In the post-summer season of getting back on the grind, it feels the perfect time to start afresh. Be it starting university, a new job, or returning to your slightly more routine day-to-day, the opportunities for turning a new leaf (as autumn literally suggests) begin.

Which products do I add to my skin care routine? Do I try out ‘couch to 5k’ and put it on Strava? Which new Glucose Goddess food trend do I try? And should I redownload Salt?

While all these aspirations are exciting and set the bar for high productivity, they can feel overwhelming too. While fueled with hope and fresh enthusiasm, the activities pile on, the days fill up, and then you’re two weeks in and fully booked up until December.

I am getting married tomorrow, and it’s hard to not focus on things I could be doing in the run up, both on the day and in weeks to come. I have seen every other reel on creative seating plans and listened to every song I could possibly walk down the aisle to. My desire to create an event that impresses my friends or successfuly replicates said reels has almost taken my eyes off the prize. The marriage bit!

It can become hard to just enjoy the things that delight us and soak up the moments which we’ve anticipated and prepared for. What does it really mean, in a season of change and opportunity, to live in the moment God has given?

A passage we reference frequently here at LICC is Jesus’ walk to Emmaus in Luke 24. Two disciples are on their way from Jerusalem, fretting about the details of the past few days and what they’d hoped for being unfulfilled. Jesus (unbeknownst to them) joins them.

The discussion continues and Jesus remains, listening to their heart and walking at their pace. True to his character, Jesus was intentional in his time with them. Listening to their desires and joining in their activity. It took them the whole day before they clocked it was him.

We have the joy of the Spirit now living in us; let’s not forget God’s power within us and through us. As we seek new opportunities and schedule in our latest activities and plan our next event, let’s go slow. Find joy and delight in our activities and with the person in front of us, entrusting the details prayerfully over to God.

Mims Schluter
Culture and Discipleship Project Lead, LICC