About us.
About Steve and Kylee.
We are humbled by the abundant grace that has allowed the opportunity to begin caring for this land, with gratitude for those who have gone before us.
We feel called to continue the long history of this land, to create and share a space away from the noise, set amongst the beauty of nature—where it is easier to encounter light and hope.
If you would like to know the heart behind Lavendale Country Retreat’s new season, we would love to share a little about us.
Steve and Kylee’s Story.
Approaching forty years of having lived, loved and learned together, we have come to understand that to be alive is to journey through deep waters.
Steve has spent those years both pastoring in Baptist churches and consulting in Organisational Leadership as he works alongside leaders and organisations to bring research-based wisdom into leadership. Steve delights in conversations which allow people to discover their own truth as they grow in wisdom.
Kylee’s career has been in business development, advertising and marketing, with the most enjoyable and rewarding years being those privileged to work alongside their son in his businesses. She is passionate about practising creativity as a pathway to connect with God’s peace and beauty. Kylee’s idea of bliss is time spent combining her love for acrylic painting with colour mixing to create unexpectedly beautiful colour palettes.
We are blessed beyond measure by our four beautiful adult children (we claim our in-law children as equally our own) and five grandchildren, who are our greatest joys.
Our deepest fulfillment is found having profound conversations about God and His ways, as we follow the trails of seeking wisdom, understanding and spiritual connection
The hallmark of our lives together would undoubtedly be ‘continuously seeking God to make sense of it all’, whilst also keeping our minds open because we really don’t understand very much at all.
We are united in our shared purpose that it’s the eternal work done in the deep waters that matters most. This is likely to be our last season of working life and with that comes a poignant desire to do meaningful work, whilst at the same time learning to hold it all with an open hand.
And so our dream of creating ‘A Soft Place to Land’ has become our purpose, and we step into the mission of sharing something beautiful at Lavendale Country Retreat.
“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
Wisdom will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy and blessed are those who hold her tightly”.
A proverb
Our values
Kindness
We value each person’s authentic self and embrace diversity in all its forms. By practicing kind and respectful communication, we endeavour to create a judgement free space where everyone feels emotionally safe and included.
Curiosity
We foster gentle conversation and open-minded discussion, embracing new perspectives as opportunities to learn and connect more deeply.
Hope
We follow the calling God has placed in our hearts to live our divine purpose, which is to be on a journey of transformation as spiritual growth permeates our daily lives. We feel deeply compelled to offer an environment for others to seek their own wisdom, healing, hope, and peace.
Openness
We appreciate and respect that all people’s faith pathways are different. Whilst we openly engage as people of Christ-centred faith and peace, we encourage all who visit to adopt the stance that we are not here to convince others of a particular way to think or pathway to take.
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us into God’s inner sanctuary”.
Hebrews