Tag: Serenity Retreat

One Hundred Years of Serenity

Written by Tiffany Pardue on February 18, 2026. Posted in Serenity Blog, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on One Hundred Years of Serenity

A Prayer for an Age of Extremes

by Tiffany Pardue, Retreats Director

I have been overwhelmed by the news lately.

Massacres, wars, civil wars, imminent war. The release of files implicating world and pop culture leaders. More prominent Christian leaders exposed in sin and betrayal. The polarity surrounding immigration, ICE, Israel. Unending reports of sex trafficking, gross perversions, murders. The double-talk and lack of justice — especially for children.

And beneath the headlines: traumas, griefs, pains, and uncertainties in my own life. The same for those for whom I care, and those we serve at Serenity Retreat.

As I journaled my wrestles to the Lord this week, I found myself repenting — not for caring, and not for being informed, but for overconsumption. For receiving and attempting to sift truth from a dozen voices before first being still with Him. For allowing the volume of information to reduce my ability to hear what He has to say.

I committed again to bring my thoughts and questions first to Him before diving deeper or processing with others. To remember that discernment is born not from endless input, but from intimacy.

In those moments of turning, something unexpected surfaced. The first line of the Serenity Prayer.

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

So I looked up the prayer and read it in its entirety. Tears.

At the bottom of the page was the author’s name, Reinhold Niebuhr.
The year: 1926.

One hundred years ago.

What a decade. What a century.

Curious, I read about him and returned to the 1920s. He penned his prayer in a time described as “an age of extreme contradiction.” Unmatched prosperity and cultural advancement existed alongside intense social unrest and reaction. A decade marked by women’s suffrage and the Great Depression, that bore urbanism and modernism, as well as the Ku Klux Klan, Prohibition, nativism, and religious fundamentalism.

Extreme contradiction. Cultural advancement alongside deep corruption. Religious fervor alongside profound moral compromise.

It all sounds… familiar.

Notable reports — and notable silences — from mainstream and alternative news sources regarding everything from global trafficking rings to local and international conflicts.
Notable reports — and notable silences — from church leaders, ministries, denominational heads, and influencers regarding perversions within the Church.
Notable reports — and notable silences — from governments at every level.

Everyone seems to be pursuing a moral or religious high ground. Whether the issue is immigration, politics, scandal, or cultural upheaval, conviction is loud. Humility is rare.

Many of us are in-our-bones tired.

Rocked from the last bombs.
Weary of sorting truth from manipulation.
Grieving what has been lost or defiled.
Watching love grow cold.
Wishing those in authority would do more.
Considering what more we could have done or can do.
Angry as deception, lethargy, evil and injustice persist.

Lord, have mercy.

The full Serenity Prayer goes beyond its familiar opening. It speaks of living one day at a time. Enjoying one moment at a time. Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace. Identifying with Jesus. Trusting that God will make all things right if we surrender to His will. Then it speaks of happiness — reasonable and supreme, forever.

Just, yes… amen. Such a simple, infinitely profound prayer. And I think what I appreciate most is now knowing this prayer was forged in turbulence.

Serenity, then, is not denial, disengagement, or indifference.

Serenity is ordered trust.

It is the refusal to let darkness dictate the condition of our inner world. It’s the courage to act where God assigns responsibility, and the humility to release what He has not. It’s heavenly wisdom formed not by acquiring knowledge, but received by abiding with Him.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10

This psalm wasn’t written in a holy vacuum. In it, the nations are raging, and kingdoms, tottering. Stillness, then, is not escapism. It’s allegiance, choosing where to anchor when the earth shakes.

And that is where I find myself in this season — anchored at Serenity, serving and healing every day. To retreat is not escape from reality, it’s returning to Truth. It’s receiving when the enemy is doing its most to take. It’s a military strategy, but I’ll save that for another time.

The world in 1926 needed this prayer, and we need it now. To mark its centennial, how about reading the Serenity Prayer aloud:

The Full Serenity Prayer

by Reinhold Niebuhr (1926)

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right
if I surrender to Your will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Now will you join me in practicing it?

To limit our intake.
To guard our inner lives.
To endure hardship and expect happiness.
To confess where we have partnered with fear.
To acknowledge our thoughts and take them to the Lord. Feelings, too — TPM is amazing for that.
To take courage and act as He speaks.
To accept where He asks for surrender.
To trust that justice ultimately rests in His hands.

We are living in an age of extremes, also an age of invitation. Perhaps the most courageous thing is to respond and say “yes”. Yes to His leadership. His limits. His wisdom. His peace. His way.

We cannot quiet the nations, news, or naysayers, but we can quiet our souls.

And we can be happy.

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever —Psalm 146:5-6

For help with unrest, frustration, or pain, we invite you to take time away at Serenity Retreat in Bellville, and/or a cost-free hour at a time in Transformation Prayer Ministry. Click here to schedule a session or retreat today. Be blessed!

