With summer around the corner, travels, reunions, and family moments are eagerly anticipated. Summer denotes care-free living, relaxation, and vacation mode. We may find our focus shifting from our hard-won routines and intentional living disciplines we established in the first part of the year to a more flexible lifestyle during the summer, to make room for our summer life. There is nothing wrong with shifting gears for different seasons, and may you be encouraged that there are ways to keep your relationship with God alive in the middle of your well deserved summer living.
- Keep God first in your day.
If your morning routine has been to wake up at 6 AM and start your day with devotion, but you are feeling that for the summer you want a little more rest, that’s okay! Just keep your routine of thinking on and keeping God first in your day the priority for whatever time you decide to get up.
Mommas: If normally you studied alone at 6, but the later time will mean your children will be up with you during your devotions, include them in what you are learning from God's word and bring them into your prayer time. It may be challenging to shift, but if you are keeping God first, the benefits will far outweigh the hard parts. It will be a fun little adventure for the summer for you and your children!
2. Find God in the little things.
Thinking on God and His ways doesn’t mean we are 24/7 actively thinking on Him, but it does mean that our hearts our actively open to seeing, feeling, and hearing in the Spirit when the moments come to be aware of Him. This mindset does not have to diminish during the summer; during travels we can be open to those little moments of wonder when we see a beautiful mountainside and be open to the thoughts and feelings that well up inside and leave you saying, “Wow, God is amazing, look at His handiwork!”
Mommas: There are so many ways we can bring God into the thoughts of our children during summer adventures. When you feel it or think it, just point out God's handiwork and greatness to your children. Your child may bring up a shell at the beach, and just a little comment of, “God has made so many wonderful treasures for us to find!”, will place a little awareness of God into your child's mind in the midst of your fun adventures.
All the little things throughout our days that remind us of Him, bring us closer to Him and keep Him present in our thoughts, no matter where we are, what season we are in, or how far from home and our routines we are, bring Him near in the midst of our everyday living if we are sensitive to His drawing and to His handiwork.
3. Remember to visit the house of God, if possible.
During the rush of summer living and travel, it can be easy to miss out on visiting the house of God as consistently as we normally would. I've always felt like if I miss one service it feels like I’ve missed 5. I feel that hole in my week and my soul. Summer is a perfect time for travel and filling our adventure bucket, but we can easily find ourselves depleted spiritually from the lack of being with like-minded believers, being in worship, and hearing from a man of God. I would suggest if you have the time for it in your travels to speak with your pastor about churches in the areas you will be visiting and try to make it at least one service during your travels. It may take a couple hours out of your vacation time, but the spiritual investment will be worth it, and you won't feel as though you have completely lost all sense of healthy routines for your family.
4. Utilize worship music and Bible reading apps.
One easy way to keep God in the midst of your summer is to keep worship music or Bible reading/Bible stories playing wherever you go. It's a subtle way of keeping your mind in the mindset of good and Godly things during a more relaxed season of life.
Mommas: Just imagine the fun you and your children will have worshipping God with the windows rolled down, blaring worship music, and singing at the top of your lungs. Or cuddling up together during your summer night listening to or reading a Bible story! All of these things are special and God-centered moments that can still be so fun and part of your summer living! Plus, it's little God reminders that can go with you wherever you go!
At the end of the day, we all know our abilities and how we function best in life and during the summer months. You may not travel or you may be traveling weekly; you may let go of all routines or you may continue your routines through the summer. But whatever summer life you imagine, just know that God wants to be there with you in the midst of it, and He will give you moments along the way to remember Him. Just stay sensitive and intentional about keeping the relationship you have with God alive, and He will meet you where you are. You’ve worked too hard to be where you are to let it all go and have to start at square one when the summer fun is over. Draw near to God and He WILL draw near to you everyday of your life.
Have a fantastic Summer!!!
Your sister in Christ and in love,
Hillary Wheeler
