Dear People of God at Our Savior’s,

 

Well…we made it!  We made it through a very trying winter/spring season, we made through another year of school/school activities & we made it through Lent & Holy Week, Confirmation Sunday & Graduation Sunday, among other things!  Well done everyone. 

 

But now what?  Well, think about what we do with our phones: after a long day of texting, calling, photo taking, app serving, we plug our phones in to be “recharged.”  After the rush & stress of a busy time in our lives, we need a bit of TLC; we need to be recharged, too!  This summer, I hope that you’ll put yourself on your to-do-list along with trips and projects, in order to be refueled and recharged!  Here are a few suggestions:

 Rest.  In our busy, stressed, there’s-always-more-to-do culture, taking time to rest can seem “unproductive,” or even lazy.  Yet, let’s take the biblical concept of Sabbath to heart & carve out some time each week, or a short time each day, to rest.  Jesus himself invites us to recharge when he says, “Come to me, all who are weary and I will give you rest.”

Along with resting, Trust that Jesus is…trust worthy.   Consider what it would feel like if you and I believed the promises of Jesus.  Jesus promises us rest, peace, forgiveness, healing, abundant life, and to be with us always!  How would it help you & I feel recharged, if we trusted Jesus’ promises?

Lean into your Core Values.  Core Values are qualities & concepts, that are like a compass, guiding you through your life.  Core Values include compassion, honesty, hard work, courage, humor, joy, transformation, integrity, security, family, faith, hospitality, pleasure, thrift, tradition, innovation, and many others!  Come up with 5-8 core values, and write them down.  Now ask yourself, your deepest Self, “Have I been living out my core values in my work, activities, relationships, and life in general?  Or, if I’ve been neglecting them, how would leaning into my core values this summer recharge me, my life, my relationships, and my purpose?”

Spend time with others enjoying conversation (and maybe enjoy a meal, or cup of coffee, or an ice cream cone with each other, too).   How might you feel recharged by spending time with an old friend, or a new friend?  Imagine listening to them and learning more about them.  Starting in April, at our staff meetings, I changed our agenda from including a Leadership Component, to a Team-Building question at the start of each meeting.  We’ve covered various questions including: Where were you born? What was your favorite thing to do as a child?  What was your first job?  What’s your design style?  What’s something other people would be surprised to learn about you?   Connecting with others helps recharge our batteries, as well as theirs!

 

These are just a few ideas to get us all started.  What ideas to you have?  I’d love to hear back from you on what you do to get recharged!  Have a great summer!

 

With peace & joy in Christ,

     Pastor Nancy Hong