"I give thanks
to Him who...granted me...strength and made me able (for) the ministry."
1 Timothy 1:12
Are you feeling burned out? Are you tired and want to give up? It could
be work, church, family, SCV, or something else, or all the above? Feel worn
out?
You are not alone. As a matter of fact, you are in the majority. Some
interesting facts I picked up in my research. Did you know that people in the
"helping professions" have a higher rate of drug abuse, alcoholism,
and suicide than other professions? A major contributing factor is they only
hear and see the troubles and negative side of people's lives.
How do we combat these statistics? "The Word for you Today"
devotional offers some helpful hints:
1. Cultivate New Disciplines. Shut the door, turn off the television,
and let your calls go to voicemail. Above all don't be surprised when troubles
come, Jesus said they would (John 16:33).
2.Take time off regularly. And on your days off, do something different.
As Spurgeon said, "If we do not rest, we shall break down." My Dad
would go to the beach for a week each year to forget his problems.
3. Exercise and get enough sleep. Walk, swim, and breathe deeply. A
difficult one in this era, but so necessary.
4. Learn to Relax. The opposite of 'fight or flight' syndrome. Rest for
at least 20 minutes during the day with no distractions. Also, use it to spend
time in prayer and conversation with God.
Some other helpful hints include to join a support group- God never
intended for us to do this battle alone. Others include learning to say
<NO!>, and finally, learn to remember that it's okay to have fun. I have
met many in the SCV who could use a reminder on this one!
All of these are helpful hints and can be used to avoid the
"burn-out," or the refreshing of the Spirit.
None of these, however, will replace time spent in the word with God and
surrounding yourself with time of worship, with praise music, and daily prayer
- for AT LEAST 15 minutes a day. Either in the morning or the evening. Make it
a daily practice.
Finally, I would add one of my own. When I am feeling I cannot do it
anymore or feel sorry for myself, I remind myself of the heroes in my life.
There are many. My Dad, who, no matter how many times he got knocked down, he
got back up. Even when Dementia was robbing him of everything, he kept his head
up and kept fighting. I think of him everyday.
As far as the SCV goes, I can think of nobody ahead of H.K. Edgerton. HK
was at the Confederate Memorial Service in Montgomery on April 26th. I have
known HK for a long time. HK is a black man who wears a Confederate uniform and
carries a Rebel Flag (please see picture). He's been called every imaginable
racial slur, usually by his own people, but he never complains. He keeps going,
he smiles and keeps moving forward.
Every time I see HK, I am re-energized. I have no excuses to not march
forward with him.
We/ you need people in this life to inspire us and keep us above ground.
They are sent by the Almighty to rally us.
Please know that I pray for this camp and each member and wish nothing
but the blessings of peace and love in your life for many years to come.
Amen.
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