**Jesus-loving Ladies of 2026 looking like the 1920s — celebrating the 4th Anniversary of The Gathery in Bellville, Texas.**

Welcoming Carol Schwartz and Angela Miller to the CORE Team

Written by Angela Miller on February 9, 2026. Posted in Prayer Ministers, Serenity Blog, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on Welcoming Carol Schwartz and Angela Miller to the CORE Team

by Barbara Rolen, Program Director at Serenity Retreat

The C.O.R.E. Team—which stands for “Clarification of Refinements”—was established by Kathryn Eason prior to her retirement in 2019. The team serves as a group of seasoned TPM mentors who provide guidance, training, and leadership development for our ministry. These are the women and men you can turn to with questions about TPM Principles, Purpose, and Process. They coach our mentors, lead training courses, facilitate community discussions, and help shape the ongoing development of how we equip others in Transformation Prayer Ministry. It’s a significant commitment, but also a meaningful opportunity to multiply impact and help ensure that all guests experience the same high quality TPM in their prayer sessions and our training remains faithful to the model established by Ed and Joshua Smith at TransformationPrayer.org.

Welcoming Carol Schwartz and Angela Miller to the C.O.R.E. Team

*Barbara Rolen, Angela Miller, Kathy Zimmerman, Keever & Brooke Wallace, Carol Schwartz,* *Becky Moorman.*

There’s something sacred about watching the Lord raise up the right people at exactly the right time. As we continue growing and refining what TPM looks like at Serenity Retreat, we’re celebrating two extraordinary women who are stepping into this expanded leadership role—Carol Schwartz and Angela Miller.

If you’ve been part of our Serenity family for any length of time, you probably already know these women. You’ve experienced their warmth, their wisdom, and their genuine heart for seeing others encounter freedom in Christ. Now, they’re bringing those same gifts to a new level of mentoring and equipping. Their addition to the team was unanimous—every current C.O.R.E. Team member recognized what the Lord is doing in and through Carol and Angela.

Meet Carol

Carol’s journey with TPM has been one of profound personal transformation—and she’s the first to tell you about it. “The prayer process has helped me experience the love of God in a deeper and broader way,” she shares. “It has allowed me to accept myself as God made me—especially being emotional—and to see that this is not a flaw but a gift.”

That kind of honesty? That’s exactly what makes Carol such a natural fit for the C.O.R.E. Team.

When we asked what unique gifts she brings, Carol didn’t hesitate: “Openness to God’s voice, encouragement, joy of working together.” And when it comes to her calling to teach and equip others, she lights up. The Lord spoke clearly to her: “I will one day teach you to ‘coach’ people with my Holy Spirit.” She senses this is that season—God’s way of preparing her for what would eventually happen.

Carol brings a beautiful combination of strength and tenderness to the team. She’s confident in TPM principles and comfortable answering most questions, yet she’s also refreshingly humble about her growth process. “I do have some concern about making mistakes as I continue to grow in the process,” she acknowledges. “I am learning to trust the Holy Spirit to guide me. I also want to be open to correction and see it as a natural part of learning.”

That kind of teachable spirit—paired with her natural gift for encouragement—makes Carol invaluable as we mentor the next generation of prayer ministers.

Meet Angela

Angela G. Miller

Angela serves in a dual role at Serenity Retreat—she’s both a prayer minister and our Program Manager, working closely with me in the day-to-day rhythms of ministry. Her attention to detail, administrative gifts, and heart for the mission make her an anchor for so much of what happens behind the scenes.

But what truly sets Angela apart is how she brings both administrative excellence and deep spiritual sensitivity to everything she touches.

When asked about her TPM journey, Angela shares: “It has been life changing. I didn’t realize I had believed so many lies. TPM helped me let go of those lies and has helped me step into greater freedom and live more fully in God’s grace. This is available to everyone! Praise God.”

That passion—this is available to everyone—is what drives her heart to serve on the C.O.R.E. Team.

Angela brings unique gifts to our team: a calling to teach and equip others in TPM, and a special sensitivity to how people learn and grow. She has a remarkable ability to sense what’s needed in the moment—whether that’s a word of encouragement, a clarifying question, or a gentle redirection.

Her natural strengths shine in one-on-one coaching and mentoring, small group facilitation, training course leadership, and the immersive experiences we’re developing. She’s also gifted at evaluating current mentors and curating TPM resources—skills that help us continually improve what we offer.

What excites Angela most about joining the C.O.R.E Team? “I love being part of a team and moving together as God leads us. I also love seeing others grow in their walk with Jesus, to be a part of that in this way would be a blessing. It’s answered prayer. I pray often to love God and others.”

What This Means for You

Both Carol and Angela participated in our inaugural TPM 201 Immersive retreat in Bellville recently. Their contributions to workshop discussions and practice sessions enriched the experience for everyone in the cohort. They’re already making suggestions that will enhance how we train prayer ministers going forward and deepen the experience for each guest who comes through our doors. You can read their reflections in the post, “When the Mountain Becomes a Molehill: Reflections on TPM 201 Immersive”

Their addition to the C.O.R.E Team was unanimous—every current team member recognized what the Lord is doing in and through these two women. We couldn’t be more grateful.

As we move forward, you’ll see Carol and Angela serving in various capacities: leading training sessions, coaching mentors, facilitating small groups, and helping shape the future of TPM at Serenity Retreat. They bring fresh perspectives, deep experience, and most importantly, hearts fully surrendered to where the Holy Spirit is leading.

We’re so excited about this season of growth. The Lord continues to raise up the right people at the right time, and we’re honored to walk alongside Carol and Angela as they step more fully into this calling.

