Welcome to
REST QUEST

The definition of Quest is to search or seek for; pursue as if on a treasure hunt!

Rest Quest is a personal encounter and adventure with God!
The Vision of every Quest is to inspire hope, restoration, and dream catching for women in various seasons of life through a variety of unique retreat adventures!

“On the first day, God did a whole new thing. He made something out of nothing. Where there was a void, He filled it. Where there was no substance or form, He created shapes, color, and reality—with deep beauty. And even after one day, one evening and one morning of Genesis moments, the world was changed forever!”
-Jill Briscoe, Barefoot In My Heart

Welcome to the
Spring Rest Quest

March 14-17, 2024

The Lodge at Walnut Grove

The definition of Quest is to search or seek for; pursue as if on a treasure hunt!

Rest Quest is a personal encounter and adventure with God!
The Vision of every Quest is to inspire hope, restoration, and dream catching for women in various seasons of life through a variety of unique retreat adventures!

“On the first day, God did a whole new thing. He made something out of nothing. Where there was a void, He filled it. Where there was no substance or form, He created shapes, color, and reality—with deep beauty. And even after one day, one evening and one morning of Genesis moments, the world was changed forever!”
-Jill Briscoe, Barefoot In My Heart

from your host …

It is with glee and anticipation that host Pat Layton “dreamer, writer and gatherer,” is inviting a small group of women to revel in a bit of gently guided rest, renewal and reflection together. 

Surround yourself with a small group of like-minded women who know the struggle of personal and family priorities – running a creative business, holding a job, leading a ministry, writing, blogging, teaching…dot..dot..dot!

Or maybe—you are not quite sure WHAT you are doing with this season of life!!

Take this time to meet new friends, learn new strategies, and set new goals but mostly, as our verse in Matt 6:6 (MSG) says—JUST BE THERE!

Leave re-energized, creatively fulfilled, and revived for the next step of your unique life journey!

Pat’s hearts desire is to exceed every expectation you have had about retreats and conferences.

Pat Layton
Your Rest Quest Host

Pat is a passionate and inspiring leader who, during her 25 years in full time ministry, founded a variety of non-profit ministries including A Woman’s Place Pregnancy Resource Center in Tampa, Florida; a Christian Adoption Agency; an abstinence education program and Surrendering the Secret, an international post abortion recovery program. 

Pat is a busy Speaker, Writer and Life Coach specializing in “Dream Design” for women. She is a published author of 6 books. Her post abortion recovery bible study Surrendering the Secret was published by Lifeway in 2008; her personal testimony A Surrendered Life was released by Baker books in August 2014 and her newest book called Life UnStuck: Finding Peace with the Past, Purpose in the Present and Passion for the Future was released in Spring 2015!

She is wife of 40 years, Mom of 3, Mother in “love” of 3 (including co-speaker Kim)  and “G” (grandmother) of 5 (3 boys and 2 girls). She and her husband Mike have been a part of Grace Family Church in Tampa, Florida for over 20 years. Every spare moment that is not filled with “all of the above” is stolen for rocking on her front porch drinking sweet tea and reading a decorating magazine.

You can join her in the adventure of faith at www.patlayton.net  where she shares it all, including the sweet tea.

Here is what I want you to do;
Find a QUIET, SECLUDED PLACE
so you won’t be tempted to role play before God.
JUST BE THERE as simply and honestly
as you can manage.
The focus will shift from you to God,
and you will begin to sense His grace.
Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

And He said to them,
“Come aside by yourselves
to a deserted place
and REST while.”
Mark 6:31 (NKJV)

When we get tired, let’s learn to REST,
not QUIT!

“Part of the happiness of life consists
not in fighting battles,
but in avoiding them.
A masterly retreat is in itself a victory.”
-Norman Vincent Peale

 

Why Rest Quest?

Because it’s TIME!

You are ready to experience life differently.

You are ready to experience God’s Word differently.

You are ready for a change of pace from the same spiritual hoops you have jumped through year after year.

