3 Points to Ponder
- “Without a pause, life becomes like a run-on sentence. It is hard to understand, emphasis is misplaced, and everything runs together. When is the last time you’ve had a strategic pause in your life?”
- “When I was a programmer, I strategically used whitespace to enhance the readability of my code. Our life also needs whitespace to bring order from the chaos.”
- “If God needed a seventh day to rest, pretty sure I need one as well. The need to rest is hardwired into our very core, not to limit us, but to help us live life to the full. You only hurt yourself when you don’t recognize when it’s time to pause.”
2 Quotes to Share
“So many of us are burned out, yet we proudly tell everyone how busy we are like it is a badge of honor. This is the equivalent of battling lung cancer yet proudly tell everyone you smoke two packs of cigarettes a day. Why do we do this?” -Garland Vance
“She silently stepped out of the race she never wanted to be in, found her own lane, and proceeded to win.” -Pam Lambert
1 Story of Impact
This past weekend, I co-taught a retreat called Encounter IMPACT, held in the beautiful Tennessee Smoky Mountains. The weekend covers how to live a life of impact, utilizing the acronyms (I) Immersive (M) Mission (P) Personal (A) Action (C) Challenge and (T) Transformation. In the Action section, we discuss the concept of getting un-busy and developing intentional habits to be the person you want to become. One of our participants snapped the picture below and the first time I saw it, it took my breath away. I love it when a picture speaks a thousand words. Our lives are much like this picture, as we get into the kayak of life and start heading out on the waters. When this picture was snapped, everything was perfectly still. The wind, water, and kayaker paused together, creating a breath of time. In the stillness, one can see the reflection of the surroundings. The animal noises come alive. The fog of the future is more than noticeable. Behind the kayak is a ripple of water, as the kayak has impacted the river. Yet, the river also has a flow of its own, not dependant upon the kayaker to function. This is life, and we all need to remember to take those moments to pause. To rest. We miss so much when we don’t rest, hurting those we love the most and the environment around us. For all of us, we rest differently and that is okay. But truly stop right now and think, What is the state of my soul right now? When is the last time I’ve taken a breath? Your future impact depends on your ability to rest and restore your soul, not on your ability to hold one more thing. Have a frank conversation with yourself today and check-in with the state of your soul. Your future impact will thank you.