Please join us in celebrating these remarkable women and the ways God is expanding our capacity to serve, train, and equip others in Transformation Prayer Ministry.

Blessings,

Barbara

When the Mountain Becomes a Molehill: Reflections on Our First TPM 201 Immersive

Written by Angela Miller on February 9, 2026. Posted in Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center, TPM 201, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on When the Mountain Becomes a Molehill: Reflections on Our First TPM 201 Immersive

by Barbara Rolen, Program Director at Serenity Retreat

“The role-plays and the live demonstration minimized the mountain I had made of TPM.”

When one member of the cohort shared this insight after our first TPM 201 Immersive in Bellville, it reminded me of the way we humans many times approach new experiences, me included. We build up these mountains in our minds—mountains of complexity, mountains of fear, mountains of “I could never do that”—and then the Holy Spirit gently shows us that what looked insurmountable was actually an invitation to step forward.

On Jan 29 – 31, 2026 (with several of us lingering through Sunday morning), we gathered in Bellville for something that was just an idea from the Lord last fall: a condensed, intensive format for TPM 201 that would allow people to grow in their understanding of TPM and have multiple encounters with the Lord in practice sessions, without the challenge of sustaining momentum across six weekly classes. What unfolded was a community of believers sharing life together: lots of laughter and tears as we witnessed and experienced encounters with the Lord leading to transformation again and again.

But the journey didn’t begin when we arrived Thursday evening. It started weeks earlier, when participants began their pre-coursework…

Part One: Laying the Foundation—Weeks of Intentional Preparation

The journey to Bellville didn’t begin with packing bags or making travel arrangements. It began weeks earlier, when each participant received access to their pre-coursework—a carefully designed progression through seven modules that would prepare their hearts and minds for the intensive weekend ahead.

Over those weeks, participants were reading key chapters from The Principles, Purpose, and Process by Ed Smith and Joshua Smith, watching key teaching videos, and engaging with the content through Discovery Guides. They were learning the core TPM principles—we perceive what we believe, we feel what we believe, we do what we believe, we believe what we are persuaded to believe—and beginning to recognize patterns in their own lives. We also asked each person to complete three TPM sessions before arriving, giving them hands-on experience with the process they’d be learning to use.

Some engaged deeply with the pre-work, joining us for our three Zoom check-ins to discuss what they were learning and to experience the prayer process of TPM. Others did what they could, showing up with just enough foundation to begin. And that was okay—because what we discovered is that the immersive format has room for people to enter at different levels of preparation.

The pre-work served its purpose: everyone arrived with at least a basic shared vocabulary and some personal experience of TPM. But the real breakthroughs? Those would come during our time together, when teaching met practice, when understanding became experience, and when the Holy Spirit showed up in ways none of us could orchestrate.

Part Two: Three Days of Deep Transformation

Thursday: Setting the Atmosphere

We gathered around the table over a charcuterie dinner while sharing what brought us to this immersive experience. The honesty in the room was palpable—some eager, some nervous, all expectant. The discussion continued as we dove into the first component of the Purpose of TPM: faith-refinement.

After a brief orientation, focusing specifically on the Emotion Box, where every TPM session begins, everyone enjoyed a live demonstration. Watching someone demonstrate self-TPM made it feel… possible. Approachable. Real.

Angela Miller, one of our coaches, later reflected: “The TPM 201 Immersive reminded me how powerful it is when people gather together in-person, sharing meals, engaging in meaningful conversation, and learning about a prayer process that has lasting effects on our spiritual life. We create space to go deeper into our own stories while also bearing witness to what God is doing in the lives of others.”

Friday: The Rhythm of Breakthrough

Each workshop began with a playful or meaningful warm-up exercise designed to focus on an aspect of TPM. The first workshop of the day was focused on the Memory Box and Belief Box, exploring why it matters where our beliefs are stored (head versus heart) and how the Holy Spirit works to renew our minds.

The teaching sessions weren’t just lectures. We broke into small groups with coaches for role plays, working through scenarios like “Sarah’s Stressful Situation” and “Angie’s Anger.” These weren’t theoretical exercises—they were practice runs for the real sessions happening between workshops.

One participant captured it perfectly: “I loved the community that formed in the 36 hours we were together. I love how knowing the Lord and knowing others know the Lord gives us a strong kinship. I loved that people were serious about learning TPM and their hearts were really engaged in it.”

By Friday afternoon, we were tackling the Anger Box—learning to recognize anger in all its disguises and understanding that our anger always is fueled by a belief underneath. Friday evening brought us face-to-face with Solution Indicators—those protective behaviors we’ve developed to avoid pain, the ones that feel so right but keep us stuck.

And between every workshop? Practice sessions. Real prayer ministry. Real breakthroughs.

“I had a great prayer session when one of the participants prayed for me,” one attendee shared. “The most impactful time is watching the Holy Spirit breakthrough in someone’s life and givethem a new truth.”

Saturday: Integration and Transformation

Saturday morning we explored the Solution Box more deeply. This is where many participants had their biggest “aha” moments. One person wrote in her survey: “I realized I have spent my life in the solution box, thinking it was a good answer, thinking these behaviors were the right and logical truths. And my mind has been renewed. My beliefs are not correct, God’s truth is the right solution. I’m on a new path now in my thinking and how I perceive and believe. It feels like freedom and I actually felt lighter and dizzy, something left.”

