Happy Tuesday, Reader!

It's officially June and we are starting to think about Summer! The dream is all about barbeques, relaxing pool/beach/lake side, and having more time for all the things. We will, of course, enjoy all the summer activities, but in my experience, somehow that summer to-do list never quite gets accomplished.

Why, I wonder?

Could it be that somewhere there is a disconnect between what we know we need to do and what we are willing to do? Who we want to be and who we are? Have we ever considered that treating relaxation like its our job, might actually consuming more energy than it is giving us? Of course, we tell ourselves that we are "filling our cups" and recharging, but is that really translating to our reality?

Am I saying we shouldn't do summer activities?

Not at all!

...But, maybe it could be helpful this summer also to prioritize a bit more mindfulness.

As challenging as it might sound, we are only fulfilled when we prioritize what needs to be done over what we feel like doing in the moment. It may be paradoxical, but it is true. Tackling those hard, unpleasant, and looming realities leaves us feeling capable, accomplished, and energized, whereas, a fun day at the lake leaves us with unpacking, laundry, and exhaustion.

There is a myth that complains that an overemphasis on productivity is what is wrong with the world, but there is a flipside to this coin. It is also true that over-emphasizing "rejuvenating" summer activities, can distract us from what really matters.

When we find ourselves exhausted after our pursuit of rest, maybe its time to ask ourselves if we've lost sight of what it's all for.

What might Summer be like if we actually slowed down and spent a little more time going deep into our souls - who we are, who we are meant to be, and how to make that translate ever more into our daily reality and the activities we choose to do? What if we decided to hone in and make every choice intentional? Not just doing summer things because it's Summer or because it sounds like "fun", but because every choice matters. Every choice helps us craft who we are becoming.

In this month of June....

when most of the world is celebrating all the ways in which pride, love, and identity have become so desperately lost and confused, it is time to make time to truly contemplate our purpose again. If there is no purpose then nothing matters and people can do whatever they want, but if so, it necessarily follows that this life is stripped of meaning. But, meaning is what we long for, more than pleasure, more than whatever is popular. Meaning is what enables us to get out of bed in the morning. Purpose drives us, not rest.

Love gives us purpose. What de love determines what we do. It is what makes effort seem effortless.

But, what do we love?

Ah, here is the crux of the matter.

Drs. Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté wrote a psychology book about parenting called Hold onto Your Kids. The actual book isn't really important here, but the main premise is actually quite valuable. Their entire book hinges on the fact that human beings are creatures of attachment, meaning that we latch on to people and things that impact us deeply in some way. We call this attachment love.

We are creatures of attachment. This explains why the objects of our love can be so diverse and wild.

But, not everything we love can satisfy our longing for purpose, meaning, and rest. This is why we are so chronically exhausted and dissatisfied.

Imagine for a second if what we loved, WAS our source of purpose, meaning, and rest. How amazing could our lives be if we revived our thirst for truth, goodness, and beauty? What would it feel like if our loves didn't compete with our conscience? (no, this is not just religious guilt)

God isn't just a being out there or far away. He isn't an afterthought or another thing to do on Sundays. He is the Source of our identity, our purpose, the life in our veins and the beat in our heart. But, He is incompatible with chaos, noise, and a flighty spirit. His love is calming, steady and secure. He is perfect, so He satisfies on every level and never lets us down. But, we are so distracted by all the flashy, passing things that we let ourselves get carried away from Him, often without even realizing it.

Does Creation instantly raise your heart and mind to the Creator? Are you comfortable in silence? Is your prayer restful? Do you feel like your life is purposeful and your activities are aligned with who you want to be? Do you long for opportunities to be with God?

If your answer to any of these was "Not exactly", then maybe your relationship with God could use a little TLC.

It can be hard to bring ourselves back to a God who is above all the lights and sounds clamoring for our attention. The busy-ness that distracts us from His constancy around us. But, maybe if we took the time to intentionally slow down and (re)center ourselves this Summer, back on the God who placed desire in our souls in the first place, maybe we might actually find the rest we are searching for...

and ALSO go to the lake.

Your June Offering

I am working on a Summer project this year that I have been dreaming about for a couple years now. It is my next major piece of content that will eventually become a for sale book option, but is still in its developmental stages. Much like we did during Lent with my last project, I am opening a summer email series (free) for those of you who want to be a part of the process, only this one will be biweekly (as opposed to daily) on Saturdays, starting June 15 and ending August 24.

More Info

Of all my projects, this one is probably the most like a Spiritual "Workout" Plan, and, honestly, the core of our ultimate calling. Our Heart, our Love, is the core of our being. It is the source of our joy, our desires, and the strength of our will. Just as our Physical Strength and physical health hinge on the strength and health of our core, so does our spiritual health hinge on the alignment of our heart.

Aligning our hearts is nothing more than intentionally falling in love with God. It is what makes the Christian life not only possible, but also desirable and joyful. Without it, the Christian life is not only impossible, but also a lie and a waste of time. If you have ever struggled with the latter, or if you have ever had to admit to yourself that maybe you just don't love God as much as you thought you did, or as much as you wish you did, this series is for you!

This will be a 6-part series focusing on identifying our weak areas so that we can strengthen them, understanding how to use the tools at our disposal to use them most effectively, and then finally coming to an understanding and experience of how this love of God makes the rest of our life make sense and even fulfills the longings of our soul.

Talk about amazing!

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Is there a release date scheduled for when this will be available for purchase?

I learned from my Lenten/Mother's Day project that if you are all alone and you rush too much for specific, predetermined deadlines, you end up with public typos and details you wish you could fix (although they have been fixed now) 🤦‍♀️ so I do not have a certain end date on when I will have the final draft finished for purchase, but I do know that it will be my last big push for this year and will be done will be done before the holidays so that I can focus once again on Advent.

Meanwhile,

In addition to this new series, this Summer is all about cleaning up things on the site. I know the focus has been on all content creation lately (hopefully you haven't been too overwhelmed), but I have to get the foundation set up fully (and strong - which includes unloading the last 10 years of piling up works in progress, and fixing all my mistakes from the same amount of time) so that things can start building off of it!

Thank you so much for being here!

Here are links to the latest posts:

• ​Free Will & Christian Decision Making-Do Choices Really Matter?​
• ​The Purpose of Religion – A Note for the Disillusioned​

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I hope you have an absolutely beautiful, and deeply restful, Summer!

Thoughts and prayers always,

<3