Where Creativity Finds Its Home: Our Mother–Daughter Journey at the Faith Forward Writer’s Retreat

There’s something sacred about walking into a space where creativity is not only welcomed, but celebrated!

Where stories take shape, ideas get life breathed into them, & writers rise—one sentence, one surrender, one courageous moment at a time.

This weekend, my tween daughter joined me for her third Faith Forward Writer’s Retreat & for the fifth time, I had the honor of being the retreat photographer—capturing the panel discussions, workshops, author signings, & the magic of writers stepping boldly into their calling.

But this retreat?
This one felt different.
Deeper.
More full-circle.

Watching My Daughter Grow Into Her Creative Spirit

One of my favorite parts of these retreats isn’t just the sessions or the speakers—it’s really become watching my daughter grow into herself a little more each time!

Over the weekend, staff from the Sparrow’s Nest kitchen & the planning committee said things like:

“She’s getting so confident speaking up.”
“She’s really blossoming into her own!”
“It’s beautiful to watch her grow.”

& they were right!

My Sweet P. is naturally creative, intuitive, & full of imagination—feels safe in this sacred space. Safe to explore. Safe to listen. Safe to draw, write, dream, wander, & whisper what’s on her heart with no pressure to be anything but herself.

This time, her creativity leaned more toward drawing than writing.
Even though we both have enjoyed:

✨ the author panels
✨ the celebration night
✨ the energy of being surrounded by people who create
✨ & the feeling that she belongs

& that is everything to me as a mother to find things we can do together.
To give her a front-row seat to creativity in motion.
To witness her find her own voice in a world that often pressures young girls to shrink.

📸 My Own Evolution as a Creative Woman

If I’m being honest, this retreat has shaped me just as much.

At my very first one, I said out loud:
“I’m ready to relaunch my podcast.”
& I did.

At another retreat, I felt the nudge to start this blog & my Confidence Catalyst Weekly Boost.

& I did.
https://www.beckyplautz.com/confidencecatalyst 

Every time I return, I feel another layer of confidence, purpose, & clarity unfold.
I used to think I wasn’t a “real writer” because I wasn’t publishing books.

But this community changed that for me.
They saw me as a writer long before I claimed it myself.

Because writing doesn’t require a book contract.
Writing requires courage.
It requires truth.
It requires a willingness to go first!

& every workshop, every conversation, every photograph I capture reminds me that I belong in these creative spaces, too.

 Capturing the Moments That Become Memories

Photography is my love language.
Documenting these retreats allows me to freeze the fleeting moments—the ones people forget happened or never realized made an impact.

The conversations after a panel.
The friendships forming on morning walks.
The quiet tears during writing in reflection.
The breakthroughs during workshops.
The way an author’s eyes light up when someone asks about their book.

These snapshots become stories.
These stories become legacy.

& being trusted to capture all of it?
That’s a blessing I don’t take lightly.

A Retreat Filled With God’s Presence & Creative Nourishment

Every season whether it be Spring or Fall, the Faith Forward Writer’s Retreat delivers:

🍽️ Meals made with love—food you can literally taste the warmth in
🏡 A peaceful environment—from bedrooms to hallways, the Abbey grounds invite you to breathe deeper
🙏 A thick presence of God—you can feel Him in the rooms, the conversations, the air
🖋️ Workshops that stretch, inspire, & activate your creativity
🤝 Connections that turn into friendships, collaborations, & lifelong support

It’s a retreat that nourishes your faith & your creative calling.
A retreat that holds space for creative communicators to dream bigger, write boldly, & see themselves as vessels of divine inspiration.

If You’ve Been Looking for a Sign… This Is It

The Spring & Fall Faith Forward Writer’s Retreats are gaining momentum & selling out faster every retreat.

Word is spreading.
Lives are changing.
Creativity is awakening!

If your soul has been whispering that you need space to grow…
If your creativity has been calling you home…
If you’ve been craving encouragement, community, & clarity…

Then this is your nudge.
Your permission.
Your invitation.

✨ Book the next retreat. Your future self will thank you.

I’m deeply grateful to support this mission, to photograph the stories unfolding, & to share this weekend with my daughter.
Watching her discover that she belongs in creative spaces just as much as anyone else…
It brings tears to my eyes every single time I truly sit with it.

Creativity shapes us.
Community sustains us.
& retreats like this remind us that we’re never too young—or too “different” in our creativity—to be a writer! 

Do you consider yourself to be a creative communicator? 
I would love to hear from you about the way you use your creativity in the fall especially. 

Confidence Coach 
-Becky Plautz
[email protected]