Another shared: “I’ve spent most of my life thinking I am alone and isolated, and in my TPM session I realized that was a self-protection tool, and that I can depend on God in those places around me and feel safe and loved and cared for.”

Carol Schwartz, another coach, observed: “Being part of TPM 201 team was such a gift. The immersive setting gave us the chance to really slow down and walk with people as they practiced, asked questions, and grew in confidence. It was powerful to watch the material click in real time and to see the personal growth happening right alongside their hands-on learning.”

Saturday afternoon brought us full circle with a “Coaches Panel”—a time for participants to ask any lingering questions. Then came our closing ceremony: the Transformation Commemoration. Each person wrote on a river rock one lie they’d believed when they arrived—something Jesus had replaced with truth over these three days. One by one, they threw their rocks into the water, releasing what God had set them free from. Then they received cards to write down the truth God had given them in place of the lie or anything else the Lord wanted them to walk away with. It was a genuine celebration of what we’d witnessed God do.

A few of us lingered into Sunday for additional fellowship and reflection time. There’s something sacred about those unhurried morning hours after an intensive experience—time to let it all settle.

Part Three: What We’re Learning About This Format

The survey responses are still coming in, but certain themes are already clear:

The immersive format works differently than weekly classes. The concentrated time, the meals together, the ability to have multiple practice sessions in a short span—it accelerates both learning and transformation. Angela, who helped facilitate this intensive, put it simply: “I genuinely love this model and cannot recommend an immersive highly enough. Even if you have participated in a six- or eight-week training, there is something uniquely rich about the immersive experience that is well worth stepping into.”

Role plays and demonstrations demystify the process. That participant who felt the mountain become a molehill? She wasn’t alone. Watching real demonstrations and doing hands-on practice made TPM feel accessible rather than overwhelming.

Community matters. Being together in person, sharing meals, laughing over icebreakers, witnessing each other’s breakthroughs—it creates bonds that go beyond typical classroom learning.

The Lord shows up. One participant noted simply: “Still digesting everything, the skits, the workshop discussions were fantastic.” But beneath that digest-time is the reality that minds were renewed, lies were replaced with truth, and people encountered Jesus in tangible ways.

Part Four: Your Invitation

We’re offering more TPM 201 Immersive opportunities in 2026, and after experiencing this first one, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Whether you’ve never taken TPM training before, or you completed a weekly format years ago and want to go deeper, this condensed format offers something special.

You’ll arrive with some pre-work under your belt. You’ll spend three days learning principles, practicing skills, and experiencing personal ministry. You’ll leave with new tools, new freedom, and new friends who’ve walked this journey with you.

And maybe, like our participants, you’ll discover that the mountain you imagined was really just an invitation to step forward and watch what God can do.

If you’re interested in a future TPM 201 Immersive, reach out to us at Serenity Retreat [email protected]. We’d love to have you join us for the next one!

A New Season in Bellville: Welcoming Tiffany Pardue

Written by Angela Miller on January 15, 2026. Posted in Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat, Serenity Retreat Center. No Comments on A New Season in Bellville: Welcoming Tiffany Pardue

by Cynthia Wenz, Interim CEO and Board Member

We are grateful to share that Tiffany Pardue has stepped into a new leadership role at Serenity Retreat as our Retreats Director and Community Partnership Liaison. This transition marks a meaningful new season for Serenity Retreat Bellville, and one we are entering with deep gratitude and confidence.

In these past months, as Tiffany has stepped more fully into this role, we have already seen the fruit of her leadership. She has helped maintain, develop, and strengthen the rhythm of retreats and ministry respites on the land, while also collaborating closely with the broader team to imagine what could be next. With creativity and wisdom, Tiffany has brought fresh insight into how our retreats and hospitality team can continue to serve individuals, ministries, and communities with care, depth, and intentionality. We’ve already seen the collaboration in action with our training team in our recent TPM 201 Immersive and how the Lord is positioning Serenity Retreat for the new wine to come!

Tiffany carries both a reverence for what God has already established at Serenity Retreat and a thoughtful openness to innovation, holding the mission steady while helping us grow with clarity and purpose. Her leadership helps ensure that the retreats, gatherings, and trainings hosted in Bellville continue to be places where people can encounter God in safety, truth, and love.

As Serenity Retreat Bellville continues to grow as a place of rest, prayer, and restoration, this role helps cultivate an atmosphere where Transformation Prayer Ministry can flourish and where individuals and groups can step away from the noise to listen, heal, and be renewed in God’s presence. The land in Bellville remains a place set apart, a place to come away, to be still, and to receive.

As Scripture reminds us:
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

If you are sensing an invitation to step away for rest, prayer, or healing, we would be honored to host you at Serenity Retreat Bellville. To inquire about a personal retreat, group retreat, or ministry respite, please email [email protected] or fill out our Retreat Information Request Form.

We are deeply thankful for the way God is assembling leaders for this next season at Serenity Retreat. Please join us in welcoming Tiffany and praying for her as she continues to serve with humility, wisdom, and a heart fully yielded to the work God is doing here.

