PAUSE

Last weekend we took some time to breathe.  We acknowledged the fact that life seems to constantly move towards the hectic.  Without wanting it or intending for it, life becomes about worry and stress.  We hate it, yet we feel stuck.  The bad news is that our culture is structured in such a way that this is normal.  The good news is that we don't have to simply go with the flow until it controls us, we can step away from what is normal, we can PAUSE.

Bryan posted a great summary of our retreat yesterday.  You guys should definitely give it a read just for a refresh and recap.  Or if you were unable to join us, it'll give you a great idea of what we thought about during the weekend.

I want to just take a minute to encourage you to think about the impact pausing can have on your life and how you can making pausing a part of your everyday life.

As you think about your week, consider these questions:

- How do you get perspective on life?  What helps you see the bigger picture of who God is and who you are on a daily basis?

- Do you take time every day to pause and to broaden your perspective on life?  If not, how could you do that?  What would it look like?

- Are there friends around you who would be willing and able to help you keep your focus on things that truly matter?  Could you be more intentional about developing friendships that help you grow closer to God on a daily basis?

- How do you love God and love others every day?  This is the key, this is the ultimate in gaining perspective.  Try pausing each day to think about how you can love God and love others and then act on it and see how that impacts the way you see life.

My prayer for all of us is that we would see the importance of stopping and pausing so that we don't rush through life, missing God and others along the way.