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Come Away and Rest: A Guide to Personal Spiritual Retreats
Find Peace in His A Companion for Your Spiritual Retreat
Do you feel inundated from all sides, your soul overwhelmed by endless consumption, constantly absorbing relentless content wherever you go? Yet does your soul still feel hungry and satisfaction seem out of reach? What you're longing for is sweet solitude with God. Come Away and Rest invites you to step away from the noise of a hurried world and into the sustaining presence of God.
Alyson Pryor gently guides you on a healing, life-giving path of spiritual renewal through personal retreats of silence, solitude, and intentional rest. This thoughtful guide offers step-by-step instructions for customizing six types of personal retreats that you can practice from anywhere. Whether you're new to the idea of retreats or looking for fresh guidance, this book will be a nurturing companion for your spiritual growth.
In Come Away and Rest, you will
Guidance for how to prepare for a personal spiritual retreat Step-by-step instructions for crafting six personal retreats, ranging between six hours to several days Wisdom for re-entering life after a retreat Amid the unrelenting demands of daily life, Come Away and Rest helps you find the sacred rhythm of spiritual retreat. Pryor's reflections lead you through the deeper purpose of resting in God's presence—a practice that isn't just restorative but essential. Discover the rest your soul longs for. Get your copy of Come Away and Rest and be inspired to make retreating with God an essential rhythm in your spiritual life.
Do you feel inundated from all sides, your soul overwhelmed by endless consumption, constantly absorbing relentless content wherever you go? Yet does your soul still feel hungry and satisfaction seem out of reach? What you're longing for is sweet solitude with God. Come Away and Rest invites you to step away from the noise of a hurried world and into the sustaining presence of God.
Alyson Pryor gently guides you on a healing, life-giving path of spiritual renewal through personal retreats of silence, solitude, and intentional rest. This thoughtful guide offers step-by-step instructions for customizing six types of personal retreats that you can practice from anywhere. Whether you're new to the idea of retreats or looking for fresh guidance, this book will be a nurturing companion for your spiritual growth.
In Come Away and Rest, you will
Guidance for how to prepare for a personal spiritual retreat Step-by-step instructions for crafting six personal retreats, ranging between six hours to several days Wisdom for re-entering life after a retreat Amid the unrelenting demands of daily life, Come Away and Rest helps you find the sacred rhythm of spiritual retreat. Pryor's reflections lead you through the deeper purpose of resting in God's presence—a practice that isn't just restorative but essential. Discover the rest your soul longs for. Get your copy of Come Away and Rest and be inspired to make retreating with God an essential rhythm in your spiritual life.
264 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2026
I was so impressed by this book! I was hesitant to read a Christian non-fiction book as I am agnostic and can kind of be a judgey jerk when it comes to religion. But I found it to be so beautifully written and incredibly relatable. Taking time to just rest and be in silence, especially in a world like we have now, is so important and necessary. I really enjoyed my first book of the year!
January 19, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded up.
This came highly recommended from another early reviewer and it didn't disappoint. This is not only an excellent primer for reflective Christian retreats, but also includes multiple full retreat guides on different topics such as grief, transitions, and discernment. The introduction and the conclusion include so many practical steps on preparing to take time away and debriefing upon return. I found the suggestions well-rounded and the way the author shares about her own experiences was appreciated. Finding the time and finances to retreat could be a hardship, but the author offers multiple suggestions on how to make it work.
I was a little sad that there was only one guided retreat that included a 6-hour and 24-hour option (the one on rest), while all the others were 48-hour retreats. I understand why those deeper topics require more time and I think the exercises in those retreats could be adapted, but probably without the same impact of actually doing them in focused succession.
My other small hang-up is a linguistic one. Every time she mentioned the concepts of "detachment" and "attachment" my brain went to Buddhism instead of contemplative Christianity. I'm aware this comes from my own biases and lack of context for that language being used within Christianity. It likely has a longstanding history of being used, but I had to do a little mental leap each time and remind myself that I still agreed with the content even if I'd use different language to describe it.
Overall, this is a book I'll definitely be picking up in print and I've already been researching some nearby, affordable places where I could make a retreat like this happen in my life.
Thank you to NetGalley and IVP Formatio for the digital review copy and the opportunity to serve as an early reader.
This came highly recommended from another early reviewer and it didn't disappoint. This is not only an excellent primer for reflective Christian retreats, but also includes multiple full retreat guides on different topics such as grief, transitions, and discernment. The introduction and the conclusion include so many practical steps on preparing to take time away and debriefing upon return. I found the suggestions well-rounded and the way the author shares about her own experiences was appreciated. Finding the time and finances to retreat could be a hardship, but the author offers multiple suggestions on how to make it work.
I was a little sad that there was only one guided retreat that included a 6-hour and 24-hour option (the one on rest), while all the others were 48-hour retreats. I understand why those deeper topics require more time and I think the exercises in those retreats could be adapted, but probably without the same impact of actually doing them in focused succession.
