About Us
Jim Draper & Goshen Falls Mountain Retreat
Some seasons in life are loud. Others require quiet.
Jim Draper has spent decades helping people recognize the difference and guiding them through the moments when clarity, courage, and purpose matter most.
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Jim is an author, speaker, mentor, transitional life coach, and retreat host who works with leaders, couples, and individuals standing at a crossroads. His approach is shaped not by theory, but by lived experience as a builder, real estate investor, bi-vocational pastor, and someone who has personally navigated loss, rebuilding, and renewal.
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In 1980, Jim experienced one of those defining crossroads himself. After years in the building business, he lost everything financially and found himself facing debt and divorce. What had once felt stable disappeared, forcing a deeper reckoning with faith, identity, and purpose.
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Rather than walking away from faith, Jim chose to step fully into it.
He began studying Scripture and applying biblical principles not as ideals, but as daily practices, shaping how he worked, led, related, and rebuilt his life. Over time, those principles produced what they promised: restoration, stability, and a renewed sense of direction.
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Today, Jim speaks often of “good success,” not as the absence of hardship, but as a life built on a firm foundation. One marked by integrity, peace, and intentional living.
The Vision Behind Goshen Falls
Throughout Jim’s life, one discipline consistently created clarity: retreat.
Following the example of Jesus, who often withdrew to quiet places to hear the Father’s voice, Jim learned the value of stepping away from noise, pressure, and distraction in order to gain renewed perspective.
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That practice became Goshen Falls Mountain Retreat.
Located in the mountains of North Georgia near Helen, Lake Burton, and Unicoi State Park, Goshen Falls is a peaceful mountain estate designed for reflection, renewal, and spiritual grounding.
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The property includes multiple private cabins, three natural waterfalls, a flowing mountain stream, and scenic hiking trails throughout the land. Every element invites stillness and a slowing down that allows deeper listening to begin.
Goshen Falls is not simply a beautiful setting.
It is a place set apart. Here, guests are encouraged to reflect on where they have been, consider where they are now, and gain clarity about where their life’s purpose is leading them next.
Jim personally guides retreat guests through thoughtful conversation, Scripture, reflection, and prayer, offering support not only during the retreat, but afterward as a coach and mentor.
What Guests Experience
Those who come to Goshen Falls often arrive carrying questions, fatigue, or quiet uncertainty. Many leave with something different, clarity that feels grounded and direction that feels sustainable.
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Jason Barker describes Jim Draper as “a rare gem.” “In a world full of people who talk the talk, he walks the walk,”
Jason says. After more than forty years of living out his faith, Jim’s leadership feels deeply authentic. Jason has been mentored by Jim for over two and a half years and credits that relationship with growth he never thought possible.
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“At Goshen Falls, Jim teaches from a ‘been there, done that’ perspective,” Jason explains. “He has the uncanny ability to take highly complicated matters and break them down so they’re easy to understand, easy to digest, and easy to apply to daily life.”
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Susie Savino has experienced Goshen Falls both as a guest and as someone who has watched Jim host others. “What stands out is Jim’s warmth and authenticity,” she says. “He is a natural host, and his life reflects what he teaches.”
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She describes the retreat as a place where hospitality is extended generously to guests and helpers alike and where people of all ages and stages feel welcome.
“There is a beautiful balance of fellowship, worship, teaching, nature, and prayer,” Susie says. “I’m deeply grateful for the time I’ve spent there and highly recommend Goshen Falls Mountain Retreat.”