Each month I send out a newsletter to my youth and include a section where I get to share something I've learned that month. The point is to understand that we are always still learning and *gasp* adults make mistakes, learn things, and aren't perfect. I'll start sharing those here.

I have some posts to come about my weekend learning from Yaconelli as well. I just keep forgetting to bring my notebook to work and I haven't been home much earlier than 11 pm every night this week. I just got my copies of Contemplative Youth Ministry and Growing Souls so I'll be diving into those this weekend too.

Without further ado... here's what I was thinking about today and am sharing with my youth in this upcoming newsletter...

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It was the first night of the youth worker retreat, and there I sat, trying to pray and I kept getting distracted. Our worship gatherings over the weekend together were filled with prayer. They were filled with petitions and intercession. They were filled with praying through the scriptures and praying for students, and praying for the church worldwide and for countless other things. As we sat and prayed, I had no idea how hard those minutes were going to be. I thought to myself, “This should be easy, I just spent weeks working on programs for youth that were focused on prayer.”

As the weekend went on, during each worship gathering the prayer time became easier. By Sunday morning, I was feeling anxious about heading home and not having this intentional prayer time each day for me to sort through my thoughts and just be given permission to pray and be still in God’s presence.

Sometimes in our hyperactive culture, we don’t take the time to slow down and pray for the situations we’re in and the people that surround us. I often take time to have a conversation with God as I drive, or when I’m standing in line at the grocery store, but I struggle to find quiet time for just me and God with no distraction. This past weekend, I learned I needed that time more than any other in my day.

I encourage you to find the time in your day to just sit and be with God. Sometimes it can be hard when other things flood our minds, but I guarantee that your day will be better and your soul will be more whole when you take the time to retreat and be in the presence of the Holy One. God has been, is and always will be speaking if we just stop and take the time to be in the Holy Presence of the Spirit.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 2:47 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.