In a recent blog, I mentioned that one of our primary reasons for taking this one-year Home Assignment is to rest from the demands of cross-cultural ministry in Mexico. I wrote that we were tired and needed a long break and said we would spend the first portion of our Home Assignment pursuing intentional rest. Tired may be an understatement; exhausted might be more fitting.
How did we become so worn out? In a nutshell, we got to the point on the field where we were simply doing too much for an extended period of time. In our zeal to serve the Lord faithfully and fully in our leadership and equipping roles, we took on too much, which resulted in a slow decline into exhaustion. We found ourselves constantly moving from one task to the next, one meeting to the next, and in a continual state of decision-making and problem-solving. We also faced some challenges that we had little time to process. This affected us, both emotionally and physically. Our stress levels were often high. It was affecting our sleep, and I had also developed some sort of heart arrhythmia (Praise God this problem disappeared in the first two weeks of Home Assignment). I also found that my exhaustion was affecting my relationships.
All of that to say, it was a good time for a break and some intentional rest. I am thankful for several wise mentors over the past year and a half who shared with us the need for us to take a Home Assignment. It took us a while to make happen, but now that we are here, we are so thankful for the Lord’s timing.
So, we have been here in southeast Michigan for just over one month and a half and in this blog I want to share with you what intentional rest has looked like so far.
What Is Intentional Rest Looking Like?
- Home: A key ingredient to our intentional rest has been the home the Lord provided us for the year. It can be hard for missionaries to find a home for just six months to a year in the States while on Home Assignment. This was a huge provision for our family. We were also blown away by how people from our church prepared the house for us and by the generosity of so many involved in receiving us well. Having a comfortable living space of our own has been so vital.
- Spiritual Health: Uninterrupted, quiet time with the Lord has been refreshing. Beth and I were commenting to each other the other day about how nice it is to spend time in the Word and prayer without feeling a time crunch. We were so busy that every day was fully scheduled with back-to-back commitments. Our sending church family has also been healing. We have felt the love and care of an understanding community in our home church that desires to help us recuperate.
- Physical Health: We are sleeping well each night. It was nice during our first month to have the freedom to let our bodies sleep as much as they needed to. We were amazed at how soundly we slept and how much we slept for the first several weeks! Now that school has started we are back into a daily routine with homeschooling. We are also enjoying developing good exercise routines. Some friends from our church kindly loaned us bicycles. There is a very nice paved and tree-covered bike trail close to where we are living. It’s really fun for us to enjoy biking and enjoying all the green here in Michigan! Jude and I have also started going to a local gym together to work out.
- Wise Counsel: I have a friend who went through serious ministry burnout a few years ago. He has many years of experience in both missions generally and leadership specifically. He has taken some time to chronicle his journey out of burnout, and he has been generous to share his insights with me and be a listening ear.
- Reading: On our travel up from Mexico, another friend gave me a copy of a little book called Zeal without Burnout. It was very timely and gave us some food for thought as we began our Home Assignment. This book, along with another called Pleasing People, and several others have been helpful guides as we make the most of this time in the USA.
- Family: Beth and I have enjoyed chats over coffee together, processing what the Lord has done in and through our lives. Before school started we were able to make some great memories as a family playing games, thrifting together, getting to know the area, visiting the zoo, seeing local plays, and more!
So, this is what intentional rest is currently looking like for us. I share all this to say that we are praising the Lord for His provision of rest. We look forward to the clarity He brings during this time and the opportunities we and our children will have to enjoy what He has for us this year. We have other goals for this year, but it is important to first rest, and we are thankful for the time to do so.
I will also mention that in an upcoming blog, I will share an extra special gift I received from some friends in this vein of rest and renewal. But that is for another day.