Take a Vacation

Letting Go

I am taking a vacation for a whole month. That's right. A whole month to think, feel, dream, imagine, and explore. It is going to be a great adventure. How would you like to join me?

Okay, so I am not really leaving for a whole month. Yes, I am taking a vacation for a little bit with my family but that is not what I am talking about here. I am taking a vacation from working on anything for the Retreat, Reflect, Renew ministry for the month of June. A month to clear my head, let my brain relax, free my thoughts, and give them some time and space to go wherever they want want to go in the hopes I can renew my spirit and better hear where the Holy Spirit is leading me and the ministry for the next retreat season. 

Taking a Mental Break

Is there something you would like to take a break from thinking about for a month? Maybe it is a stressful relationship and you are stressed out trying to figure out how to "fix-it".  Or maybe there is a home project you cannot seem to finish and you are beating yourself up about it.  Or maybe there is a big decision you need to make and your thoughts keep getting stuck in the same frustrating pro and con list that does not seem to give you a clear answer. When you are in that place, it is important to let yourself take a mental vacation.

Clearing Space to Listen to the Voice of God

If you are like me, when you get caught up in the continuous daily rhythm of your life, your head is full of chatter and all you can hear is the voice of your ego. The voice that tells you, "you can't do that" or "what will people think" dominates the mental conversation.  When your days are tightly scheduled you can be quick to edit your thoughts and kill new ideas trying to emerge from your creative heart. My brain can get so busy preparing for the next event, project, or deadline, there is little time for my thoughts to wander off too far and explore new possibilities. When you give yourself time and space to 'air out your head' as I like to say, you can begin to think clearly and creatively and start to hear the voice of God rise up above the noise, insecurities, and fears. 

Find

Think of one issue that is stuck in your mind and give yourself permission to not think or do anything about it for a month. Use that mental space or physical time and do something else. How that looks for you will be unique to your daily schedule. Maybe that means turning off the news at night and taking more walks, adding quiet time, reading a fun book, letting your house be dirty, or listening to fun music on the way to work. Maybe it simply means every time your thoughts enter into a frustrating "need to fix-it" pattern, you intentionally turn your thoughts elsewhere and tell yourself, "I'm not going there for a month". 

Give yourself time to process: think, imagine, and dream. All of a sudden you will realize why that conversation you had two months ago with a friend was hurtful. Or you will start realizing there are too many unnecessary obligations in your schedule. Or maybe you will have a fresh heart and no longer care about some of the things that were heavy on your heart. I hope you'll sense new ideas and new beginnings taking root within you. 

Allowing New Wisdom to Emerge

God speaks in the silence.  If there is a relationship you need to think about, a book you are wanting to write, a big decision you need to make, I hope you will give yourself time to NOT think about it. Give that issue a vacation. Give yourself time to just be. Give yourself time to let new ideas and new life emerge so the voice of God's wisdom sounds louder and stronger in your heart and soul.