Rest and Renewal

If I had to describe what I believe is at the heart of Jubilee Seasons in one word, it would be "renewal". I don't think you can experience genuine renewal without rest. However, rest is not the end-result that we seek (this side of eternity). Seasons of rest are instead doorways into something new. And, that newness of life is experienced as we find ourselves being renewed internally through the presence of God breathing life into our souls again.

Spiritual renewal can be defined as the process of revitalizing and rejuvenating one's spiritual life in Christ through a transformational mindset, and a commitment to living in accordance with Jesus's values. It's a deeply personal journey of growth, often found after a "wilderness season," leading to a renewed sense of purpose and meaning through rest in Jesus.

Wilderness seasons are necessary if we are going to continue to grow in the understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. They are seldom welcomed into our lives, but its through these seasons that our survival mechanisms are seen for what they are, and we find healing in deeper ways. It is in our wilderness seasons where we begin to take responsibility for our own dysfunctional patterns, but we stop taking responsibiity for the patterns we see in others–and we learn the difference. It is in our wilderness seasons where we attune our hearts to hear the sweet timbre of compassion in the voice of our Savior as He leads us through the dry terrain and back out into a fruitful land.

And, it is this fruitful land that I have my sights on when it comes to future plans for Jubilee Seasons. I am starting to see some things emerge on the horizon. Right now, I can only grasp it through vision, but I know vision is the starting place of birthing something new with Jesus. Because of this, I have started writing a new devotional called 21 Days of Prayer Walking: Traveling through the Book of Joshua. Hopefully, this will be available by the end of June.

With that, I invite you to chew on this quote from Pastor Vance Havner, “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”

And thankfully, it is through the broken body of Jesus that we are made whole (complete) through the finished work of the cross. Then through the process of rest and renewal we learn to live in the safety of the Shepherd's care.

Peace and wholeness (shalom), friends!