You are ready to hear God’s voice for yourself.

You are ready for a change of course, change of results or change of scenery!

You are ready for an adventure of faith!

There comes a time in the life of every woman when what we have always done to inspire our faith journey, the conferences we have attended, the amazing teachers we have learned from, the Bible study systems we have used for so many years need a breath of fresh air. Sometimes this yearning is sparked by a recent loss or life transition. Sometimes it is simply a feeling of dissatisfaction or maybe a feeling of lost inspiration for God’s Word. As women, the demands of life and the daily requirements placed upon us to meet the needs of those we love, shift us out of balance and create a feeling of loneliness or disconnect smack in the middle of the madness.

Madeleine L ‘Engle compared prayer and meditation to planting seeds in the ground: “They go down in silence and they stay in silence and in the dark. Then, a few little green shoots come up. It is the same way with us spiritually, what we put down before the Lord, in the quiet places of our soul, will without quest, begin to sprout life!”

THE KEY ACTIVITY of a REST QUEST is experiencing the ancient pattern of LECTIO DIVINA which simply means reading and resting in God’s WORD! This is a beautiful method of taking a portion of scripture and allow God to press it deep into your heart through prayer, journaling, art, creativity and a sweet encounter with nature and the beautify of God’s creation.

A Life Changing Adventure

Unique

Each QUEST focuses on a unique theme designed to offer women a place of restoration, renewal and revival of her hopes, dreams and the longing of her heart!

Boutique

Each quest is limited to a small group of women.

Retreat

Each QUEST is designed to provide women with a place to get away alone or with a close friend to experience an encounter and adventure with God! At every QUEST she will find a place of rest, pampering, and someone else to do all the work!

What You WILL Find — REST and RESTORATION!

The primary activity of a REST QUEST is–get ready—REST!

Rest of God! Rest in prayer! Rest in worship! Rest in pampering! Rest in nature! Rest in sharing!

At QUEST RETREATS hostess Pat Layton invites you to join a small group of women for a time “set apart” for pampering, prayer, healing and a bit of fresh focus.

Each retreat offers a strategic theme that always includes a MATCHLESS ENCOUNTER with The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit!

Rest Quest is designed to offer you a personal encounter with Jesus and a chance for you to go directly to YOUR SOURCE for some fresh found Peace, Purpose and Passion!

hat on pole at beach

What you WILL NOT find at any Quest Retreat!

As with EVERY QUEST, this personal retreat is strategically designed as a time of shared teaching, learning, and offering of gifts and talents, giving, receiving, blessing, and being blessed!

We believe that God has deposited an anointing into every woman, that He speaks to each of us personally and intimately and that gift MUST BE unwrapped and shared in community.

Bible conferences, biblically sound teaching, exhortation and organized studies are CRITICAL to the growth and accountability of every believer. At the same time, it is equally critical, if not more so, for every CALLED woman of God to be challenged, inspired and encouraged to listen for that “still small voice of God” for herself, her family and her ministry.

Far too often we leave fabulous conferences filled with spirit-filled teaching that fills our notebooks but do not translate into our everyday life. A Quest is a UNIQUE (not your normal retreat experience) BOUTIQUE (only for small groups of women) RETREAT (an intimate encounter with Jesus)

GOD HAS A SPECIFIC PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR EVERYTHING

Let me just say that again. EVERYTHING God does has a purpose and HE invites us to join HIM.

So let’s begin our quest with a few fun questions:

If your answer is YES, then we have the destination for YOU!

Just a few of these Quest experiences will include all 7 types of REST:

  • Personal quiet time
  • Private coaching and prayer
  • Sunrise devotions and sunset prayer
  • Corporate worship
  • Yummy healthy meals that are cooked FOR YOU!
  • Collaborative exercises
  • Beautiful nature EVERYWHERE you turn
  • Free time for fun and reflection
  • Creative rest
  • Destination shopping and sightseeing

For YOU, Jesus has prepared a place for:

Rest-oration

… of your Mind, Body and Spirit as you connect intimately and personally with God in a fresh new way.

