Mo' Peace Before Round 13

Tomorrow starts year #13 for me doing campus ministry with InterVarsity. I've got a couple of days full of meetings with student leaders and then the weekend is full of campus events to meet new students.

I've recently said that the year that August doesn't bring with it some level of anxious energy is the year that I'll know it's time to leave. But the beginning of this August was unusually full of stress. I've picked up some new responsibilities heading into this year, including our New Student Welcome, and I was really anxious--nothing specific, just generally feeling overwhelmed.

Then last week I went to my Easter Carolinas staff (a.k.a. "the heavy hitters"--at least, that's what we like to call ourselves) team meetings. I arrived at the beach with lots on my mind and a long to-do list that I was planning on conquering during our free time.

When my Area Director handed out the schedule for our week I saw something that made my heart sink: electronics-free Wednesday. Our Area Director was asking us to not "plug-in" at all during Wednesday except for phone calls home to check-in with spouses and families. A day free of electronics: no t.v, Ipods...or computers to do work.

This made me even more anxious. Didn't she realize I had work to do??

Then I took a deep breath. I prayed a little bit. Maybe this was exactly what I needed.

I survived electronics-free Wednesday. In fact, I more than survived it. It was fantastic for me. I came out on the other side more centered, less bewildered and less vaguely overwhelmed. I plugged back in for an hour or so on Thursday with a whole new level of perspective. I was at peace with what I had to do.

This peace has (for the most part) carried over into this week. I'm looking forward to this year, this weekend, the next several weeks of New Student Welcome. It's going to be a great year. Electronics-free Wednesday was just the first of many gifts that I believe the Lord wants to surprise me with this school year...even the types of gifts that I'm initially not sure that I want.

Those often seem to be the best kind.