Time to recharge.

I’m in Seattle. It rains here. All. The. Time.

There’s a certain coziness to constant cloud cover. It makes you want to stay home under a blanket, watch the first season of Heroes and sip fresh-pressed apple cider from the Yakima fruit market. I couldn’t live here, but I can do it for week.

We’ve been meeting mostly with Debra’s friends out here. While I’ve truly enjoyed meeting new people and connecting with them for the first time, I’m aware that only a certain level of trust and friendship can be established in a single meeting. My desire to connect with people, to bless and encourage them, and to cast a vision for what we’re doing…. It’s hard to do in 2 hours with no prior history. This is different than my meetings in Colorado, where I had relationships with people and connections happened quickly.

So I’m adjusting to the reality of 1 meeting a day instead of 5, to a different quality of connection, and to the simple fact that no matter how late we sleep in, we’re running out of steam. It’s tough because I want to communicate clearly to people just how excited we are about the ministry we’re doing. I want to really cast a vision for what we’re about, but it seems to come out muddled.

It was easier at the start when I was waking up, spending time with God, being reminded of God’s “bigger picture” for my life on a daily basis. It’s harder when I’m traveling and staying in other peoples’ homes to take the time and intentionality to daily check in with God. Not impossible. Just harder. And to some degree I know that I won’t be able to fully plug back in until I get back into some kind of rhythm at home. I feel like God intentionally poured out His love and presence on me each morning for six weeks from August to mid-September, knowing it would have to sustain me throughout this trip.

So far, it has. In spite of intense testing and challenges, I haven’t seriously doubted the depth and intensity of God’s love and pursuit. I’ve maintained a steady faith in God’s faithfulness and purpose.

But I have also been feeling a slow drain and a desire to rest and recharge.

One week to go, then home to Minnesota.