Refreshment

… of your life’s purpose and vision!

Renewal

… of that passion for life and love that may be a bit shadowed by life and love’s demands.

Come away with me and re-discover the masterpiece God has created you to be! Leave the business, the assignments, the “to do” lists at home, and be delighted in the Lord with a few sweet days where life is “ALL ABOUT YOU and HIM!”

This is not the typical run-of-the-mill conference

You will not sit in a chair and have someone else download HER knowledge,
leaving you with a notebook full of good intentions.

No, not at all. NO WAY!

Pat,will set the stage for a weekend of time, talent, caring & creativity
that sets this experience of LECTIO DIVINA, an intimate encounter with God.

We are determined that no detail, no matter how small, will be overlooked on your behalf!

An EXAMPLE of what our time together will look like …

We want to make your experience as easy as possible! 

Arrive on the island (fly into Savannah, Jacksonville, Brunswick), take an Uber, cab or rental car to Epworth by the Sea, and the Quest team will take care of the rest. 

Airport transportation is not provided, but upon registration, we will provide you with shuttle and rental car information as well as attempt to connect attendees to share rides. 

When you arrive …

Check into your ROOM by 3 pm, unpack, explore and settle in.

Around 6 pm we will meet for dinner and get through that NOT SO AWKWARD get to know one another time!

We’ll kick-off our weekend with a casual welcome party and some good ole’ fashioned Southern hospitality. Expect socializing with new friends, spectacular sweets and a few fun surprises while the sun goes down! 

After dinner we will all gather for welcome time with our wonderful QUEST Team and some creative fun that sets the stage for the weekend getaway and PROMISES to get the REST QUEST started with freedom, fun and fellowship!

First Gathering

Dinner

Kick off those burdens and get ready to rest The intimate dinner will be our time to get to know YOU. What are you hoping to accomplish this weekend?

Session 1
What IS Lectio Divina

Pat will share the REST QUEST mission of LECTIO DIVINA and our trademark QUEST tools. Ladies will receive their own QUEST GUIDE as well as the materials the group will be using for the weekend. You will meet all guest speakers and Quest team members for future connections and needs.

Gathering #2

Meet for breakfast at 8am (or not – you are FREE to sleep in)

Session 2: Knowing

Madeleine L’Engle compared prayer and meditation to planting seeds in the ground: “They go down in silence and they stay in silence and in the dark. Then, a few little green shoots come up. It is the same way with us spiritually, what we put down before the Lord, in the quiet places of our soul, will without quest, begin to sprout life!”

 

We will meet again at dinner followed by another sweet session.

 

Gathering #3

Dinner

We will meet again at dinner followed by another sweet session.

Session 3: Hearing

This session will focus on the presence and power found in the LISTENING LIFE!

Gathering #4

Meet for breakfast at 8am (or not – you are FREE to sleep in)

Session 4: Rest in Play
Lunch ‘n Leisure

Options: QUEST GUIDE, nap, walk, personal photo-shoot, rocking chair chats, talk over tea & coffee!

Optional: Private ministry and prayer time. 

Dinner

We will meet again at dinner followed by another sweet session.

After Dinner Gathering
Session 5: Receiving

“On the first day, God did a whole new thing. He made something out of nothing. Where there was a void, He filled it. Where there was no substance or form, He created shapes, color and reality—with deep beauty. And even after one day, one evening and one morning of Genesis moments, the world was changed forever!”
-Jill Briscoe, Barefoot In My Heart

This session will be about RECEIVING all that God has spoken and shown us in just a weekend. He can. He will. 

 

Closing Session

Early girl morning walk & reflection time
Breakfast
Closing Session: Blessed to Bless

Prayer, praise and worship

Our QUEST together will leave you with a HANDS ON—TAKE AWAY and personally designed REST QUEST tool for taking what God has shown you during the retreat and applying it to your own life.  You will not leave this retreat with a notebook full of someone else’s inspiration and Word from God. 