Honoring New Leaders As We Welcome the New Year

Written by Tiffany Pardue on December 29, 2025. Posted in Serenity Retreat. No Comments on Honoring New Leaders As We Welcome the New Year

by Cynthia Wenz, Board Member and Interim CEO

One of the greatest gifts of a healthy ministry is the people God brings to steward it. Board members play a vital role in the life and ministry of Serenity Retreat. They pray with us, help guide and shape vision, provide accountability, and lend wisdom so that our mission remains strong, focused, and faithful.

A board isn’t about control, it’s about care. At Serenity Retreat, governance is committed to seeking and listening to the Lord together, and ensuring that the ministry continues to be a place of encounter, healing, restoration, and transformation for generations to come.

With great joy, we welcome three new members to the Serenity Retreat Board.

Skip Koshak brings a wealth of business insight and steady leadership to Serenity where he has volunteered as a TPM® mentor for the past 2 years! Skip has a long history of serving organizations with integrity, operational excellence, and a genuine heart for people. With a reputation as a wise counselor and stabilizing presence, we are grateful for the experience and discernment he brings to our board.

Dr. Emi Barresi is a transformational leader with a deep background in organizational development, spiritual formation, and human flourishing. Emi carries both professional expertise and a pastoral heart. She has a unique gift for helping people and teams step into greater wholeness, and her voice will meaningfully strengthen our vision and future.

Reverend Debra Hill is a seasoned minister, counselor, worship and community leader with decades of faithful service to individuals and families. She brings spiritual depth, compassion, and pastoral wisdom that aligns beautifully with Serenity Retreat’s mission of healing and renewal.

It is a gift to welcome leaders who love God, love people, and are committed to stewarding this ministry with humility and faith. I am deeply grateful for each of them and excited for what lies ahead as we continue walking together in obedience to God’s calling.

Please join me in welcoming Skip, Dr. Emi, and Reverend Debra to the Serenity Retreat Board of Directors.

If you would like to send a New Year’s message to our team or Board of Directors, we’d love to hear anything you have to share! Email us at [email protected] and we’ll make sure it gets to your intended recipient(s).

An Ordinary Morning, Sacred Ground

Written by Angela Miller on December 23, 2025. Posted in Serenity Blog, TPM 101, TPM 201, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on An Ordinary Morning, Sacred Ground

by Angela Miller | Program Manager at Serenity Retreat

Some of the most important moments of transformation don’t happen in prayer rooms or retreats; they happen in kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms before the day has even fully begun.

This Advent, I wrote on my personal blog that I had what I would honestly describe as a good morning. I woke up steady, moved into my usual rhythm… and then realized I was completely out of my green drink and collagen (if you know, you know). Normally, I mix those with a little matcha, my gentle springboard into the day. That springboard was gone.

“Almost immediately, I felt that familiar edge creep in: I need coffee or I’m not going to survive.”

What surprised me wasn’t the frustration, many of you know that feeling, but what the Lord gently invited me into next.

When Frustration Is a Signal, Not a Norm or a Failure

Emotions are not the problem; they are an opportunity.

That morning, frustration told me something deeper was happening. I wasn’t just annoyed about ingredients. I was unknowingly trying to fix something in my flesh. I was leaning on a ‘coping mechanism’ to function.

(Let me pause here: I’m not saying coffee or routine is always a coping mechanism. But sometimes an honest evaluation is needed—especially when frustration or another negative emotion is associated with a habit, routine, or the desire to escape discomfort.)

So instead of pushing the feeling away, I paused and acknowledged it honestly:

“Lord, I’m frustrated with my circumstances because my routine is off, and I need to function.”

This is what we call the Anger Box in Transformation Prayer Ministry, naming the emotion without judgment, spiritualizing, or self-correction.

Then I moved into what we call the Solution Box, asking a question we teach people to ask regularly:
Do I sense hesitancy or resistance at the thought of letting this frustration go? Would it take effort on my part to let it go?

Uhhhh… yes. This cloud felt like it was just hovering over my head.

So I kept going and asked the next question:

“What do I believe would happen if I let this frustration go?” or “What bad thing might happen if the frustration was gone?”

The answer surprised me:

“If I let it go, I might not function today.”

So I asked the next question:

“So the reason I need to hold onto this frustration is what?”

And there it was:

“I need to be frustrated at my circumstances in order to function.”

This Is What TPM Looks Like as a Lifestyle

This is the heart of Transformation Prayer Ministry, not fixing behavior, but allowing God to reveal the deeper belief so He can speak His truth into it and transform our lives.

I shared that belief with the Lord and sat quietly. I didn’t strive. I didn’t try to replace it with truth on my own. I simply listened.

And what He impressed on my heart was simple and profound:

“I am your function.”

That one sentence changed everything.

“In it was everything I needed to hear… He is my help, clarity, strength, wise counselor, and capacity to do what He has called me to do.”

As I sat with that truth, the frustration lost its grip. The fog lifted. The I-need-coffee-or-else feeling faded. I felt clear, present, and capable.

This is not about having a perfect morning.
This is about learning how to walk with God in real time, on random, ordinary days, especially during seasons like Advent and the holidays when life feels full, loud, and heavy.

We Were Never Meant to Carry This Alone

If you notice frustration surfacing often…
If you find yourself snapping at the people you love…
If there’s a low hum of anxiety or pressure to “just function”…

I want you to know this: you don’t have to stay there.

