A campground is a sacred place. It provides a sacred shift from the places we regularly inhabit. There is a voluntary vulnerability in camping. A campground is where we increase our exposure to the elements and refocus on the basic human experiences of shelter, fire, and food. Camping creates a container of time distinct from our regular schedules. The pace affords deeper personal and relational connection. It is a place where we choose to live closer to the earth and each other.

Inspire Ranch is a sacred place. Located near Mount Blue Sky, Inspire Ranch is the vision of Millie Cline, a woman who courageously re-risked in her second half of life to create a place for others to be inspired. The word “Inspire,” Millie shares with her effervescent passion, is the story of both the tattoo on her wrist and the story of creating a retreat center. “In-spire is to breathe in,” it is the origin story of God breathing life into humanity. “Inspire Ranch is a place to breathe—to really breathe deeply.” Millie shares her hopes for this place as a place where people come to breathe deeply, as we walk through the dense forest of towering pine and aspen trees. 

A fireplace is a sacred place. It is a place of ritual and reflection, providing warmth and light from its flickering flames. Fireplaces were historically used for heating and cooking, but also as a place of social connection and spiritual reflection. Almost every civilization has an association with a fireplace. 

A mountain town is a sacred place. At the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park is the mountain town of Grand Lake. It sits on the banks of Colorado’s largest and deepest natural lake, covering over 500 acres and reaching nearly 400 feet deep. It boasts the highest elevation yacht club in the world, and yet there is little polished about this mountain town. The one block of shops, called “The Boardwalk” by locals, is a collection of locally owned shops and diners without a single chain store or restaurant in sight.

When I think of someone who embodies this rhythm of tending, both to land and to life, I think of Helen Skiba, the renowned Colorado flower farmer behind Artemis Flower Farm. The flowers at Artemis Flower Farm are unparalleled…dainty, boasting, and colorful. Recently I took the drive to visit Helen at her farm outside Longmont. While I was technically there to pick up a dahlia tuber order (she has the best around), we both knew the real reason was to meet her almost eight-month-old baby girl. We wandered through the farm and into her cozy home tucked right on the property, where her daughter waited…another tender life being lovingly grown alongside the flowers.

The thrill of thrifting and the warmth of connection are palpable when you enter a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It is a sacred place where community and commerce converge.

A vintage store is where stories are told daily of quality and care. It is a place raising awareness in how we care for both how people work and the place we live. A vintage store is a sacred place.

The Craft Box is a specialty thrift store that cultivates creativity, community, and generosity. It is a place to create and re-create. The thrift store is a sacred place.

The park is the place where we reconnect with Creation and community. The park provides a place to play and pray.