RETURN TO THE GARDEN. GROW IN GRACE. LIVE IN WISDOM.
The Eden Year is a gap year program for young women seeking a season of deep spiritual formation, healing, and practical equipping for life and home. This is a year to slow down, to become rooted in God’s Word, and to rediscover the beauty of living simply, wisely, and well. We will meet once a week and dive deep into community, growth and practical skills. This allows for an intentional year that leaves room for the student to invest in a part time job or other interests. There will be three to four hours of study a week assigned outside of class. Housing is not included; participants will commute to each session. Space is limited to 10 students to facilitate a close-knit community experience and mentorship...
The Art of Readiness
Why cultivating skills, stewardship, and resilience matters
The Eden Year offers something increasingly rare: the space to grow in wisdom, skill, and faith while becoming deeply connected to God’s creation. In a world that often encourages distraction and dependence, this year invites young women to become rooted, resilient, and ready — not only for their own growth but to serve others with strength and grace.
This is not about turning away from modern life, but about reclaiming what has always been ours: the agency God has entrusted to His people. Scripture reminds us that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1) and that He has given us plants “for food and for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). For thousands of years, people stewarded the land, fed and clothed their families, and cared for one another using the abundance God provided. What was once considered ordinary knowledge has now become rare — yet it remains deeply relevant.
In The Eden Year, young women will learn to recognize and gather from both cultivated gardens and wild places. You will come to know the names of plants, their seasons, and their habitats. You'll understand which nourish, which heal, and which can be gathered for food or crafted into simple, wholesome remedies that support the whole body gently and effectively. This is not the study of abstract herbalism, nor a course in treating illness, but a hands-on education in stewarding what grows around us and gently aiding the body in health and wellness — the same way families have done for generations.
You will practice making herbal remedies, salves, hot and cold tea infusions, decoctions and oil infusions. Basics in canning, seed starting and gardening, caring for small livestock, composting basics and using manure to enrich the land. You will learn how to create natural cleaners and body care, and prepare a seasonal foraged dish that nourishes both body and community. Alongside these skills, you will develop discernment — understanding how to observe creation, listen to its patterns, and gather from it responsibly and gratefully.
To learn these things is to gain both resilience and freedom. Imagine the confidence that comes from knowing your garden and the wild places near your home, from being able to gather a wild harvest, grow food, and supplement the ordinary needs of life with calm resourcefulness. Skills like these build strength. You foster self-reliance and the quiet readiness to care for family, neighbors, and oneself without fear or helplessness. This readiness does not merely prepare for times of crisis — it enriches daily life with peace and joy.
In uncertain times — whether economic, environmental, or personal — it is far better to seek agency than to wait for rescue. Trusting God does not mean passivity. It means faithfully stewarding the body, the land, and the resources He has entrusted to us. By practicing homesteading, gardening, herbal knowledge, and home-keeping, young women do more than prepare for the future — you live out your trust in God’s provision here and now.
The Eden Year is not a retreat from the world but preparation for a life well-lived. It is a year to slow down, to grow wise and capable, to walk closely with the Lord, and to discover the quiet strength that comes from being equipped. It will form not just a young woman’s hands but her heart — teaching her not to diagnose or treat others, but to care, create, and steward a holistic life that brings glory to God.
We invite you to step into a path that honors beauty, wisdom, and readiness. This is not simply a year of learning; it is a year of becoming. And it is deeply needed in the world today.
With gratitude and hope,
Lorena
ROOTED. REDEMEED. READY.
At the heart of the program are three guiding pillars:
ROOTED
Biblical Wisdom & Discipleship
Students engage in guided study and discussion using hand-picked resources that encourage spiritual growth, resilience, and Christ-centered wisdom. This is not about academic certification, but about developing a strong foundation in truth, discernment, and biblical counsel for real life. We all counsel ourselves and others every day, learning to self counsel well will lead to the ability to give wiser and more grounded counseling to others. We cannot give to others what we ourselves do not possess. Growing in wisdom, truth and discernment will be our weekly intention and prayer.
REDEEMED
Reflection & Restoration
Through intentional journaling, community conversations, and guided self-reflection, students explore personal growth, emotional resilience, and the transforming work of grace in their lives. This is a space to process, reflect, and embrace how God redeems both our stories and our steps forward. Writing brings hidden thoughts into the light before God, fostering clarity and peace like the Psalms do for the soul. Psychologically, it engages the brain's prefrontal cortex, helping us organize experiences, reduce stress, and create meaning from our struggles. It transforms scattered emotions into ordered reflections, strengthening both spiritual and mental resilience.
READY
Herbalism & Practical Stewardship Skills
Students gain hands-on experience in herbalism, homemaking, and self-sufficiency skills that foster stewardship and readiness. From making herbal remedies to cultivating resilience in the home and outdoors, students grow confident in their God-given ability to care for themselves and their communities. Many herbal programs focus on purchasing herbs that are not native to our area or easily cultivated in our zone. They rely often on expensive purchases from stores rather than empowering us to grow or forage them ourselves. This program is unique in that it will focus on native plant recognition and sustainable harvesting practices making herbs more affordable and accessible.
About Lorena
My name is Lorena Bowers. I am a Certified Biblical Counselor, Certified Christian Trauma Care Provider, and a traditional herbalist shaped more by seasons and self-study than by formal titles. I carry a deep love for what is true, lasting, and beautiful. I live in Tennessee with my husband, Taylor, who serves as the Executive Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chattanooga. We have two children who I have had the blessing of homeschooling for the last 12 years—one who has recently graduated and one still in the wonder-filled years of elementary school...
OUR LOCATION
Hixson, TN