The Lord provides a way through, a way to slow down, listen, uncover what’s happening beneath the surface, and receive His truth right where you are.

I won’t lie, this was a paradigm shift for me when I learned about this process, especially two of our core principles, but it made so much sense: “We feel and do what we believe.”
While learning this process is a process, it has been so worth it to no longer live in performance or anxiety mode.

That’s why at Serenity Retreat we teach TPM not as a technique, but as a relational prayer lifestyle.

TPM 101 introduces this framework and helps you understand what’s happening beneath emotions.
TPM 201 equips you to engage this process on your own, in your everyday life, with the Lord.

And fun fact! We’re launching a TPM 201 Immersive Experience in January, and there are only 12 spots! This guided journey combines 7 self-paced modules (plan to start early!), supportive Zoom check-ins with seasoned leaders, and a powerful 2-day retreat in Bellville (January 29-31) where you’ll receive personalized training and coaching.

Whether you choose the six-week course or the immersive experience, the goal is the same:
that you grow in confidence drawing closer to God, recognizing what’s happening in your heart, and receiving His truth, the kind that leads to lasting transformation and peace.

An Advent Invitation

Advent reminds us that we are waiting—not passively, but expectantly—for the God who is righteous, just, and deeply loving to finish what He has already begun.

The Lord is still meeting us. Still speaking truth. Still inviting us deeper through His Word and through community with other believers.

Perhaps this process, learning to cooperate with Him as He refines your faith, renews your mind, and transforms your life (TPM Purpose) is the gift He’s placing in your prayer toolbox for this next season.

If you feel that gentle nudge, I encourage you to say yes.
Yes to a prayer session.
Yes to sowing into this ministry.
Yes to coming out to Bellville for a retreat or bringing your own group.
Yes to training.
Yes to what He is inviting you to walk into next.

Merry Christmas,
Angela

P.S. Check out the TPM 201 Immersive

Register for TPM 201 and Immersive experiences here

Collaborating For More: Group Retreats, Now With TPM®!

Written by Tiffany Pardue on November 25, 2025. Posted in Prayer Ministers, Serenity Retreat, Serenity Retreat Center, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on Collaborating For More: Group Retreats, Now With TPM®!

by Tiffany Pardue and Barbara Rolen, Retreats and Program Directors

While Christian groups have gathered to experience the Lord at Serenity Retreat Bellville for years, God is doing is something new and exciting with Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM).

Here’s What’s New

This fall, in planning meetings with group retreat leaders, discussions about what it might look like to incorporate TPM sessions increased. Leaders began showing an interest in our prayer ministers providing TPM to their groups—from 10, to 15, even 17 at a time! With our typical Personal Healing Retreat format, that’s just not feasible.

So, we sought the Lord and began to book group retreats that include one TPM session per participant. The response has been extraordinary—Serenity Retreat partnered with church small groups and ministry teams to provide TPM during group retreats is a Kingdom match made in heaven!

The Experiment

Our first group, Dream Makers, had ten participants, seven of whom received prayer. We scheduled two prayer minister teams to serve them, and when illness hit mid-retreat—we didn’t cancel, we pivoted. Four sessions were provided via Zoom to the group gathered at Bellville. Thank God that the Holy Spirit is not constrained by space or screens!

Then came our second group, Restored Wives with 17 ladies. We brought in three all-star prayer minister and intercessor teams to provide TPM to 16 young mommas and wives over the course of 24 hours. You should have seen it!

By the end of the retreat, they stood facing the pond, hands clasped and lifted high in celebration of Jesus and what He had done among them—collectively and in each of their hearts. So much restoration and love.

The Lord has moved in ways we’ve never experienced through these group retreat collaborations. With all our hearts turned to the Lord for wisdom and guidance, 23 women have experienced TPM through this new format, almost all of them for the first time. That’s 23 women who have given the opportunity to have an encounter with the Lord resulting in more freedom and transformation.

Why This Matters

Here’s what we’re discovering: this format makes TPM accessible to groups who might not otherwise experience it.

Let’s say your men or women’s ministry wants to introduce TPM to your leaders, but asking everyone to commit to a full individual retreat isn’t realistic. Maybe your small group has been walking through increasingly difficult circumstances and you know you need to create space for everyone to lean in together—a space where all can gather, and also experience quiet, sacred moments with the Lord, including a TPM session—you’re wondering how you can make this work for a larger group? Or perhaps the Lord is inviting your group of friends or ministry team to go deeper together in Him—and one TPM session per person feels like the perfect starting point.

This new option? It’s opening doors and so many possibilities.

It Takes a Small Army (of Prayer Ministers)

I need to tell you something: this only works because of our prayer ministers’ hearts for this ministry. They want as many people as possible to encounter the Lord and walk in freedom! When we asked prayer ministers to serve these two groups—first two teams for the group of ten, then three teams for the group of 17—many said yes without hesitation. They all agreed it was such a joy to come together and serve so many women at once. Their willingness to serve, their hunger to see people set free, their faithfulness to show up—that’s what makes this kind of multiplication possible.

Is This for Your Group?

If you’ve been thinking about how and when you can bring your ministry team, small group, even family or friends to Bellville, and what it might look like to receive ministry together—this might be exactly what you’re looking for.

