I love breaks! I wouldn’t make it far without them. Furthermore, I believe breaks are monumental for personal growth. However, you can’t flippantly walk into a break. In order to exploit a break for all its worth, you must be intentional with how you approach it. The difference here is huge: between having a break and letting a break have you. One prepares and propels you; the other leaves you empty and tired. So, here’s the second step to having an intentional, growth-filled break: Read.
John Wesley once said, “It cannot be that the people should grow in grace unless they give themselves to reading. A reading people will always be a knowing people.” I’ve often found that people want to read, they just don’t know what to read. If you have some decent time at home, may I make a recommendation? Shoot for three books:
- Let your first book be one that greatly interests you. If you’re not motivated, it’s not worth it!
- Let the second book be a biography. Learn about a great hero of the faith (try Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Adoniram Judson, or others)
- Let the third book be about a topic that you want to learn more about. This could be a spiritual gift (prophesy, hospitality, tongues, etc.), an element of character (humility, thankfulness, love, etc), an aspect of leadership, or anything else you’ve want to study more in-depth.
Make sure to check out the first ingredient to a growth-filled break: Rest.