parlor, and it was amazing. The decor was beautiful & the food and drinks were so good. I had their dirty chai with soy, and this delicious avocado toast.

Afterward, we traveled into Dublin and explored the Guinness Storehouse for most of the day. I ordered a Guiness with my photo in it, because narcissim, and it was the coolest. You should totally do it. We also had fun at The Gravity Bar upstairs, and I tried the Guinness with blackcurrant and didn't hate it.

The night ended with a live performance by Scythian and JigJam at The Grand Social.

Monday: Knock & Traveling to Galway

On Monday we traveled by train to Ballyhaunis & then took a car to the Shrine at Knock. We stopped for a double rainbow along the way and had a chance to pray in a few of the beautiful spaces at the shrine. Then we hopped a bus to Galway.

Tuesday: Galway & Cliffs of Moher

Tuesday morning we saw a small bit of Galway, and it was definitely my favorite. I only wish we’d had more time there! We ate at the perfect little Café & coffee shop, An Tobar Nua, and then traveled by car to the Cliffs of Moher. Shannon of Chews Life was driving for the first time overseas and she did an AMAZING job. I would've been terrified to make that drive, but she was a natural.

Ok, so The Cliffs. They were truly one of the most beautiful sights I have ever been able to experience, and if you are able to go, go! It was breathtaking, and so spiritually moving, and such a testament to the intricacy and beauty that the Lord has woven into the world around us. I cannot even find the right words to describe how it felt. My pictures will also never do them justice, but here they are:

Beth and I traveled back to Dublin by train that night so I could catch my plane the next morning, and she could get ready to prep for the second weekend of retreat. It was such an incredible, life-changing trip and I am so grateful I was able to go. I recapped everything in my vlog over on Youtube as well if you want to check that out. I hope you are having a restful week after Christmas, friends! Looking forward to the New Year!

xo,

Katie