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Jason.

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Jason is the founder of Ignite Student Ministries, a dynamic ministry igniting youth, young adults and university students to passionately pursue Christ and transform society in high schools, work places and universities around the world.

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Time to Yourself

Jason VanaJason Vana
self

Photo taken during the Ignite Encounter Retreat.

Last weekend, I had the privilege to lead the Ignite Encounter Retreat.

It was a pretty powerful weekend.

Students from three different colleges and two different high schools were able to get off campus, disconnect from work and school and their typical distractions, and truly encounter God.

They learned about the Nature of God’s Love.
They discussed what it means to hear “Job Well Done.”
They participated in a workshop to help them pray for others.
They learned how to pray more powerfully.
They spent time in passionate worship.
They were challenged to share their faith.
They prayed for their schools.
They received prayer for themselves.
They sat in silence for an hour and a half.
They pigged out on great food.
And they had a lot of fun.

The Encounter Retreats always push the students to new levels with God.

But as the one leading, as the one administrating the retreat, doing some of the teaching, making sure we stay on time with the schedule, corralling students when they want to eat brownies instead of be on time for a session, the retreats can be somewhat…draining.

It’s a lot of work to make sure these retreats go well.
But each time I lead one of these retreats, I walk away with a challenge from God.

One night after I finished praying for students, and they pushed me to the center of the circle to pray for me, two different people said the same thing:

You need to spend more time focusing on yourself.

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

It can be easy for us to find ourselves busy serving others.
It seems only natural to constantly pour out into the lives of others.

We get busy serving at church.
We help at the local food pantry.
We lead a small group, youth group, or young adult group.
We disciple others.
We help every weekend with the kids ministry.
We go to meetings, work on projects, and take care of our families.

And find little time for ourselves.

We are only able to pour into others what we have first received ourselves.

When we spend more time helping others to the neglect of developing our ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically, we become less effective in our service.

We need time to spend with God for ourselves.
We need time to pursue our passions.
We need time to develop our families, our hobbies, and our friendships.
We need time to rest.

While on earth, Jesus often withdrew from the crowds and demands and even opportunities to grow his ministry, in order to develop himself.

If Christ needed that time away, so do we.

How can you begin to spend time developing yourself?

View pictures from the Ignite Encounter Retreat on our Facebook Page.

Jason is the founder of Ignite Student Ministries, a dynamic ministry igniting youth, young adults and university students to passionately pursue Christ and transform society in high schools, work places and universities around the world.