You will leave with God’s PERSONAL WORD for YOU!

*It’s a guarantee! You will leave for Home—Rested, Refreshed and Renewed!!

Our unique boutique retreat will be held on the gorgeous grounds of
THE LODGE AT WALNUT GROVE

Entering this private mountain oasis, you will be overwhelmed with the natural beauty of the secluded valley which is now your own private retreat. The Lodge offers beautifully appointed bedrooms, large living rooms, a library, gourmet kitchen, wrap around porches, stone patios, and an indoor exercise facility.

All Inclusive Fees

Luxury King Suite (1 available) …….. $1550
Luxury King Room (6 are available) …….. $1450
Luxury 2 Queen Room (shared/4 Guest available) …….. $1250
$200.00 Credit for Previous QUESTORS

$200. Non-Refundable deposit.
Balance will be invoiced and
must be paid in full by February 15th.

Do you have questions? I have answers!
Check out the FAQs below first.
If you need further assistance ….

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? We have answers!

Sorry, only participating attendees are allowed on the property during our event.

Just let us know in advance when registering and we’re be happy to accommodate you! Our host venue is able to accommodate most common food allergies or dietary preferences. Just let us know at registration and we’ll make the arrangements!

Because of the casual nature of the event, we recommend COMFORT! 

Weather in Georgia in the Spring is normally beautiful. It can still get a little chilly at night (We HOPE IT WILL!) Think mid 70s-80s. You may want to bring a light rain jacket in case of an early summer shower as we may have a tiny walk from place to place. Include some athletic shoes for morning walks or to take advantage of the fabulous and numerous trails on the property. Nighttime of course is perfect for pajama parties at our rocking chair chats!

Pack as light as you’re able to and leave room in your bag for a few goodies.

Venue information varies

Venue changes with each QUEST. Email for next dates.

NO, PLEASE! Honestly—we highly recommend that you UNPLUG as much as possible. However, some of us prefer taking notes on our laptop and may want to share your website or blog during some of our workshops. Epworth does offer complimentary WIFI in case you need to check a few emails. 

At the very least, we recommend you turn your email setting to “Out of Office” while you’re at REST QUEST!! LET’S REST! 

We want you to have every opportunity to take advantage of rest—restore and refresh!! W also know you will want to learn from one another and fully connect! 

This is dependent on each Quest location.
For the 2024 Spring Quest, most room options are private, however, there are two rooms with a queen share available.

Venue info varies

As the saying goes, “a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet!” Our QUEST TEAM loves being someone’s new best friend and truly believes you are going to go home with a lot of new friendships! We will have lots of get-to-know-you times, but NOT times of putting you on the spot. Trust us—the very first night will set the stage for a relaxed weekend of being exactly who you are!!  


Quest Registration includes all workshop content and materials, events and experiences and lodging.

Depending upon the specific QUEST location we have anywhere from 15-30 attendees + Host Team

Due to the nature of this intimate event, details are planned and personalized far in advance for each of our guests, so all deposits and payments are 100% non-refundable. Transfer of your registration will be considered upon application of the new guest. 

The majority of attendees will range in age from mid 30s to mid 50s. 

We welcome all women no matter your age or life stage. We LOVE our Quest Guests to represent a diverse group of women, all seeking God’s best plan for their lives, business and ministry!

First—Take this assessment to see!

Pat love all variety of conferences from learning new skills to sharpening old ones. A SACRED REST QUEST has taken all she has learned and seen, the good, the bad and the ugly and created an event like none other our guests have ever encountered.  

Her heart’s desire is to design an interactive, creative, spirit-filled environment that provides a place for you to not only learn something new, but a place to recharge, regroup and consider what God might be doing new in your life.

Our heartfelt guarantee: you will NOT take home a bunch of notes leaving you wondering what to do with them. Each of our times together will be directed towards a clear and personal takeaway and unique application exercise that applies to YOUR life. 

We will take a small group of women and sow into each one as close to what she personally needs as possible. That is why we keep the group small.