Our Mission

Shepherding Well Inc. exists to provide a beautiful place of refreshment where
people can receive God’s care for their souls.

We offer a safe space for the weary and burdened to experience Jesus’ rest:
pastors, leaders, and caregivers who have poured themselves out and desire to be refilled. We meet this need in a retreat environment away from the daily demands and distractions and offer an invitation to the sacred rhythms of silence, solitude, reflection and prayer. Would you consider partnering with this ministry to help provide a place of renewal where souls are restored, passion is reignited, and authentic transformation is fostered?

The long-term plan is to build the Shepherd’s Lodge, a four bedroom log home on a sheep farm in the North Carolina foothills. The comfortable accommodations and pastoral acreage would provide a place of rest for up to 272 couples/individuals per year.

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An Invitation to Imagine

c. October 2028

A short drive through the pastured land of a foothills valley brings you to the beginning of a driveway. You notice that you are surrounded by rolling hills and tree covered-mountains. Turning into the driveway you see sheep grazing in a meadow and an old rock well beside the road. As you travel further up the driveway and make a left turn around a grove of oak trees, you see a grandiose log structure, the Shepherd’s Lodge. This is the haven where you will relax for the next few days. 

Walking up to the lodge, you notice the wide and covered porch that must be more than a hundred feet long, inviting you to sit in one of the dozen rocking chairs. You think, “I’ll bet the sunrise from this porch will be amazing.” Then you remember that you may want to sleep in much later than 7am. 

You are staying in Room 2, the door on the left center of the lodge’s porch. Opening the door, you feel the welcoming of the accommodation that awaits you. Farmhouse decor, a comfortable bed, a cozy area to sit and relax by the window, and a larger than usual bathroom with a claw-footed tub. 

You also notice a back door to the room. To your surprise, it opens to a private and screened in back porch. On the porch you see a hammock, a porch swing, and a bistro table. Then you realize that the porch overlooks mountains.

As you exit the screened back porch, you see an inviting backyard. Just in front of you is a patio with a large outdoor fireplace and about ten adirondack chairs. Beyond the patio, scanning left to right, you observe grape vines and a large garden. In the background, you recognize the pasture area and wonder if the sheep will wander to that spot at sunset. 

After resting in your room or taking a walk on the half mile trail around the property, you join about 6 other people at the outdoor fireplace. Introductions and conversations are lively as you enjoy a bowl of homemade beef stew, ladled from a large cast iron kettle by the host. After dinner is complete, the hosts provide intentional conversation about caring for one’s soul. You imagine what it would be like to spend “a day with God” in the beauty of this place. As the fire begins to diminish, you bid goodnight to the other guests and get ready for a rest-filled night in your room’s Tempur-pedic bed. 

The next morning, you awake refreshed and excited about a day alone with God. You walk into the lodge’s den, a huge area between Rooms 2 and 3 in the building. Walking through the door, you are greeted by a massive rock fireplace to the left, several comfortable couches, and a very high ceiling. To the right, your eyes are drawn to an oak slab table. You walk past the table to the open kitchen area. You begin to make yourself a simple brunch from the variety of options: waffles, fresh eggs produced yesterday by the chickens outside, fruit, bacon, oatmeal, grits, cereal, juice and coffee. 

You go out onto the porch to sit at a table to eat your meal. You are struck by the serenity of the place. While eating, you recall some options for the day and decide what you may want to do. You remember that you are here to spend alone time with God. You are longing for solitude and time to reflect on your life and worship God. You are glad that this place offers several “environments” that inspire stillness and creativity. 

In your mind, you recollect some of the environments mentioned by the hosts last evening:

• You could walk over to the gazebo and journal while observing the sheep grazing in the dew-dampened meadow. 
• You could spend time in the Creative Cottage, a small building filled with musical instruments, painting and art supplies, a pottery wheel and kiln, or write a poem in the big comfortable chair. 
• You could sit on the front porch for a while and have a soul care conversation with the hosts. 
• You could read Scripture or engage in Lectio Divina on a bench under the canopy of trees by the creek.
• Or you could sit in the Lodge’s den in front of a fire and ponder the meaning of a Psalm. 
• And taking a nap in a hammock or in your bed is more than allowed, it is encouraged. 

In the evening, you rejoin with some others at the outdoor fireplace for a moment of reflection and sharing from your day as you enjoy some chicken stew and the sunset over the Blue Ridge. Your soul is now experiencing the shalom of God. You retire to your room to write down some thoughts and ideas for weaving more and more soul care into your daily rhythms. The next morning you enjoy brunch and a focused time of prayer. You also have the option of remaining on the campus until late in the afternoon. There is no hurry to leave. And you begin to look forward to the next time you can return to this well of refreshment. 

The Shepherd’s Lodge
a beautiful place of refreshment where people can receive God’s care for their souls