“What did you talk about today in Sunday School?”  This is the question that is usually thrown out in the minivan on our way home from church.  Henry often looks at me with a blank stare (Sunday school is primarily social for him at this point.)  But Brady’s answers have gotten a lot more in depth as he’s gotten older.

This week, they made paper cup “phones”—two cups with a string connecting them.  As Brady described it, they learned about how, if they hold the cups so the string is tight, they can hear each other.  But if the connection loosens, it’s hard to hear.  He informed me that it’s like our connection with God.  If we keep it “tight” we’ll be able to “hear” God more clearly.  But if we neglect it and it gets too loose, it will be harder.

Out of the mouths of babes.  His words struck a chord with me as I thought about my own relationship with Jesus as well as my leadership of others.  How many times have I let busyness in life loosen that connection or priority on a personal level? How many times have I let to-do lists and tasks also loosen that connection or priority as a leader?  Sure there are good “reasons”: there is a sermon to write, a Bible study to prepare, an event to host, volunteers to recruit, people to visit, meetings to attend…and on and on.  But the truth is, valid or not, these “reasons” didn’t change the reality that my connection—and the connection of the group I was leading—would loosen under the load of a hectic life.

A friend recently read me the passage about Mary and Martha and Martha’s words, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40) and it struck me in a new way.  How many times do we feel busied and overwhelmed and we want to say, “Lord, don’t you care that the other people in my church (or life) have left me to do the work by myself (or with the same people who have “always” done it)?”  We think, if we could just get more people to help with all the “tasks” of life or ministry, THEN we could enjoy time with Jesus.

But perhaps Jesus’ answer to us is the same as it was to Martha.  Maybe Jesus’ answer in those moments of life and ministry is to find our way to the feet of Jesus.  Maybe it’s to invite others (and lead other) to his feet too.  Because maybe it’s through that “tight connection” that we will find true renewal of our spirits, a clearer focus on the path forward, and a renewed trust in the power of Jesus to do more through the work of his Spirit than our lists could ever accomplish.

A year and a half ago, Sue Nilson Kibbey was the teacher/speaker at Annual Conference.  Her words about prayer coupled with her recommendation of “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson led to a season of renewed passion for prayer in my personal life as well as a time of leading the church in a breakthrough prayer initiative over the course of the following year.  I remember it feeling like a cold drink of water after a long desert season and an opening of my eyes to all Christ could do.

I’m excited that Sue will be in our Conference once again this weekend to lead teams from churches in implementing a Breakthrough Prayer Initiative in their churches. (If your team has not RSVPd yet, please contact the conference office ASAP!)  I’m excited for church teams who will be attending as well as for our conference staff who will be a part of the day.  Mostly, I’m excited for that collective intentionality of moving to the feet of Jesus and finding all he has waiting for us when we do.

-Rev. Rebecca Trefz, Director of Ministries