What I am doing to 'rest well' this summer

I just finished a role in Parliament. After eight eventful years that included Brexit, five Prime Ministers, and a global pandemic, I have said goodbye to the (quite literally) gilded halls of the Palace of Westminster, choosing to accept the Lord’s will for me to move further into ministry at my church in East London.

My hope is that, alongside working for my church, I can continue to use my organisational management and leadership development skills to support organisations across all sectors.

I’m grateful for almost a decade of impactful projects in a very traditional organisation with many people who truly mean well. God’s grace to me was most evident at Parliament as I saw the Christian foundation of the United Kingdom, and as we all worked to consider and uphold the freedoms that Christ has generously bestowed our society.

Resting 'well'

Working for a church is a true vocation. This joyful work (I’m a pastoral worker, currently focusing on our small groups and women’s ministry) involves being friends with people, a busy WhatsApp grid (other messaging apps are available), lots of planning and organising, lots of events management, lots of change management, and people management. Not to talk of the spiritual attacks that affect those in ministry, be they personal, or to loved ones. There is a lot to carry. Not without the One who is with us until the end of the age, but still, it’s a busy job.

One thing that Parliament taught me, and that I would like to keep doing is providing clear rhythms of rest for myself. My church arranges its year in a similar way to Parliament, according to the academic year, so there is a clear break for Christmas, Easter and the summer. It should come as no surprise though, that working for a church though often takes one into late evening sessions and regular weekend work. I am happy to work a six-day week across both vocations I have, but oh how important it is to use the one day to rest, and rest well!

Resting well is possibly the fundamental step to self-leadership before leading others. For me, it has been helpful to have good conversations with others in church leadership who have different ways of switching off. Whilst I do implement some of these practical tips, I want my rest to be deeper than simply taking myself away from WhatsApp for a week or going away on holiday. I don’t want my rest to be one full of distraction and entertainment, one that is marked by discontent, and simply wanting to fill the silences. I want to rest by having a mind and a life that looks primarily to where Christ is, eagerly awaiting His return.

Time with the Lord

This summer I have decided to take August off all work. For me, this looks like switching off my alarm clock to change the pattern of interruptions to my sleep. I’ll be spending this month in Matthew’s Gospel, chewing over it and enjoying longer time with the Lord.

Even though I don’t plan on going away on a significant trip, I’ll be visiting my family and my friends’ churches instead of heading to see my church family.

I have changed my WhatsApp contact information to "slow to respond", as I can’t be away from the messaging app completely.

I’m off Instagram for this month and loving it.

The physical act of doing these small things reminds me that I am getting some sacred time away even though I am not leaving my corner of East London.

I’m also remembering how to focus on leading myself, before leading others. I continue to pray for my church family, but I know that this month I will not be following up some of those prayers with a "hope you’re well" message. In doing this, I remember that my friends and church family are God’s business, first and foremost, not mine.

I remind myself that a significant period of rest is the intention of the God who gives perfect peace to those who fix their minds on Him. He is an eternal rock to be entrusted with all things. (Isaiah 26v3–4)