August is coming...

Last night, I emailed the Leadership team at CCN & the people I have the privilege of supporting, ministries wise. The message - I'm 'logging off' for the month of August.

It's something I felt called to do last year & given its value, I'm going to repeat the exercise. The previous version was a bit demanding given I fasted electronics; that being TV, Internet (including Blogs, FB & Twitter) & email. It was further 'exacerbated' by the fact that I was still in a period during which the Lord had told me to read nothing other than His word.

That said, I survived & feel like I can build on my experience this August.

What were my take-outs last year?

1) I re-learned how much of my identity can become wrapped up in busyness & task 

2) alongside this, I was forced to acknowledge that I don't always choose to fill my life with the correct things & that in the absence of my 'norms', I can feel empty 

3) by the end, I was convinced beyond any doubt that life is simpler than I often make it

What will this year's version look like?

I'm still working on all of the details but it is clear the month will be more intentional than during the previous occasion...

1) there will definitely be some travel again; a few days at the Willow Creek GLS & family time, including our main holiday

2) there are also likely to be some adjustments...

- I suspect a partial electronics fast this time, leaving in place the things that invigorate (Blog & Twitter), whilst eradicating the more stressful (email) 

- I'm also hopeful that I will be 'allowed' book interactions; both reading (I have a bit of a backlog) but also collating notes from recent key reads. These include Humility: True Greatness by C J Mahoney & The Me I Want To Be by John Ortberg 

- there are a number of topics I wish to study & given I lack a propensity for detail, this will require discipline 

- more people time; a major learning from last year was that I had insufficient time with others. This meant, I was heavy on input & light of output which brought frustration

What am I expecting?

This has proved to be a tough question to answer - not because I can't give an answer, but because I don't really like my answer & don't feel I can explain it succinctly...

- at one level, I am content to believe I will be back at the place spiritually, mentally & emotionally that I was on August 31st 2010 

- thereafter my 'need' for significance kicks in. My achiever wakes up & a desire to (visibly) 'make progress' raises its head

Would re-calibration cut the mustard? The reality is, I don't know. Which of my drivers are on this occasion worthy? Again, I don't know as yet. I am having to rest secure that whatever clarity & answers are needed will become clear in His timing.

Finally - why write this?

1) as with most of what I'm posting up in this blog, it helps me in that I am 'forced' to crystallize some of my thinking on a given topic 

2) I'm keen on accountability - how I plan to spend 31 days is, at least in part, now a matter of public record

3) it also gives me the opportunity to throw out a challenge! You may not be able to take a month out, but you are capable & worthy of rest. Maybe you ought to consider what your version of my August could look like

I may well blog again before August starts giving more detail on my plans for the month. Whether that happens or not, I will be posting up during the month itself. I find it cathartic & as mentioned above, it crystallizes what's swirling round in my head!

If, in a few weeks time you get an 'Out of Office' reply from me - please throw up a prayer, that I will be being conscious of His presence & attentive to His voice.

Jonathan

PS I'm far from closed to any bright ideas you guys might have on this topic whether around use of time or otherwise