PRESSING THE PAUSE BUTTON

Sometimes you need to press the pause button.

At the beginning of the year I discovered and shared the Pause App. John Eldredge and his team released the app along with his book Get Your Life Back just as we were beginning the year with New Rhythms and Practicing the Way of Jesus.

As the rest of this year unfolded, we have needed these tools more than ever. But sadly, the rhythms and practices that were sustaining us may have gotten lost somewhere in the quarantine season. Let’s reclaim them together!

When you are lost in in the middle of an argument, you can press pause. If you are scrolling mindlessly, you can press pause. Any time your butt has conformed to the image of your chair, you may need to press the pause button and get outside. Even in the middle of doing important work, we need to take time to get away with God, rest and reset.

I am pressing pause

Every July I take some time off of preaching and leading to read and think and pray and dream about the future. I almost skipped it this year because we have been in a season where everything is changing and uncertain. That feeling of “I can’t take a break or . . . ” is a sure sign that a break is needed.

We have some great staff and overseers that will be bringing a series on the good news which we need desperately to keep before us. Meanwhile, our kids and youth teams will be working on summer events to connect our kids in ways that are safe and fun. Our Church will continue moving forward together in small group gatherings and some outdoor events.

If you haven’t pushed the pause button in a while, you might want to do that now. Summer is a good time to refresh, regroup and reimagine what the next season needs to look like. Go ahead. It will start up again when you’re ready.

• Todd