Solitude Time

'Be still and know that I am God.'

I'm headed out in a few minutes to spend the rest of the week in solitude. I know the rhythm that my life needs in order to be God-focused and God-directed.

That rhythm includes spending time each morning re-orienting myself around the Kingdom. Spending a night and day each month being still and recalibrating. And then spending a week each year in solitude and reflection.

That week for the past 4 years has become the first week of December. It's always a little difficult to get started, I have to detox and decompress from the pace of life. But it's always one of the most powerful weeks of my year.

Please pray for me as I go, that I will listen well and hear clearly God's voice.

Doing and Listening

I spent the last day and night in solitude at Lake Mathis. By myself at a cabin getting away from my pace of life and technology - and just trying to rest and listen to God.

I'm a doer. That's what I do. A lot of you can relate. I even amaze myself sometimes with how much I can 'do.' And then I look around and God is nowhere to be found. I left Him in my dust about 15 'things' ago.

That's why I desperately need time to slow down. (Even though I resist doing it!)
Change of Pace + Change of Place = Change of Perspective. I first heard this from Mark Batterson and it's so true. And powerful.

As I was resting and listening this morning, this tree was outside the big plate glass window. Not a wisp was in the air. I just sat and watched the tree for about 5 minutes - absolutely no movement - it was perfectly still.

Then a couple of branches just slightly danced in the breeze. Just barely. Then a few more leaves stirred for just few seconds. Then still again.
Normally, I would have never seen it. Never. I only saw it because I was still and watching.

And then God spoke (and no I didn't hear Him audibly, but in my spirit) : 'Be still and know that I am God.' You will never hear the whispers of my Spirit until you stop and watch and listen.

Doing for the Kingdom is good. But doing without listening is empty at best, and dangerous much of the time.

Maybe that listening is 15 minutes in the morning meditating on a verse. Or turning the radio off in the car, or the TV off at night. Or a walk around your neighborhood in the evening.

Whatever it looks like, we all need God's help to be still. Help us Lord to hear you in the depths of our being.

Living Hope

I had an awesome time away last week for rest and solitude. Every time I'm away - whether it's for a day or several days - I'm so powerfully reminded of my need to take time to be still. My life tends to get so cluttered that I don't hear God like I so desperately need to.

I was at this great camp called Living Hope Retreat. It's part of Westwood Ministries . . . you can check it out here, they're open to individuals or families or groups.

It was also awesome to be back this morning . . . The week away recharged me, but it's always great to be back . . .

Unplugging

I've been Unplugged all day . . . was an encouraging and insightful day as Mark Batterson and Jud Wyatt talked about 3 challenges of pastors . . . The Motivation Challenge, The Vision Challenge and the Personal Challenge.

Then we went down to the Mall and ate and played cornhole (if you don't know what cornhole is you can click here and check it out).

Even though I hate being away from my family (and the tourney ball game I'm missing tonight!), God's been reminding me why it's so important (NO absolutely stinkin' necessary!!) for me to get away to renew and recharge . . . If I'm going to continue to give away on a regular basis, there's got to be fresh water in the well. A couple of quick thoughts about why it's so important:

1) It Forces Me to Slow Down! - For me (like many of you), I rarely take my foot off the gas while I'm in my normal routine. Your car can only take only take 5,000 rpms for so long . . . your life can only take 5,000 rpms!
Getting away immediately releases about 70% of the rush (it usually takes several days for the other 30! :)

2) It Helps to Keep me fresh - Rhythms are great and we should fight for our spiritual rhythm - but rhythms over time can easily become ruts.

I've heard someone say that -- Change of Pace + Change of Place = Change of Perspective

How true it is, how different some things look when we just take a few steps back and take a deep breath. A new perspective - especially if you're in a rut - can change your whole life!
But that doesn't happen unless I plan for it to.

3) It Forces me to Think in New Ways - When I'm around other people I hear new ideas, I see how the creativity of God is working through others . . . in the setting I'm in now I even get to talk through stuff with other pastors. New streams of water run through my life! That's powerful!
Some of this I do through conferences like this; a lot of it I do through reading; and some through ongoing relationships with other pastors, business folks and other friends.


The bottom line is that I appreciate the opportunity to get away, and it's a win-win for all our relationships! What are your thoughts about getting away to renew and recharge?

Renewal

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters. . ." (Isaiah 55:1)

Had a great time yesterday being still. It was a beautiful day and after sitting by the lake all day reflecting on God's Word, I came away feeling filled up!

Thanks to those of you who prayed.

A Quiet Place

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matt 11:28-30 Message)

Do you ever need a quiet place to rest from life. I know I do. (By the way I borrowed this picture from Mark Beeson's blog.)

I'm leaving in a few minutes to spend a night and day of solitude at Lake Mathis. My soul needs it.

When do you rest? Where do you rest?

What a Week!

What impact a week of solitude can have! I praise God that I was able to spend last week in the Hill Country listening to God.

For the second year in a row I stayed at an awesome bed & breakfast that gives free nights to pastors, but is an incredible place for anyone to stay. Because of how they have impacted me I want to encourage you to check them out (take your wife their for a weekend guys!) - it's the Haven River Inn in Comfort, Tx.

Here's just a few of the places that God was speaking to me during the week (I'm sure that I'll be talking more about these in the future):

- Mark 4 - What kind of soil are you?
- Romans 15:13 - Am I missing joy because I'm not able to trust?
- Luke 1:46-55 - How is my soul glorifying God?

Still Before God

In a few minutes I leave to spend a night and day being still before God. I need it.
I've discovered that I need a regular rhythm of being quiet before God or the chaos of life scrambles my mind and heart.

This is the rhythm that restores me:

Daily - As the psalmist I, at the very least, need a Repentant heart before God.
"Search me O' God and know my heart, try me and and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the way everlasting."

Monthly - I need a day and night (or at least a day) away to find Rest and Renewal.

Yearly (for me in December) - I need a week away to add to the above, Recreation (and that's not golf, but RE-Creation, getting in a place to allow God to break down and reform hard places in my soul) and Revisioning (revisioning my life on Jesus' vision).

This is what I need for continual restoration. Let me know, how are you finding continual restoration in Jesus?