Our souls were created to run on God’s grace, and we access that grace as we surrender and open ourselves to Him.


Weariness, exhaustion and burnout are common


complaints among those of us who have given our lives to serving the kingdom of God. However, in Renovation of the Heart, Willard points out, “such weariness and endless labor was, to [Jesus], a sure sign of a soul not properly rooted in God — a soul, in effect, on its own.” Jesus invites us to stop living in our own strength, to


come to Him and live in His yoke, actively partnering with His work in our lives instead of trying to carry the burden on our own. Our souls were created to run on God’s grace, and we access that grace as we surrender and open ourselves to Him. Most oſten, this happens through spiritual practices. Tis is critical as we come into the summer season


of camping. Te spiritual practices of silence and solitude are especially important for the soul’s health. Jesus was constantly escaping the crowds to talk to His Father and find rest. As we abstain from noise and people, we can listen to God’s voice and move into deep soul rest that we cannot find in any other source. It takes intentionality and planning, especially dur-


ing the summer, to appropriately step away from staff and campers, empower others to lead and spend time with the God who dwells and delights in us. It could be as simple as connecting with God while going for a prayer walk over lunch, listening to worship music, sitting in creation and journaling or meditating on a favorite passage of Scripture. If you are looking for a great resource, I highly recommend Adele Calhoun’s Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.


It is only in this peaceful space that we can hear


God reminding us that we are His beloved son or daughter. In this space, He speaks words of truth and life into our souls and replenishes us in ways that only He can. Only in this space are we reminded that we are not in control of outcomes and aren’t responsible for making anything happen; instead, we can work with open hands and trust Him with the results. It is from this space we emerge as a calm, non-anxious presence, able to respond to the situa- tions of life in ways that are good and right. I love Willard’s vision of a soul well cared for by


God: “Our soul is like an inner stream of water, which gives strength, direction and harmony to every other element in our life. When that stream is as it should be, we are constantly refreshed and exuberant in all we do, because our soul itself is then profusely rooted in the vastness of God and His kingdom, including nature; and all else within us is enlivened and directed by that stream. Terefore, we are in harmony with God, reality and the rest of human nature and nature at large.” May it be so for each of us this summer. 


Tiffany Staman is the executive director of Calvin Crest Conferences (Oakhurst, California). She is working on her doctorate in spiritual formation and loves applying what she learns to camp ministry. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her husband, adult children and two dogs, as well as camping, boating and reading.


May/June 2024 www.ccca.org 21


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