For each of the past three years, I have felt the growing anticipation of our annual Replenish trip. This year was no different; the anticipation and excitement of what was to come was even greater than the years before. The group of guys who traveled with us last year hit relational gold, a unique group that merged into friendships that kept in touch throughout the year. As 2025 progressed, the common thread among the group was: “Let’s do it again.” They behaved themselves in Tampa (you know, pastors), so Keith decided we would take them on an international trip to the beautiful old city of Antigua, Guatemala.
Antigua emits a quaint, simple and relaxed atmosphere. This 482 year old city has been a refuge to recharge, reset and reinforce my addiction for great coffee. The cobblestone streets remind me of old San Juan; the architecture reminds me of my New Orleans roots; the pace of life…well, that is what my soul longs for.
Antigua is poetic and charms you from its first encounter. The people are friendly yet private. The motorcycles come at you fast. The air is clean and the view of clouds unfolding over the volcanic mountains ushers you into a place of rest. Replenish does it well. Not only were our souls renewed, but our bodies recharged with delicious meals. We stayed comfortably in a beautiful two-story home with a courtyard, and transportation was always on time.
Yet the heart of the trip, the pull that keeps bringing us back together, is each other - community. There was time dedicated to rest, sleep, read, pray, walk and sightsee - but the intentional schedule allows pastors to unplug, create margin, practice mini sabbath, and “be still and know I am God.” God always whispers but we hear with clarity in the margins. We walked through six domains of the soul, we counseled, we served as an ad hoc advisory board for any challenge presented. But more than that, we are a group of brothers in Christ, husbands, dads and entrepreneurs who love each other and offer to help carry each other’s burdens for a few days. We stand in the gap for each other.
This trip was different because it was the first time I had the opportunity to co-lead with the same group of guys in back-to-back years. We were able to speed past the unneeded introductions to quickly move onto real life conversations. The impact was extraordinary and immediate. Can’t wait to see what our Replenish 2026 trip holds for this group!
--Taylor Dufrene