Summer is finally here and if you’re anything like me, I jam pack my summer and leave only a few days in between trips just to get my clothes washed at home. I love being busy and getting involved in as much as I can because it’s exciting to see what lies around each corner. Throughout the year we can be so busy with work, school, university as well as other commitments and we can look forward to summer as our time to take a break and recharge. That can be easier said than done for some people, including me, because we have so much planned that we want to do or be involved in. Jumping at opportunities to be involved in camps, missions, five-day clubs or Holiday Bible Clubs are great ways of using the time God has given us to serve Him and bring Him glory but as summer can amp up our busyness, we can sometimes feel like we have little opportunity to recharge. It is a feeling I have had before where at the end of the summer, I am almost ready for another two months just to do nothing so how can we create a balance? A few ideas from my own experience will hopefully give you a little guidance…
 
Reset:
School and university is finished and as I’m a teacher, work is finished too for the summer (although, I know that isn’t the case for everyone). The excitement in me to get the summer started is always exploding and I can get carried away without taking a moment to stop before all the busyness starts. I have found it really helpful to sit down with a diary or the calendar on your phone and mark down exactly what you have planned and when. It doesn’t take long but it can be the perfect way to clear your mind and feel a little more organised with your summer, especially knowing when you are free to spend time with friends and family. As you reset, try to plan a balance in your summer so that you also have time to yourself and not have the feeling of being burnt out.
 
Energise
In the midst of it all, don’t forget to eat and sleep. That means eating properly and sleeping enough. As much as it would be useful sometimes, our bodies cannot run on nothing. We need to energise ourselves throughout the summer by taking care of our physical bodies. A little self-care can go a long way and you will feel a whole lot better for it. Recently, I have purposely incorporated a little more exercise into my weekly routine. Fitness has never been something I have had an interest in but I have noticed a huge difference in my energy levels and it might be something that could work for you too. God has given us hands and feet to use to glorify him, so let’s treat our bodies as the temples He sees them as.
 
Calling
Getting involved in as much as you can is great but listen carefully to where God is calling you to be. There are so many organisations and events happening over summer that we can feel torn as to where we should be or what we should do because it’s impossible to be in more than one place at one time. God has a clear plan for all who trust in him so have faith in His will for your life as He will both open and close doors to guide you to where you are meant to be.
 
Health
Our spiritual health should be a priority throughout the year but particularly as we serve God in July and August. As we teach young and old about the Gospel, we need to be sure we are firm in our faith and beliefs. That doesn’t mean we have to be perfect because we never will be. We all have our high and lows but the lows don’t disappear simply because it’s summer. Therefore, we need to spend time each day with God reading His Word and praying. I have been using an app called ‘First 5’ which has lots of different reading plans and has made it easier to set aside time to grow spiritually through quiet time studying God’s Word.
 
ACTS
ACTS stands for: Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving: Supplication – all key parts of our prayer life. Everything we do, we do in God’s strength alone and we need to make prayer a priority in our summer schedules. I have been in charge of my church’s Holiday Bible Club for the past number of years and each year I have to rely on prayer completely for every detail including that children will come along. This year, I was so unsure of how many children would come, estimating that our maximum number would be 10. God brought 34 kids along throughout the week and blessed us with the most amazing weather. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Pray to God in confidence that He can do amazing things and bring everything to the foot of the cross because He takes your load willingly and completely.
 
Relationships
Summer is a perfect time to make new friendships, build on the relationships you already have and most importantly strengthen your relationship with God. During the summer, acknowledge the blessing it is to have Christian friends and be purposeful in encouraging one another. Be accountable to one another because it will build your friendships and your relationship with God. As your relationship grows, God will mould and shape you into the person He wants you to be. Use the time He has blessed you with wisely, to spend time, most importantly, with Him but also with the family and friends around you.
 
Gift
The past is history, tomorrow’s a mystery and today’s a GIFT, that’s why it’s called the present. Every opportunity you have this summer is given by God. He wants you to thrive as you see His creation and serve Him. God has given to each of us a gift or talent that He wants us to use to bring glory to Him. Whether it be music, speaking, encouraging, praying or it could be something you have not yet discovered or recognised, we all have a God-given purpose, a gift that we can use to spread God’s Word to others and help to make disciples.
 
 
Enjoy
Enjoy every opportunity, capture every moment and show love to every person you meet because time is precious and God is going to use you to do amazing things not only during the summer but throughout your life.
 
So as your summer begins, RECHARGE your mind, body and soul both physically and spiritually for this particular chapter in your life.
 
Esther 4:14 – “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.”