My other small hang-up is a linguistic one. Every time she mentioned the concepts of "detachment" and "attachment" my brain went to Buddhism instead of contemplative Christianity. I'm aware this comes from my own biases and lack of context for that language being used within Christianity. It likely has a longstanding history of being used, but I had to do a little mental leap each time and remind myself that I still agreed with the content even if I'd use different language to describe it.
Overall, this is a book I'll definitely be picking up in print and I've already been researching some nearby, affordable places where I could make a retreat like this happen in my life.
Thank you to NetGalley and IVP Formatio for the digital review copy and the opportunity to serve as an early reader.
October 27, 2025
I received a copy of Come Away and Rest by Alyson Pryor from NetGalley.
This is a fantastic guide for conducting your own personal retreats. The author describes her personal journey to planning her own retreats and she is relatable to me. She explains the important elements of a retreat in a Biblical perspective. She gives an overview of "rest" in scripture and what it means to rest with God, using Jesus as our example. "For Jesus, retreating wasn't a pause from his 'real life,' it was life." This book has everything you need to know for preparing for your retreat and "reentry" into the world after your retreat. There are 5 different retreats, each with a loose schedule/itinerary, journaling prompts, scripture, and prayer focuses. The types of retreat topics included in this book are general rest, weariness, time of transition, grief, and discernment.
I have read several books about rest, planned my own retreat previously, and I *try* to practice weekly sabbath, so I am not new to this, but I still learned from Come Away and Rest. I am a loner by choice and struggle with spending quality time in solitude along with the discontentment when I feel I'm being unproductive. I will use this book over and over, it's not just a one-time read. I feel more encouraged and inspired to follow through with weekly sabbath rests and even carving out time each day.
I would recommend this books to: those looking for a deeper relationship with Jesus, those who are feeling burnt out, and fans of Ruth Haley Barton, John Mark Comer, and Dallas Willard.
This is a fantastic guide for conducting your own personal retreats. The author describes her personal journey to planning her own retreats and she is relatable to me. She explains the important elements of a retreat in a Biblical perspective. She gives an overview of "rest" in scripture and what it means to rest with God, using Jesus as our example. "For Jesus, retreating wasn't a pause from his 'real life,' it was life." This book has everything you need to know for preparing for your retreat and "reentry" into the world after your retreat. There are 5 different retreats, each with a loose schedule/itinerary, journaling prompts, scripture, and prayer focuses. The types of retreat topics included in this book are general rest, weariness, time of transition, grief, and discernment.
I have read several books about rest, planned my own retreat previously, and I *try* to practice weekly sabbath, so I am not new to this, but I still learned from Come Away and Rest. I am a loner by choice and struggle with spending quality time in solitude along with the discontentment when I feel I'm being unproductive. I will use this book over and over, it's not just a one-time read. I feel more encouraged and inspired to follow through with weekly sabbath rests and even carving out time each day.
I would recommend this books to: those looking for a deeper relationship with Jesus, those who are feeling burnt out, and fans of Ruth Haley Barton, John Mark Comer, and Dallas Willard.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Come Away and Rest
A Guide to Personal Spiritual Retreats
by Alyson Pryor
Pub DateJan 27 2026 |
~InterVarsity Press~ | IVP Formation
~[Christian]( | ~Religion & Spirituality~
I am reviewing a copy of Come Away and Rest from InterVarsity Press and Netgalley:
Have you felt your soul overwhelmed by endless consumption, constantly absorbing relentless content wherever you go? Does it feel as if you have been inundated from all sides? Yet your soul continues to feel hungry and satisfaction seem out of reach? What you're longing for is solitude with God. Come Away and Rest is an invitation for you to step away from the noise of a hurried world and into the sustaining presence of God.
Alyson Pryor gently guides you on a healing, life-giving path of spiritual renewal through personal retreats of silence, solitude, and intentional rest.
If you are need of discernment, if you are grieving or are going through a time of transition, or are simply weary, Come Away and Rest helps you find the sacred rhythm of spiritual retreat. Pryor's reflections lead you through the deeper purpose of resting in God's presence—a practice that isn't just restorative but essential.
This is a great resource for those who are looking to find comfort through times of grief.
I give Come Away and Rest five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
A Guide to Personal Spiritual Retreats
by Alyson Pryor
Pub DateJan 27 2026 |
~InterVarsity Press~ | IVP Formation
~[Christian]( | ~Religion & Spirituality~
I am reviewing a copy of Come Away and Rest from InterVarsity Press and Netgalley:
Have you felt your soul overwhelmed by endless consumption, constantly absorbing relentless content wherever you go? Does it feel as if you have been inundated from all sides? Yet your soul continues to feel hungry and satisfaction seem out of reach? What you're longing for is solitude with God. Come Away and Rest is an invitation for you to step away from the noise of a hurried world and into the sustaining presence of God.
Alyson Pryor gently guides you on a healing, life-giving path of spiritual renewal through personal retreats of silence, solitude, and intentional rest.
If you are need of discernment, if you are grieving or are going through a time of transition, or are simply weary, Come Away and Rest helps you find the sacred rhythm of spiritual retreat. Pryor's reflections lead you through the deeper purpose of resting in God's presence—a practice that isn't just restorative but essential.
