Month: August 2016

When the storm comes

/ R Wendt / Leave a comment

storm+smh

I love storms! One of my favorite things to do is simply sit on the back patio or in the garage as I watch the storm clouds roll in. There is something amazing about the way the clouds move through the sky as a perfectly calm, sunny day can turn into a lightning and thunder filled moment overnight.

As I was watching a storm roll in the other night, I couldn’t help but reflect on how life can often be full of storms. The type of storms that aren’t so fun to watch.

There is something to know about storms, they are not a matter of “if” they come, but “when.” This happens in both nature and our own personal life. Just like the beautiful islands of Hawaii are not freed from tropical storms and hurricanes, neither are we.

While out at sea, the disciples of Jesus were caught in a storm. I love this story, because there are two separate responses taking place.

The Bible describes the situation as a “great storm.”

The disciples responded with panic and urgency.

Jesus, meanwhile, was sleeping. The disciples were so afraid that they woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” I love how they are telling Jesus what is happening! Meanwhile, Jesus responds by saying, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

I have found that when storms come, I often react more like the disciples than Jesus. I freak out and try to take control of the situation!

However, I need to often be reminded that God is in control. That even when the storm is bad, God is there in control.

Right as the disciples thought they were about to perish, Jesus calmed the sea and brought peace to the situation.

How can we trust God more in the storms of our lives?

SEE MATTHEW 8 – Jesus calms the storm

6:1 a rhythm for work & rest

/ R Wendt / 1 Comment

rest+day

Where has the time gone!? It has been a month since my last post. This was an intentional effort to set forth a time of rest for my family. It was a time where we could finish up loose ends in order to spend time more together. It was a month where we said “no” to things in order to say “yes” to family time.

In this crazy, busy, and hectic world, our success is measured by our busyness rather than the quality of our relationships. We fill our calendars with endless events and activities only to make quick appearances in order to get to the next event. The days, weeks, and months fly by and we reflect back only to wonder what we did.

Arguably one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our day is Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla, and Solar City. This is a man who has changed the automobile industry, the space industry, and even impacted our electric grid. It is hard to talk to a millennial who does not respect Musk and all that he has accomplished. However, this has not come without a cost. In an interview in September 2015, Musk admitted that within a twelve year period, he only attempted to take a vacation one time.

I have found this to be a continual struggle for me as well. Not necessarily struggling to find time for a vacation, but struggling with the idea of rest. When I look at an empty day on the calendar, a sense of disappointment sets in. I feel like I did not do enough, or I that I am letting someone down. I feel as if my pride is being shot. My mind continually thinks, “There must be something I can do other than simply rest!”

However, the Bible makes it clear that there are times when God wants us to rest.

Leviticus 23:3 says, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.”

From the beginning of creation (Genesis 1-2), God established this rhythm of rest. He did so by creating the world in six days only to take the seventh day for rest (Genesis 2:1-3).

Even Jesus would find times for rest. Immediately following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus dismissed the crowd, placed the disciples on a boat, and went to a mountain alone to pray (Mark 6:45-46).

If the God of the universe found time to rest, then it must be important.

Over the coming years I want to challenge myself to uphold this rhythm of rest. Rest does not mean sitting idle, but a time of calmness and peace. It is a time to enjoy the family around us, and is especially a  time to be refreshed by our Heavenly Father.

How can we establish rhythms of rest? For me, it is following the 6:1 pattern.

6 days of work, 1 day of rest.

6 weeks of hard work, 1 week of reprieve.

6 months of focused work, 1 month filled with extra family time.

By no means am I perfect at this, but it is something worth striving for! Will you join me?