This is always a weird time of year for me. I parked the last van for the summer season this
past Friday and my body, mind, and soul don’t quite know how to adjust to the
changes. I go from a nonstop summer
schedule to a fall in which the teens are in school and I sleep in my own bed
almost every night. Oh how I miss the
bunks of Spring Mill…
It has been a great summer.
I was blessed to watch God do some pretty amazing things. I witnessed eight teens give their lives to
Christ and new leaders emerge in our group.
I experienced the process of teens maturing and talents being exposed
while our group served selflessly in Murphy, at Spring Mill, and locally in
Indianapolis. I even got to go play at
Cedar Point and have a lot of fun with the group at other activities this
summer. It has been a great couple of
months, but it is time for a recharge! If
you see me in the next few weeks and I seem to be in a comatose state, don’t
worry, I’ll bounce back. But, it is
definitely time for some Sabbath.
When I give thought about how to find rest, the examples
Jesus set comes to mind. Throughout his
ministry, Jesus took opportunities to connect with his Father to recoup energy
and sharpen his mind. If we are
fulfilling our call into ministry, whether it is a fast-paced summer with
teens, “simply” serving our neighbors, or representing Jesus to co-workers or
peers in school; it requires us to take breaks and be refreshed if we want be focused
and at our best. May I present just a
few ways that I “fill my cup” when I am empty?
1- Dig into the Word. The Bible can be a rejuvenating book as it
reminds us of the presence and nature of God.
It also recommits us to the knowledge and wisdom we gain through the
Bible.
2- Heart-felt talks with God. He loves to hear what is on our hearts and
minds….good and bad. And, as we talk
through things with Him, the Spirit can work in us for peace, clarity, and
rejuvenation.
3- Escape!
In our culture we are always connected with people and we seldom find
time to be truly quiet. Halfway through
a Bible study or prayer time, the phone will beep at us with a text (mine
literally just chimed in with a new text as I typed the word “beep”), Facebook
update, Tweet, or phone call. Be willing
to shut off the phone and go somewhere for isolation.
4- Connect with those who recharge you. I have a couple of really good friends who I
can talk to about anything and laugh a lot with. It always helps me to feel better when I can
unload a few issues onto them.
I recognize that different people have different ways of
reconnecting with God. The important thing is that we find time to take rest
and refocus. If you have any good ideas
that work well for you, I’d love to hear about them in the comments
section.
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