The Permission to Pause Retreat
Leave the Pressure Behind. Step Into the Pace of Grace.
A sacred space to rest, reconnect with God, and enjoy the freedom of living from His strength instead of your own.
If you love God deeply but secretly feel like no matter how much you do, pour out, or achieve, it’s never quite enough…
you’re in the right place.
You might recognize these feelings..
You love God deeply.
You want to serve well and please Him.
You want to show up faithfully in your calling.
But no matter how much you do…
it still feels like you’re falling behind.
That you're never doing enough.
The pressure never quite lifts.
The target keeps shifting.
And somewhere along the way, peace got replaced with pressure.
You’re not alone.
(And you're not just missing the latest productivity hack).
Likely, you've been trying to live from self-effort instead of God's grace.
That Was Me...
For years, I tried to keep all my plates spinning perfectly... family, homeschooling, marriage, business, faith, friendships, ministry.
I believed that if I slowed down or stopped, everything would fall apart.
Others may have been fooled by outer appearances, but I knew the truth. I was wearing a mask while silently crumbling inside.
It wasn’t until a deeply humbling moment brought me to the end of myself that I began to see how the pressure I was living under was affecting my health, my peace, and my relationships.
That’s when God began to show me a different way.
Not a life of doing more or of trying harder.
But a life lived from His sufficiency instead of my striving.
It changed everything.
This transformation is why I created the Permission to Pause Retreat.
Instead of a packed schedule, more striving, or more “to-dos,” this retreat is a sacred, spacious space designed for you to:
Rest deeply
Reconnect with God
Release the pressure you’ve been carrying
Receive the gift of operating at the pace of grace
Through reflection, connection, and time in God's creation, you’ll begin moving from:
Self-effort → Sufficiency
Pressure → Peace
Busyness → Intentionality
Restlessness → Contentment
Striving → Abiding (and Lasting fruitfulness)
What would life look like with...
A deep sense of peace (even in the storms)
Self-acceptance (even when you make a mistake)
Lasting friendships with kind-hearted women who get it!
Joy in the everyday of life
A deepened connection with God (even if He feels distant)
I believe this is just what the Lord has in mind for you here!
This Retreat is You If...
For years, I did everything “right.”
The devotionals.
The memorized verses.
The serving, giving, and striving.
And still, it never felt like enough.
When I couldn’t take the pain any longer of the shame and weight of not feeling like I could ever earn His affection, I gave up in the best possible way. I finally surrendered and asked Him to show me a different way.
Not another checklist.
A more connected love relationship.
God met me there with kindness and gentleness.
He led me through a process that helped me recognize shame, release it, and return to joy no matter how many times it tries to rear its ugly head (because it will!).
That process became Encountering Abba.
I’ve used it through many seasons since including a recent one marked by autoimmune symptoms that left me feeling weak and inadequate as a wife and mom.
Every single time, this process has helped me come home to God’s love instead of running from it or trying to earn it.
I want that for you, too.
What You’ll Experience in the Training
In this training, I guide you through the same steps I use personally.
Simple steps designed to help you:
Move from condemnation to confidence
Meet with God without pressure or performance
Reconnect with your identity as His beloved
Experience intimacy that leads to rest, not exhaustion
You'll receive:
Gentle, guided prompts for journaling (no staring at a blank page)
A flexible rhythm that works whether you have five minutes or fifty
A clear pathway for returning to God when shame or striving show up
This is not about doing more for God.
It’s about learning how to rest and receive from Him.
Imagine...
Quiet time connections marked by peace and Presence instead of pressure.
Faith that feels like delight, not sheer duty.
A quiet confidence that you are loved even on the days you feel weak or distracted.
As you rest more deeply in God’s affection as His beloved, you’ll find yourself able to love and lead others from a place of authentic joy, not depletion.
One of my clients, Chrissy, a ministry leader and seasoned Christian for over 4 decades, had this to say about the process:
”I use the Encountering Abba process as a guide to keep me centered on the Lord and not distracted by all the things going around me.”
Amen! That's what this is all about!
From My Heart to Yours...
Sister, I know what it’s like to wonder if God’s affection is really for you.
I know the weight of trying to keep all the plates spinning and feeling like you’re failing in the area that matters most.
And I also know the freedom of communing with God and experiencing His love deep in my knower.
That’s why I created this process.
And that’s why I want to share it with you.
I am a Joy Coach and author who has walked with hundreds of women over the past seven years, guiding them out of striving and into restful, abiding joy.
My passion is helping faithful women just like you experience God’s love in real, tangible ways so faith becomes fruitful and fulfilling.
Happy Clients
Laurie P.
Client
Nicole, all of your classes I have been a part of have been so refreshing with your transparency and your obedience to God! So so good!
Krista O.
Client
My first class with Nicole was One Minute to Joy in January 2025. It was so refreshing! Just being around her exudes Joy from the Lord! She reminds us of how to see the negatives and transform them by God's grace in all she does.
Tammy P.
Client
The [Radiant Reflections] challenge introduced some new things and planted many seeds that I'm eager to nurture and explore with the Holy Spirit. Also, Nicole's joy is contagious and her freedom in Christ is obvious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lot of time to do the Encountering Abba process?
No. This process is designed to meet you where you are. Spend as much or as little time as you have — every moment of connection with God matters.
What if I'm not a journaler?
You don’t need to be. The prompts gently guide you, so you’re never left wondering what to write or where to begin.
What if I’ve tried other quiet time routines and failed?
Encountering Abba isn’t another formula to keep up with. It’s a relationship-centered way of returning to God even when you feel like you’ve missed the mark.
Ready to Begin?
If you’re ready to move from striving to abiding, from shame to joy, I would be honored to guide you.
Enter your info below and receive instant, free access to the Encountering Abba training. Enjoy!