This is a great resource for those who are looking to find comfort through times of grief.
I give Come Away and Rest five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thank you to the publisher for my gifted ARC copy, and thank you Alyson, a Book Club Betty and friend, for allowing me to be a part of your launch team!
I approached this book with a little trepidation because a lot of Christian nonfiction gives me the ick. I know I can be critical, I have high expectations for this genre. And this book has exceeded them. I was caught almost immediately by the vulnerable and relatable tone of this book. And then completely sold by the amount of research and truth I found in it.
Without being preachy or high handed this book spoke to me in a really unique way. I finished in 2 days and highlighted and tabbed it heavily. There were so many times that I felt, “Oh my goodness, me too” and also, “Oh yikes, me too.”
This is one of the most approachable and practical books I have read on silence and solitude since I read In Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster. Where his book dedicated a chapter to each of these disciplines, we get a whole book to examine them here. I never realized how much I needed both in my life. The middle a thoughtfully prepared, step by step guide to individual retreat that I can see myself revisiting over and over again.
A spiritual journey is deeply personal and takes so many different paths, shaped by our experiences. It’s uncommon to find a book that can universally meet someone searching for God for the first time to those who feel confident in place inside Church and even to those like me, who cling on for dear life. Highly recommend this book to all readers, in all phases of their life. You will find comfort and wisdom here.
“No matter where you are on your journey with God, you can only begin here-within your actual body, your unique experiences, and your specific traumas and joys.”
Huge thank you to the publisher for my gifted ARC copy, and thank you Alyson, a Book Club Betty and friend, for allowing me to be a part of your launch team!
I approached this book with a little trepidation because a lot of Christian nonfiction gives me the ick. I know I can be critical, I have high expectations for this genre. And this book has exceeded them. I was caught almost immediately by the vulnerable and relatable tone of this book. And then completely sold by the amount of research and truth I found in it.
Without being preachy or high handed this book spoke to me in a really unique way. I finished in 2 days and highlighted and tabbed it heavily. There were so many times that I felt, “Oh my goodness, me too” and also, “Oh yikes, me too.”
This is one of the most approachable and practical books I have read on silence and solitude since I read In Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster. Where his book dedicated a chapter to each of these disciplines, we get a whole book to examine them here. I never realized how much I needed both in my life. The middle a thoughtfully prepared, step by step guide to individual retreat that I can see myself revisiting over and over again.
A spiritual journey is deeply personal and takes so many different paths, shaped by our experiences. It’s uncommon to find a book that can universally meet someone searching for God for the first time to those who feel confident in place inside Church and even to those like me, who cling on for dear life. Highly recommend this book to all readers, in all phases of their life. You will find comfort and wisdom here.
“No matter where you are on your journey with God, you can only begin here-within your actual body, your unique experiences, and your specific traumas and joys.”
February 2, 2026
Come Away and Rest by Alison Pryor offers a gentle, Scripture-rooted guide to personal spiritual retreats, with clear structure and a compassionate tone. The step-by-step retreat outlines are helpful for readers new to silence and solitude and provide meaningful space for reflection and prayer. However, the book’s emphasis on extended time away may feel impractical for busy readers, and some themes feel repetitive for those already familiar with contemplative practices. Overall, this is a thoughtful resource best suited for readers intentionally seeking retreat-based spiritual renewal rather than everyday devotional rhythms.
Thank you InterVarsity Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you InterVarsity Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 12, 2025
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE! I have practiced spiritual retreats for several years now. I don’t know how I would function without that time each year. And to be quite honest, I long for them when I have not been on one in a while.
When I first started participating in spiritual retreats, I didn’t know what I was doing. I would just take a pen, notepad, and my Bible. That’s all. I found this time so refreshing. I wish I had a resource like this to know how to prepare and help guide me through my first few retreats.
This is a must read for the weary soul.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
When I first started participating in spiritual retreats, I didn’t know what I was doing. I would just take a pen, notepad, and my Bible. That’s all. I found this time so refreshing. I wish I had a resource like this to know how to prepare and help guide me through my first few retreats.
This is a must read for the weary soul.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this book. Alyson gave such clear guidance on the why and how to embark on retreat with God. Well-written and can’t wait to start a regular practice of retreating with the Lord and deepening the relationship and intimacy with Him. I not only believe this practice of solitude, solitude and rest is good, it a must! Thank you Alyson Pryor for following a dream given to you to guide us all into this wonderful journey with God.
January 31, 2026
I've been waiting for this book, and the beauty of Alyson giving us practical and helpful rhythms to create space to slow down, and be still with God. Alyson is wise, gentle, and makes things applicable for us. In a world that keeps spinning faster, this book is a breath of rest and relief.
January 23, 2026
I received a copy of Come Away and Rest prior to publication from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review || This book is an incredibly insightful resource for retreating and for resting. Alyson Pryor provides multiple retreat guides as well as thoughtful reflections for each section of her book regarding the various places one may be in upon going on a retreat. Most importantly, she emphasizes the importance of coming to the One who offers rest instead of just looking for self growth or improvement. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends and come back to it time and time again
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews