Have you ever felt like everything in your life appears to be slowing down… almost to a complete standstill?
Like the momentum you had in your personal life, work, health, or even spiritual growth is moving at a snail’s pace? You’ve probably felt uncomfortable. Maybe even frustrated.
That’s where I found myself at the start of June, and it’s really thrown me off balance.
I’m someone who thrives on momentum and staying busy. Heck, if I don’t have five things checked off my to-do list by 8 a.m., I start to wonder if something’s wrong!
So when life got quiet, I didn’t know what to do with it.
But let me tell you what I’ve come to understand: when life slows down, it’s not always a setback. Sometimes it’s a signal to rest your body, refresh your mind, and renew your spirit.
Well, let me tell you… I’ve learned something really important about when life slows down and you resist it. There’s a greater power at work and we’re supposed to take that period of time to rest our bodies, refresh our minds, and renew our spirits.
We often push back against stillness because it feels unproductive. But maybe that pause is where the real preparation begins.
After all, what’s the rush?
Things with Creators of Hope Journeys have been incredibly busy for the first six months of 2025, and I have to admit that I really enjoyed the fast pace. We were traveling, planning, executing, and firing on all cylinders for what felt like a week, but in reality, it was six months straight. And it felt good.
Then June arrived, and our pace slowed down… a lot. Suddenly, there were no urgent meetings, no trips, and not much admin work to catch up on. What a strange feeling this was for me!
I struggled to be at peace with it for almost an entire month. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. But over the past week, something shifted.
I realized this quiet stretch wasn’t wasted time. It was time I needed. Because there’s a ramp up coming.And when it arrives, it’s going to be big.
I think we all need to remind ourselves during seasons of perceived “slowness” that we’re being given a moment of time to organize ourselves through rest. Not only because we deserve it and have a right to look back on the busy lives we live, but because we also need to rejuvenate for everything to come.
And let me tell you… it’s going to be busy heading into fall and kicking off 2026!
But before all that begins, I’m choosing to slow down. I’m going to celebrate what our amazing team has accomplished so far while preparing for the exciting things that lie ahead. More build trips, more people served, and more life-changing experiences for our participants.
So here’s my advice: remember to take rest and, more importantly, recognize when you’re being given the opportunity to slow down so that you can ramp up.
For now, that’s what I plan on doing. I’m going to enjoy time with family and friends, and check things off my to-do list slowly. Then, when the time comes (hopefully not too soon!), I’ll be ready to hit the ground running and deliver what’s shaping up to be our greatest season of build trips ever!
If you want information about those trips, send me a reply or check out the scheduled departures for 2026 here.
Have a wonderful July and summer break. I look forward to catching up with you all in August!
And remember… Together, we’re all Creators of Hope.
With Gratitude,
Joe
