At the recent Productive Environment Institute Retreat held at beautiful Carolina Beach, Barbara Hemphill took a few quiet moments to record a new Walking with Barbara message... this time with the soothing sound of ocean waves in the background instead of her familiar backyard view. 🌊

Surrounded by her PEI colleagues, Barbara reflected on the blessing of gathering together to explore one meaningful question: How can we make the world a more loving place?

🎥Watch Barbara’s full reflection here: https://youtu.be/pU9FAF--vZU

The retreat came at a time of heightened stress and uncertainty, with the country on the edge of a midterm election. Barbara reminded her listeners that although there are many things in life beyond our control, one thing remains certain...God has a plan. A plan for our nation, for our world, and for each of us individually.

Throughout the retreat, the group spent time exploring thestories that shape our lives...the ones we were told in childhood, and the ones we continue to tell ourselves as adults. Too often, these stories carry messages of limitation:I’m too old… I’m not smart enough… This will never work.But Barbara reminded everyone that those are not the stories God tells. “God says that we can do all things through Him,” she said, “and we’re so grateful for that promise.”

As the retreat came to a close, Barbara reflected on the stories worth keeping... the stories of gratitude, faith, and transformation. She shared that one of the unexpected blessings of growing older is gaining perspective. Experiences that once seemed painful or disappointing often reveal themselves, in time, to be disguised blessings.

Perhaps the most beautiful reminder from the weekend was one of PEI’s guiding values: Together We Are Better. For Barbara, this truth was illustrated not only in the retreat’s shared experiences but also in a cherished memory.

She recalled meeting Mother Teresa years ago — a moment that became even more meaningful after adopting her youngest daughter from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in India. One of Mother Teresa’s most profound statements continues to inspire Barbara’s work and life:

“What you can do, I cannot. But together we can do something beautiful for God.”

That spirit of collaboration and faith remains at the heart of theProductive Environment Institute’s mission...to create spaces that enable individuals and organizations to focus on what truly matters.

As Barbara often says,“I am so grateful for you and that God created each of us to be something very special for Him.”