Kick back, and relax!

Who would have known that taking a day off every now and then, kicking back and relaxing for just a day, would be completely worth it? Why did no one tell me this before I made plans for every second of every day of my ENTIRE summer? Come on, who kept this secret from me? Who failed to inform me that I felt like I was going to die from exhaustion just within the first third of the summer and beg for the school year to start so I could finally have some time to relax? Yeah, well no one told me that so I am just going to say that it was everybody's fault. Not fair? I'm sorry, okay well I should have known after all the summers and semesters where I feel like this! 

I told myself last year that the next summer I was going to not plan a whole lot and was just going to relax. Do you think that happened? Oh not at all! This summer is busier than the last, and if it keeps going at this rate I don't even want to imagine what next summer is going to be like. 

Today, I realized more than ever before how important it is to take that time to yourself. To just kick back and relax for a day. To take a moment from ministry and refuel yourself. You will burn out, you will get tired, you will want to quit. We need to train ourselves in a way to focus on Christ and to keep going. Training in a way that we won't burn out. Being in a place that builds us up not tear us down. I am searching for this place, I am working on training, and it is getting hard. I think I am going to have to take a step back and reevaluate everything and try it all over again, because I am tired, and I am worn out completely. I don't want this for ministry or myself, and for sure don't want it for you either which is why I am posting about this. 

I have a tendency to not be able to say "NO!" so I get way too much on my plate than I can't handle and just keep piling it all up. It all becomes too overwhelming so I want to give up and start back sliding. This is why God told us to take the Sabbath day and keep it holy. We need that time to refuel our minds, and hearts. That time to rest to start back to ministry again. You need a break, I need a break. (Listen to me preaching to myself) You can't burn out on ministry because you are tired. Take a step back, take a breath and after you are rested take it back head on. I will be doing this right after my next three super busy, non-stop weeks are over. I can't help that I have already planned babysitting, VBS, and dance camps all in the same 2 weeks and will be going non-stop from 7-10 everyday. It is a done deal and I am trying my hardest to face it in a positive way! 

It is now time for me to try to get some sleep before I have to babysit tomorrow morning! 

God Bless, and don't forget to take a rest!

Ariel