Our summer ministry schedule is a little bit more relaxed. We plan backyard barbeques, enjoy picnics, family campouts and a whole host of other relationship building moments with our church families. So when the full-fledged ministry schedule kicks back into gear, along with school and other obligations the schedules can seem a bit full. The challenge of getting back into a full swing schedule and thrive in it can feel a bit much. So I thought I would share some ideas for making the transition from summer to a more scheduled time.
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This is a great time to sit down with your family and decide what you want this season to look like. Using the principle of putting the “big rocks” on the schedule first will help you evaluate the important things that need to happen. This can also go for ministry and work schedules as well. When you have the big things in the schedule then you can re-evaluate the other obligations and scheduling conflicts.
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​Expenses and income should be evaluated as well especially in our economy today with our dollar not going as far as it used to. The budget will also influence the schedule as well in determining what can and should be done.
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​After summer break it’s a good idea to sort, organize, and replenish supplies for the new season. It’s also nice to have a clean slate and space to start again.
 

​Summer days are for late nights and lazy mornings. But all good things must come to an end, and that includes a relaxed bedtime schedule. Start going to bed a little earlier each night and getting up a little earlier each day. Adjusting gradually will be better especially for kids going back to school. 
 

​If you want to be productive, moving your body helps. Exercise builds our stamina to endure more and gives us more energy throughout the day. Even just a 20 minute walk or stretching regularly can make a difference.
 

​Even though we are heading into a more heavily scheduled season it doesn’t mean we still can’t have some fun. Scheduling some fun gives us a break and something to look forward to on the calendar.
 

​JUMP INTO THE CONVERSATION:

artificial light and blackout curtains, my kitchen is spotless. But let the natural light of the sunshine through and every spot I haven't touched or just ignored becomes pretty evident.
​In that moment I felt the Lord place on my heart, ‘just as the sun in the sky exposes what is underneath and hidden; the light of His Son exposes what is truly underneath and hidden in our lives and hearts.'

Luke 2:2-3 states, "There is nothing concealed that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs."
The Message translates it like this:

In other words, God wants to expose those things in our lives that we have kept hidden because they aren’t healthy. They aren’t edifying. They are what is keeping us from being and becoming everything Christ desires us to be.
So many times, as Christian women, especially as women in ministry, we hide behind the façade of perfection. We hide behind the busyness of ministry, family, work, you name it. We’re not fully allowing the Holy Spirit to deal with the areas He is exposing.
The first thing I wanted to do when I saw everything the sunlight exposed was to close the curtains! I did not want to deal with it. If I’m being honest, there are still some spots in my kitchen I have yet to deep clean!
We tend to do the same thing with God. We don’t want to deal with what He’s exposing because it means addressing some uncomfortable and vulnerable truths, we have tried to hide behind the blackout curtains of our lives. We have people convinced we have it all together. I think many times we have convinced ourselves as well. 

God isn’t exposing our stuff to condemn us. He’s exposing it so He can heal us. When we said ‘Yes’ to Jesus we said Yes to His will. And His will wants to break those chains and generational curses of bitterness, offense, unforgiveness, anger, and many others.
I am not just a woman in ministry. I am not just a female pastor. I am not just a mother, friend, daughter, and sister. I am a broken vessel God is making whole. We all are. 

​So, how do we allow the love of Christ to begin the cleansing where we need to be restored?

•  First, we start by being honest with ourselves. We call our sin what it is – pride, fear, anger, resentment, unforgiveness, lust, indifference. We don’t do ourselves or others any favors by pretending everything is okay. 

People value honesty and vulnerability. They can tell when someone is faking it. Some of the biggest breakthroughs happen when we let go and allow others to see we aren’t perfect. Sometimes it’s okay to not be okay. When we let others in, we model what it looks like to surrender our sin, our pain, and our brokenness to a Savior who allowed Himself to be broken so we can be made whole.

• Secondly, we repent and pray. Now that we made ourselves vulnerable to God and to others, we simply repent and talk to God. Acts 3:19 (NIV) states, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” God promises times of refreshing, but we must repent and turn away from what is keeping us from Him. Then we reap the benefit that comes when we turn to Him.

Don’t close the curtains on what God is doing but instead pay attention to where He is shining His light of grace and revelation in your life.
God’s light exposing those areas is for our good. Turn toward Him and let His grace shine bright in your life.