Recently Dave and I were talking about how it just feels like we are stood at an underground station just waiting…. Except we don’t know what we’re waiting for, or where our ‘train’ will even be taking us. This made us feel slightly frustrated as we expected to have everything planned out and be able to plan and move towards the ‘next stop’ a little easier. However I’m now grateful that we don’t know what comes next and that we have this time just to ‘be’.
Today it feels as though we have to constantly jump from one ‘train’ straight to the next one without taking a huge amount of time to process anything. Society expects everyone to leave school and go to college or enter into an apprenticeship, then you have to go to university or take the first steps to furthering your career. But don’t forget you also need to be trying to meet ‘the one’ too! Then you need the mortgage, and to travel.. and to have children. There doesn’t appear to be anyone telling our generation (or any other) that it’s ok to stop (or even just breathe!!)
In fact we need to stop, or at least pause just to take in exactly what has happened in our lives and properly consider and pray for what comes next.
We left university and moved to take time to invest in our little family unit before going on to whatever step of our life is next- it wasn’t always understood but I am so glad we did. I’m thankful for the calm after three years of a very crazy degree journey and two babies. Thankful for the peace and quiet and not having more pressure put on the kiddies.
If Jesus took time off to pray and rest and be alone why would we think we can live without downtime? (Mk. 6:30-32, Mk. 7:24, Lk. 6:12-13.) Also God created the universe and even he needed to rest!!
Take a look at your diary and consider the next fully free day.. then think about how Jesus went about managing his time and ministry. Are you too busy to handle people suddenly needing your time or friendship? Did Jesus have to pencil somebody in for prayer three weeks later? .. Jesus modelled God’s intentions for us all yet we choose to ignore the way that he never rushed, he would stop and help anybody that needed it. There was no five year plan, no hidden agenda. Ultimately the human race was not designed to be placed under the intense stress and pressure that we face today.
We are human, there isn’t one person reading this that will have more capacity than any other- each one of us is capable of so much before we burn out. We need sleep, time between activities and time to properly rest. Also we need to find somebody that is willing to check if we are actually taking the time that we desperately need.
Don’t feel pressured into taking on more than you can handle, there are enough people in this world that can take over one thing that you can’t commit 100% to, and don’t feel that you need to be on the next ‘train’ journey straight after the last. Taking a break between life stages is never a bad thing!
I am grateful for having the last few months to slow down and help me to understand this so much better than I did, and I hope you consider whether you are making the best use of your time and energy.
Kirsty
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inthistogether2016 
Thank you for sharing your journey.
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