How to have a faithful summer – deepening your faith
MORNING PRAYERS. Greet each day this summer by stretching your body to the sun and offering your praise to God. Touch the ground and thank God for the fruitfulness of the earth. Feel your heartbeat and marvel at how wonderfully you are made. Close your eyes and ask God to be with you for each step of this new day.
EVENING EXAMEN. At the end of each day, spend time by yourself or those you live with sharing the events of your day. Talk about the moments you were thankful for and those you were not thankful for. Share an awareness of when you were aware of God with you. Close your time together with a prayer of thankfulness and peace for a good night’s rest.
HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit is the active presence of God in all of creation. The Spirit calls us to life through the Gospel, comforts us in hardship, shapes and empowers us for service, points us to Truth and sends us into God’s world to be about God’s mission and ministry. To learn more read: Acts 2; John 20:21-23; Mark 13:10-11; John 16:12-15; Galatians 5:22-25. Consider journaling or using art materials to express who the Holy Spirit is for you today – no matter your age!
TAKE A SABBATICAL. We have a tendency these days to pack as much into our vacations as possible, to experience everything a place has to offer. Consider taking a day or more for a quiet vacation. Spend the time unplugged from everything electronic. Bring along a new spiritual book, your Bible, your journal, your walking shoes, your art supplies.
DEVELOP A RULE OF LIFE. This is a way to intentionally live your life according to the priorities you choose. Prayerfully consider what you would like your life to look like, placing items in daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly categories. Choose only a few items to start. Possible areas to consider: 1) scripture 2) silence and solitude 3) daily prayer 4) study 5) sabbath keeping 6) simplicity 7) play & recreation 8) service & mission 9) care for physical body 10) emotional health 11) family and 12) spiritual community & hospitality.