Often the soul simply needs some rest, a glass of water, and a massage.
As some of you have already heard, Candace and I will be living in a van for 4-months while we travel and climb through the western half of the United States. Our goal of the trip is to spend some restful time together climbing, reading, writing, and studying Scripture. We will be caravanning through high alpine desert, old growth forest, and surfside towns with names like Las Lagoon or something equally un-Canadian.
Our church, Christian Life Community Church, has given us the time away in what is often referred to as a ‘sabbatical’. A Sabbath, which is where we get the word sabbatical from, may describe a certain day of our week where we produce nothing, where the machine stops and our only job is to enjoy life. This may describe the day of our week where we stop to consider that the planet will still wobble around its axis, the sun will still flicker, possums will still never quite reach the other side of the road, rabbits will still look cute, and life will go on. A weekly Sabbath is a day of our week where we remember God for who God is; a day where we remember that when God finished creating he looked at life and said that it was very good.
While a Sabbath speaks of a day, a sabbatical speaks of a time. A sabbatical describes a time, like in ancient Israel, where crops were not put in the ground for a season for two reasons: (a) to give the land a period of rest so that it would regenerate itself, and (b) to restore the people’s dependency on God. This is a time where life, which God proclaimed as very good, pauses among the clutter of culture to be regenerated and restored to a better place…a place of dependency on the ‘very-good-life-giving-God.’ This is a significant time where livelihoods slow considerably, not in negligence, but to allow for once fertile soil, such as the soul, to rest.
Candace and I are looking forward to our time of rest and regeneration as we travel. In addition to climbing and finding music on my guitar, I am in process of working on a pretty big writing project that requires some extra time devoted specifically to it. We do covet your prayer and thoughts as we travel and study. We will be away April, May, June, and July.
If you do have any questions, thoughts, or encouragement please use the comment section below.
Grace and Peace,
-Jeremy and Candace.
8 comments:
I think that's fantastic Jer! I pray you guys have a great relaxing rejuvenating time as you take the scenic route for a while!
That's going to be so great. I'm glad you two can go do this; it will be so good for you as individuals and as a couple!
I'll pray that it is a time of absolute rest and peace...and FUN!
I'm really excited for you guys; for your time away together, for the fun you will have, for where God is taking you in your writing Jer, and for memories you will undoubtedly create while you're away. Dean and I will certainly keep you in our prayers. We love you guys and are very thankful for your influence in our lives. Now go enjoy yourselves!!
so you really do need a van huh? hmmm, well, i have an idea. send me a e mail.
mike .e.
hey man
its josh hyslop
i hope you guys have an amazing trip and you get all the rest you need. i also hope writing goes well for you and that you rock climb to the extreme but come back alive.
keep on 'finding the music'!
i'll miss both of you
peace and love
-josh
Hey Jer, that sounds like a way cool adventure filled with Gods glory. Middle of may, I am going to be at smith rock climbing for a week. If you guys are anywhere close, we should meet up, But I also see the other goal of your journey. Hope to climb with you later this summer. I still owe you a trip up a multi pitch in squamish. Blessings on your trip, sounds like soooo much fun. Jim Cross
The US is the most evil country that has ever existed - they are so intolorent. why go there?
Have a grand adventure! God provided sabbatical time for me last year, and I am so changed because of it, you will be too. Don't fall.
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