Refresh, Recharge, and Refocus!

“Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” — Mark 6:31

There has been a little break in my blog posts over the last 10 days or so. Labor Day weekend brought a much-needed trip with my brother, and just two days later from returning home from that adventurous trip, I headed to Engage Women’s Retreat with 6 other ladies from my church.

Fifteen years ago, I attended my very first women’s retreat at Springville Camp and Conference Center. I’ve been to six of those through the years, and every one has been important and needed in its own way. But I can honestly say that this year was THE BEST one for me. And the funny thing is—I almost didn’t go.

Looking back, I’m so thankful I obeyed that little prompting in my spirit and went anyway. God knew exactly what I needed before I ever arrived.

Sometimes when you’re involved in ministry, you become so accustomed to pouring out that you forget how necessary it is to occasionally step back and simply be poured into. There are responsibilities to handle, people to encourage, things to prepare, and places where you are needed. None of those things are bad—they are blessings! But even Jesus told His disciples to “come apart...and rest a while.”

Those two weekends in a row, I got to do that. I stepped away from ministry duties for a little while and allowed myself to simply sit, listen, worship, laugh, fellowship, rest, and receive at the retreat while enjoying fun adventures with my brother Labor Day weekend. I didn’t have to be the one doing. I could just be the one being fed.

And God met me there. He reminded me how important obedience is. He reminded me that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. And He reminded me how deeply He cares for me when, more than once throughout the weekend, a sister in Christ felt led to step out and pray for me in their obedience.

There is something beautiful about realizing, “God saw me. God knew what I needed. And He sent someone to remind me that I’m loved.”

Everyone wants to feel loved and accepted. But there is something even sweeter about experiencing that while continuing to walk in a season I can finally describe as "spiritual stability".

I came home rested, spiritually fed, reset, and refocused—ready to pour out again because I had allowed God to pour back into me.

And as I look back over the winding roads that eventually led me to Sunshine Church, I can say, “Thank You, God.” None of the roads before this season were in vain. God used every one of them. Every turn taught me something, every difficult stretch strengthened me, and every season helped prepare me for where He has me now.

Sometimes stepping back isn't quitting. Sometimes stepping back is exactly how God prepares us to step forward again.

So if you are constantly pouring into everyone else, remember this: you need to be fed, too. You need rest, too. You need laughter, fellowship, prayer, and moments when someone else gets to minister to you.

Take the rest when God gives it. Receive what He wants to pour into you. Then get back up—reset, recharged, refocused, refreshed, and ready to pour out again.