We are thrilled to collaborate with you to create a Group Retreat experience tailored to your needs, with or without our new one-session-per-participant option. Email [email protected] to start the conversation and see what the Lord has in store for you and your people in2026!

Grateful for All That God Is Doing

This Thanksgiving, as we think of these 23 women, many whose lives have been deeply impacted and changed, we say THANK YOU.

Thank you to our powerful, big-hearted prayer ministers, and thank you to every person who makes the space, investing time and resources to step out in faith, believing that God will encounter you with His truth. Thank you to all who are praying for Serenity Retreat, supporting this work, or cheering us on—thank you for being part of what God is multiplying here. And thank you, Jesus, for doing what only You can do!

We have so many reasons to be grateful and so many to whom we give our thanks. God has been good to Serenity Retreat this year, and we are excited and expectant to see how He leads us through the holidays and into the new year, together. Happy Thanksgiving, Family!

PRAYER MINISTERS – One prayer minister was so inspired by reading this post that she is ready to sign up to join the TPM explosion happening in Bellville. Anybody else want to join? Don’t let 16 sessions scare you, or even 5 sessions for one team. Prayer teams are not always compiled of the same ministers. Mentors and Intercessors serve as they’re available and then tag the next team.

Contact [email protected] to be added to the “Ready Retreat Team”. When the need arises, you’ll be contacted. If you can serve, great—if not, we’ll call you the next time. Thanks and we hope to hear from you soon!

Sitting in the Presence of Legacy

Written by Angela Miller on November 1, 2025. Posted in 25 Anniversary - Ring The Bell, Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center. No Comments on Sitting in the Presence of Legacy

By Angela Miller, Program Manager at Serenity Retreat

As I sat in the audience that morning, I found myself quietly in awe. Serenity Retreat was celebrating 25 years of God’s faithfulness, and story after story testified to His transforming power. When Mary Whitehurst, CEO of The Source, took the stage, something in her words spoke to me. It wasn’t just what she said, or how she said it, but what she chose to do.

Before Mary spoke, our Interim CEO Cynthia Wenz introduced her with such tenderness. Cynthia shared how she once sat in Mary’s role as The Source CEO and testified how God had redefined her identity, not through title or position, but through intimacy with Him.

Then Cynthia looked toward Mary with genuine admiration and said,

“Ladies and gentlemen, I couldn’t be more honored to stand beside the torchbearer, the carrier of a ministry that healed me. So I give you, Mary Whitehurst.”

When Healing Becomes Leadership

Mary began to share her story with honesty and grace. She told us about the season when her marriage was unraveling, and her heart was weary.

“My husband and I were separated,” she said quietly. “I needed a place to heal. I needed to hear God’s voice again.”

In her search, she found Serenity Retreat in Bellville, Texas not by recommendation or by coincidence, but through a simple Google search that led her straight to a divine appointment.

“I came just needing rest,” she said. “But through Transformation Prayer Ministry, the Lord revealed parts of my heart that were broken far beyond my marriage. I left completely changed.”

Later, her husband joined her for his own retreat, and together they experienced reconciliation and restoration. Praise the Lord for what He does and how He has helped Serenity Retreat steward the land, of Bellville, to offer these places of rest to individuals!

As I listened, I could feel the entire room exhale, that deep kind of sigh that comes when you realize you’re hearing not just a story, but a testimony. And this wasn’t even the main story she was going to share. There was more!

Grace Built Into the Budget

What moved me most was what came next. Mary didn’t stop at her personal transformation; she turned it into an act of stewardship.

“We have twelve directors across our Houston and Austin clinics,” she said. “Each of them now comes to Serenity Retreat every year for time with the Lord. It’s become a sacred rhythm a time to rest, reflect, and remember God’s grace.”

She went on to share that her team’s retreats are now built into the annual budget. Wow!

That statement caught my breath.

As someone who has served in ministry spaces and higher education, I know how rare and how holy it is when leadership intentionally makes room for soul care! To see a leader not only recognize the need for spiritual renewal but build it into the annual budget and rhythm of care for staff is truly, servant-hearted leadership.

“It’s transformational for our team,” she said. “If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the investment, I’d ask, why not? Why wouldn’t you invest in the spiritual health and well-being of your people and yourself?”

In that moment there was a deep agreement in my own soul, and a hope that more leaders will rise to invest in the soul care of their staff. A prayer for a generation of leaders like Mary who are not only leading with vision, but with wisdom, compassion and action.

The Torch That Keeps Burning

As I reflect on that morning, “passing the torch” took on a deeper meaning for me.

Cynthia passed the torch of leadership, honoring Mary with grace and humility.
Mary carries her torch of leadership, illuminating others with the same light that once healed her. The leaders at The Source carry their own torches every day, inviting still more to experience and share the hope of Christ through their life-affirming reproductive healthcare.
And all of us sitting there, we were invited to take up our own flame of faithfulness, to consider how, where, and to Whom we guide others.

This is what legacy looks like: lives transformed by Christ, leadership marked by rest and renewal, and a commitment to help others hear God’s voice for themselves.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” — Ephesians 3:20

My Heartfelt Thanks

So, thank you, Mary Whitehurst, for being an example to the next generation of leaders.

Thank you for showing that building time for renewal and spiritual rest into the rhythm of the year is an act of grace toward those you lead. It’s a gift, a covering, that reminds them, “Your soul matters too.”

