R n R this Summer: Refresh Your Relationship with Jesus!

Let’s Make Time for Some Rn’R this Summer: Relationship and Rest!

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself until it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. John 15:4

Refresh your relationship with Jesus; what does this look like for you?
Relax with people whom are important to you~enjoy the friends and family God has blessed you with.
Relish the opportunities for new friendships as you participate in Missio Lux activities.
Relinquish the summer to God~let him restore and revive you for the summer to come.
Rhythm: Jesus practiced a rhythm of life and as his disciples; so should we!

We are focusing on R and R this summer. As we live into the rhythm that God created us to follow, we will experience a life that is more fulfilling and fruitful than we ever imagined.

So, many of you have asked, abiding is a good idea, but how do we actually do it? What does it look like? How do we know when we are accomplishing it?

Great questions. My reflections for the next few weeks will include simple tips on how to live into the abide/bear fruit rhythm and to make the most of our summer plans to live into relationship and rest.

The best starting place is with Jesus. He taught his disciples, that’s us, how to live life and when we follow him, we tap into that deep place within us that releases joy so that even our bodies become better equipped to go through each day.

Here are a few simple tips for how to start spending time with Jesus on a daily basis, or to do something different which changes up your regular habit so that it feels refreshing and new:

Take the Spiritual Pathways Quiz and then identify ways to live into your preferred way of connecting with God. (http://common.northpoint.org/sacredpathway.html After you discover your highest preference, go and live it out! Reflect on what took place as you lived into that part of you that is brought alive by connecting with Jesus in ways that reflect how you are uniquely created.

Read through one of the Gospel books through the summer: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.
Set a goal for each day on your calendar and ask the Holy Spirit to direct your understanding of the what you read. Journal about your reading. How did Jesus meet you in each passage?

If you desire to dig deeper, use a Study Bible or Commentary to assist you. (On line Commentaries available at : www.Biblegateway.com )

Do something active, but do it alone with an intentional desire to connect with Jesus.
Take a hike, a bike ride, sit outside on your deck, but get outside and enjoy the beautiful sights, sounds and smells of Seattle summer. Reflect on how your spirit came alive to God through the experience, and then tell someone about your experience.

After you engage in these abiding activities, leave me a comment and let me know what happened, that way we can build on our relationship!