I love Christmas break, and I am looking forward to doing exactly that. Taking a break. Ministry is busy. Ministry is demanding. If we are not careful, our schedules fill up every single day, and we become burned out in ministry. Look, it is OK for you and I to take a break. So, here are a few ways to make the most of your Christmas break.
1) Sleep – I am stoked about sleeping! Now, in youth ministry, I am told by many: “You’re a youth pastor, you do not need sleep,” or “You’re young, you do not need sleep.” These are lies from the devil. OK, don’t call the person telling you these things the devil, but you get the point. We all need sleep regardless of the age or calling you are into. Take the time over Christmas to rest. Take a nap. Come back after the break RESTED.
2) Read – I am looking forward to reading. Recently, my book reading has been consumed with seminary reading, but I am looking forward to reading some books that I have wanted to read for some time. Also, spend some extra time in your personal quiet time with the Lord. I hope you regularly are doing this, but make some extra time with the person of Christmas as well.
3) Spend quality time with the family – I love family time. I am really close to my family as well as my in-laws. We play games together, shop together and try to see a movie over Christmas. Make time to see family over the holidays.
4) Volunteer with serving the needy in some way – Now, you may think, “Wait this is my BREAK or my VACATION.” I have volunteered in the past by serving and building relationships with some homeless people. First off, you will be immensely blessed personally. It will change your life. It will encourage you. It will inspire you, and it will motivate you for ministry after Christmas. It puts things into perspective, and gets our eyes off of ourselves. I am looking forward as my kids get older to taking them to serve with me each Christmas sometime. It is not considered work if you focus on the people you are ministering to rather than the work you are doing.
5) Don’t work – Try to focus on other things like your family, rest, laughing, etc. Don’t be on your phone the entire time. Do not be checking up on every one of your students’ social media pages. Do not be constantly texting and communicating with all of your students the entire break. Do not be checking your email every hour and responding. Side note for you bloggers—take some time off to break from this as well. Take some much-needed time off and don’t work. Sometimes we make work a full-time thing even on vacation. Take a break from work.
I hope that this helps you this Christmas break.
Have a Merry Christmas!
