I may have “sprung” forward.

I may be looking for opportunities to Spring Clean and get ready for Spring Planting.

But I’ll be honest. I have NOT had a spring in my step lately. Not at all. Instead, I have been walking around feeling like I am trudging through mud.

No matter how much sleep I have had, I wake up tired.

No matter how busy or lazy my day, I walk through it tired.

Almost as soon as I get my kids in bed and shut off their light, I am tempted to (and sometimes do) climb into my own bed, pull the covers up and call it a “day”.

This chick ain’t springing anywhere.

And so, I am getting back to basics with my health.  More water. MANY more vegetables. More iron. Basics.

I think we can all get spiritually tiiiiired, too. Can I get an amen? I sure did about three years ago. That’s when I retired from full-time youth ministry. I came to this decision for several reasons, though my exhaustion spoke pretty loudly in favor of a step back.

People used to ask me, “What hours do you work?” And I would respond, as you can image, “All of them.” There is no “off” time in ministry. Not really. And so with the arrival of my second son, and the shifting winds of change blowing through my home, I decided it was time to retire. At least for the foreseeable future.

I have happily spent the last few years getting back to basics. I get to spend time reading my Bible for me...not necessarily in preparation for leading a study. There is a BIG difference, and enormous freedom in this. I get to worship with my family (and actually sit next to them) and not worry about all the necessary intricacies of leading the service. I get to explore prayer that is just between God and me.

You might say, “But Katie, could you not have done most of those things while you were a Youth Minister?”

Sure, I could have.

But I got tired. Super tired. And somewhere in my exhaustion, I lost my focus on the basics.

The basics of our faith are as primary to us as water and good nutrition. If we don’t have it, we will become weary. We will lack the fuel to do what we are called to do.

So, for those of you who recognize Lent, I’m right there with ya. Let us use this time to re-focus on the basics, and get some REST.

As Easter approaches, may your heart, therefore, feel a little more spring in its step.

Katie Pickard is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.

It's funny how sometimes "springing forward" is preceded by what feels like "pulling back."  One of our students last week had a picture of a arrow being pulled back in a bow - the arrow appears to be taking steps backward, but in reality it's getting into position to be launched.  It's a common Kingdom tale - Joseph went to prison before rising to power, David was a shepherd before he was a King, Abraham and Sarah were barren before God chose them to be His special family, Peter denied, and even Jesus himself was crucified. Bloody, broken worship. 

I am reminded again today of God's sweet grace, that takes me at my worst, shows me how to depend on the Father, and then uses my rough moments to prepare me to be a dreamer - one who leans on my beloved and perseveres.  

If you are finding yourself tripping up as we spring forward, rest in Christ.  He may just be positioning you (an arrow in his quiver) to be launched. 

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-11

Sara Rust is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.