This weekend’s ski retreat was the very thing that I needed. The past month has been a whirlwind of youth ministry that has been good, but not energizing for my introverted self. The ski lifts by myself, the runs that do not allow for conversation, and the view from the top of the Colorado Rockies simply filled my soul.
I was feeling a bit worn before this event. Nerves were on end and I was finding myself wanting to just rest when I needed to do paperwork. The desire for students to know Christ better was still there, but the passion had lost a bit of its edge. I needed to be refueled.
I know many different ways to be renewed, but none of them are better than silence. I can read books, journal, or program a website (yes, that’s refreshing to me), but all of those are still a kind of work. Silence and solitude, even if just for a single run on the slopes, can fill my soul, restore my heart, and calm my mind like nothing else. After several runs, I was a whole new man and my faith was running deep again.
How do you restore your soul? Is it the best that is out there for you? Have you practiced it? Restoring our soul needs practice. The first time that I sat in silence, it took an hour for my mind to shut up. Now, a five minute ski lift trip is enough and the three minutes back down is truly encouraging for me. Exercise your “soul care” muscles and practice being with God, however you do so.
So what are you waiting for? Go out now and be with God!
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