Scholarship Fund News… & One More Surprise!
Hello everyone!
I hope you’re having a great week as you prepare for Thanksgiving, which is quickly approaching us all. Isabella is headed home from college and the whole family will be around our table next week, so I’m thrilled to have a full house very soon. Rebecca, Jacob and Henry won’t be here for Christmas so I’m going to enjoy the whole family a little extra this next week. And, it might even SNOW for Thanksgiving!
But, before I sign off for a bit I want to update you on the Scholarship Fund!
First, let me say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who purchased art through our Scholarship Fund Art Show. I am so humbled by your willingness to support our dream of hosting one women each year at our Art & Faith Creative Retreats in Bellagio, Italy!
So, let me tell you some AMAZING NEWS…
We are FULLY FUNDED for next year!
Yes, with the donations we’ve received on our website HERE and the purchases made through our online Art Show, we’ve hit the amount needed to make this dream come true… NEXT YEAR! I literally sat and wept earlier this week at this God-sized dream actually coming to life. Ladies, this has been a prayer and dream of mine for MANY years but I never thought it would be possible! But God. He kept keeping it in the back of my mind and every once in a while I’d pray about it, or someone would email me asking if we had a scholarship for our retreats, then last year I started writing it down and figuring out how it might work… and here we are!
I’ll share all the details after Thanksgiving on the total brought in, the application process, and how we’ll decide on who will be awarded this scholarship.
But what I want to say right now is…
~ Keep praying
~ Keep dreaming
~ Keep giving ALL of it to the Lord
If it’s in His plans, He will bring it all together in His perfect timing!
Ok, onto other exciting news…
We’re adding ONE more Retreat for 2026!
Yes, I’ve had the first 3 retreats for 2026 up on our website for a while now, (Paris & Brugge is SOLD OUT) but with life and being gone this fall I wasn’t able to get all the 2026 retreats finalized until now.
So, on December 1st (the last day to purchase art through our Scholarship Fund) registration will OPEN for our…
Art & Faith Creative Retreat in Vermont & Maine!
Here’s a little video I shared on Instagram and YouTube:
Join me next October, as we step away from the everyday and are refreshed in this peaceful, creative space where art and faith come together. We’ll enjoy a week of inspiration, reflection, and artistic expression amidst the stunning beauty of Autumn in New England.
We’ll begin our time in Woodstock, Vermont, on a stunning 500-acre farm that you’ll be dreaming about long after you leave. The beauty of this property is truly unforgettable, and I’m so grateful I get to share this special place with another group of women next October!
Afterward, we’ll head to Portland, Maine, where we’ll immerse ourselves in the splendor of the changing seasons in this New England coastal town, with its picturesque streets, fresh sea air, and small town charm.
Whether you’re a painter, art journaler, or simply seeking a space to reconnect with your creativity and meet other faith-filled women, this retreat is for YOU.
I’ll have all the details for this retreat on my website BEFORE Thanksgiving HERE, but registration won’t open until Monday, December 1st at 8am MST. If you’d like to be on the “Interest List” that’ll go out as soon as I have all the details finalized, so let me know.
Have a GREAT Thanksgiving week everyone!
Hugs to all,
Laura McCollough
P.S. I’ve had so many “Kind Words” (aka testimonials) over the years from those who’ve joined our retreats. You can find those under the “Creative Retreats - Kind Words” banner at the top of my website. But I just had a bunch of them flow in from the last two retreats so I wanted to share a few here:
“I had an amazing time at Laura’s retreat in Paris! I loved the daily devotions, museums, sketching, French food, flea markets, cooking class, and fellowship. It was a dream come true! I can’t wait for another retreat soon. Laura’s special way of caring for each woman made me feel personally taken care of.” Terry
“Jesus says, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” This was serenely evident in Bellagio this October. I pray I won't soon forget the sounds of Lake Como meeting the steps of the Pescallo cove like God's mercy arriving in wave after gentle wave.” Catherine
“This trip was healing and restorative to me, having lost my son in May. He joined his sister already in heaven, 17 years ago. After such a difficult year, the peacefulness of that sweet cove, the gently lapping water, the Christian companionship and devotionals, and the sweet spirited fellow travelers were just what my doctor ordered, and I think The Great Physician, as well.” Janet