Did you notice? The calendar turned this week and fall is almost here. I love the fall because it's the unofficial ‘new year' which means new realities and new possibilities. New grades for the kids at school, new patterns at work, new patterns at home. And a chance to make positive changes for all of us.
That means we can make spiritual progress too. This is an opportunity for you to go deeper in your faith.
We talked all about how to manage time in our Time Out series last month. Here are a few priorities I've built into my life that have made a huge difference in my spiritual growth over the years. Right now…your fall calendar is open enough for you to schedule these in. Say no to some urgent things so you can say yes to what's truly important, and write it in your calendar right now – before your days and weeks get eaten up by things you won't remember in a month and that won't matter in a year.
- Carve time out of your schedule to begin, rekindle or grow your personal relationship with God. It could be in the mornings or at lunch..or whenever. But do it.
- Decide to make weekends a priority. Yeah, I know I'm a preacher. if I don't show up I'll probably get fired. But this is a choice I made when I was in my twenties before I was a preacher. Getting practical teaching into your life and real community into your life is an incredible spiritual catalyst.
- Join a Community Group. I've got a full calendar like you do, but Wednesday nights are group nights in my home. My wife Toni and I are part of a community group…and we love the people in it. The way to get connected in a community group is to attend Group Link…you can schedule it now. If you're not sure about joining a group (too early in your journey), then join Starting Point. We begin Starting Point in September too. If you're a student, your community groups happen at Inside Out or Xtreme. Parents, the way you get your younger kids into a group is to make sure they don't miss Sunday mornings in Waumba Land or Upstreet.
There are other important things I've done and others have done: serving in a ministry and making giving a financial priority in my life have been huge spiritual catalysts too. If you want more information on that, contact us. We'd love to hear from you!
But…the fall is almost here. Making some changes right now in how you spend your time can result in significant spiritual growth for you and your family in the next few months!
– Carey
