A little over a year ago, after attending the LifeApp 3 Day retreat, our son-in-law-to-be wrote to us and said, “I finally got to see a glimpse of what a ‘together’ world actually looks like—and what I’d hoped it would be growing up.”
Later, as Teresa and I talked more about what touched him so deeply, he shared that it was the authentic experience of community—a room full of people willing to be real, courageous, and compassionate. A place where it felt normal and safe, where everyone was encouraged to know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, celebrate and be celebrated.
His words reminded us of something essential: communities rooted in the art, science, and spirit of love are not abstract ideals, but realistic opportunities we can choose to build.
The 3 Day offers a glimpse of this reality, but the true evidence is seen as people return home and live love with greater intention and capacity—toward themselves and others—becoming more grounded partners, wiser leaders, healthier colleagues, and more present human beings, setting in motion a ripple effect that continues to expand through the communities they inhabit.
This year, we watched hundreds of people experience the transformative power of community. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because volunteers poured in over 10,000 hours—showing up early, staying late, giving up vacation time, and offering the kind of presence that makes deep work possible.
Behind the scenes, our staff worked tirelessly to create the safety, structure, and excellence people feel the moment they walk in. Every part of it was driven by love—for the people who would walk through those doors and carry that love back into their lives.
And love, as it turns out, is generous—but it is not cost-free.
Even with an extraordinary volunteer team, the hard cost of offering the 3 Day—staffing, facilities, meals, accommodation, training, equipment, and care—still averages over $3,500 per participant.
And yet, in 2025, because of the LifeApp community’s collective love and commitment, not one person was turned away due to a lack of finances. In fact, well over 160 participants received partial or full financial support—an act of love that didn’t just change their lives, but rippled outward into families, friendships, workplaces, and communities.
As we look toward 2026, we invite you to consider being part of that shared effort—helping make this experience available to those who are ready for it.
If there is one theme from this year, it is this: love multiplies. It heals, strengthens, clarifies, and calls people back to themselves—and then it keeps going, touching everyone around them.
As we move into 2026, our hope is simple: that each of us keeps practicing this way of living—letting love shape how we show up at home, at work, and in community.
Paying It Forward Together
If you share the vision of a world where more of us learn how to live love well—toward ourselves, toward others, and within the communities we inhabit—we invite you to help make that possible through a gift to the LifeApp Scholarship Fund, creating access for more people to experience the value of the 3 Day.
And if someone comes to mind—someone you believe would benefit from attending the 3 Day—feel free to invite them, or, if needed, pay it forward on their behalf, helping open a door that could shape far more than a single weekend.
Thank you for helping us build a world grounded in the art, science, and spirit of love.
With gratitude,
Jonathan & Teresa Penner | Co-Founders & Executive Directors of LifeApp
Resources To Dig Deeper
Video
Unscripted 3 Day Reflections
These are real voices from the LifeApp 3 Day—people from very different walks of life who shared a common experience of release, clarity, and reconnection. This is the work of the LifeApp 3 Day—creating the conditions where people can let go of what no longer serves them, reclaim what’s been lost, and return home more present, grounded, and alive.
-3 Day Participants (4:07)