In a world where ministry can often mean pouring out until you’re empty, your leadership models something rare and beautiful: that caring for others includes caring for those who serve beside you.

You’ve reminded us that care can be part of the plan, and that grace flows strongest when it’s lived out intentionally. May the torch you carry continue to light the way for many more to come.

Breakthrough Has a Sound

Written by Angela Miller on August 1, 2025. Posted in 25 Anniversary - Ring The Bell, Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on Breakthrough Has a Sound

By Interim CEO & Board Member, Cynthia Wenz

Part One: When Breakthrough Rings Like a Bell

I still remember the first time I encountered Serenity Retreat. It wasn’t at a gala or a board meeting. It was at a memorial service, a sacred gathering for mothers like me who had experienced the deep grief of abortion.

I had just completed my very first post-abortion healing class, and Serenity was still in its infancy, meeting in an Upper Room in Garden Oaks. I can still see Kathryn Eason, our gracious host, leading us as we gathered to grieve, to pray, and to lay down the burden that had weighed on our hearts for so long. That day I wept freely.

Tears seemed to ring through my heart like a bell. It was a holy sound, the sound of grief colliding with hope, the sound of a heart breaking open so healing could begin.

That healing became a turning point in my life. Soon after, my simple volunteer role at a local pregnancy center became a full calling. I found myself stepping into the CEO role at a pregnancy center just 10.4 miles away from the massive 78,000 square foot Planned Parenthood facility that was being built—the largest in the western hemisphere at the time.

As that building rose, my heart rose in response. World Magazine even featured my reflections in an article called Taking on Goliath. That season was my personal battle with Goliath. But like David, my weapon wasn’t a sword, it was prayer. My heart’s cry to the Lord became my sling and stone.

We served women and families with the hope of life in Christ. We educated. We prayed. We adjusted our business hours to match the rhythms of the abortion industry. And behind every act of service was a tear-stained prayer that Goliath would fall.

And now, 15 years later, that Goliath has fallen.

The massive facility that once cast its shadow over our city is finally closing its doors. Even still, I’ve learned through the years that while laws can change, doors can close, and buildings can be torn down, there yet remains the battle for hearts.

Now in my service as Interim CEO of Serenity Retreat, I can see clearly why the Lord has brought me back to this sacred space. Because breakthrough has a sound—and that sound is incepted in the prayers of God’s people.

For Whom My Bell Rings (It’s Jesus)

Written by Tiffany Pardue on July 30, 2025. Posted in Prayer Ministers, Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center, Spanish Ministry, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on For Whom My Bell Rings (It’s Jesus)

By: Dr. Emi Barresi

I rang the bell.

The Serenity Retreat property is a tranquil and holy plot of land, situated close to the city, yet with such a (beautifully) distant atmosphere. In this space, God’s kingdom meets earth. Its grounds are much what I envision when praying the Lord’s Prayer, ‘thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ Between the serene landscape, delightful food, and genuinely hospitable servants of Christ, who were a profound blessing on my healing retreat, 24 hours left me with the location’s namesake… serenity.

Initially, I heard about TPM when seeking deliverance on my journey to healing from a life marred by the weight and hurt of sin, both my own and that which was a shadow over my early life. I had not previously heard of TPM until I came to the foot of the cross, crumbling, looking on the internet for a ministry that could reach my soul more deeply than I had ever needed to go before. Christ has already healed and delivered me from so much in the years I’ve spent following Him, sometimes in just a touch. But my heart still had straggling weeds of anxiety, discontentment, and frustration, leaving heavy rocks on days I desperately wanted peace.

During my prayer sessions, I set down the shields of lies related to a performance-based perspective of measuring myself, and exchanged those rocks in the pit of my heart for peace and the shimmer of Christ in me. The new sheen was guided by prayer ministers who led me through the process with gentle care, and His presence in those moments was palpable.

I rang the bell because of that moment, where I could set down the weight of the false armor, hand it over to the Lord of all, and cry at His feet in gratitude for His beauty. Even after years of tearing down the walls of lies I had amassed from a worldly life lived far from Him, there was residue deep within that needed to be yanked from the bitter root. I could not be more grateful for and inspired by this place, for the people who lit the hours with their souls in conversation and gracious love.

Serenity Retreat helped restore parts of my soul, providing an inner ambience of joy and a glimpse of paradise. Where else can you feel in just 24 hours as if you’d walked in the glory of Eden for years? I’m not sure, but this is one of those places.

When you step into peace, freely given in exchange for our sorrow, anxiety, and earthly wounds, you can be reminded that it is by grace and His blood alone that such deeply transformative experiences with our creator exist. Through prayer, through communion 1:1 with the Lord, through contact with His beauty in the greenery and still waters of His creation, and the fellowship with those we will one day call sisters and brothers in the majesty of eternity, we find spiritual nourishment and connection.

For now, until that eternity is at my hands (by His sacrifice!), I know I can find serenity right here.

And so I rang the bell, a symbolic act of surrender and gratitude. It was my way of acknowledging the healing and transformation I had experienced, as well as my commitment to continue on this spiritual journey in relationship with my Savior.

It is indeed for Jesus Christ that my bell rings.

“It shall come to pass

That before they call, I will answer;

And while they are still speaking, I will hear.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭65‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