Zoë Watkins, second from left, experiences the beauty of Hot Springs, N.C., with other ministers wives on the Off the Grid backpacking retreat.
HOT SPRINGS, N.C. — When ministry wives traded their familiar routines for hiking boots and backpacks, they discovered more than mountain vistas along the Appalachian Trail.
Off the Grid, a ministry within the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is designed to push ministers and their families beyond comfort zones while providing respite. The program hosted a three-day retreat Sept. 8-10 where a small group of ministers’ wives tackled challenging terrain, made deeper friendships, and found renewal in the wilderness.
Baptist and Reflector writer Zoë Watkins joined the 16-mile backpacking trip, experiencing firsthand the physical demands and spiritual rewards that define the Off the Grid program.
Read Watkins’ full account and view additional photos in the upcoming Oct. 8 edition of the B&R.
To learn more about Off the Grid, visit www.tnbaptist.org/off-the-grid.
