Vacation season is upon us! This of course means day trips, house projects, sleeping in late, staying up late, and a variety of other activities designed to get our minds off of work and everyday life. Unfortunately for some it also means taking a break from our relationship with God. Sometimes when on vacation we can be tempting to get lax when it comes spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible reading.

But, rather than taking a break from God, your summer vacation is an excellent opportunity to connect with Him in brand new ways. Here are 7 things to try this vacation:

1. Instead of skipping church on Sunday , if you are out of town try visiting a different church. Experience how a different community of Christians worship.
2. Rather than leaving your Bible behind, take the extra time you have (after all it is vacation) and spend more time in the Scripture than you usually do. Spend time meditating and chewing on passages.
3. Take a nap! Sleep can actually be a spiritually discipline. When we view sleep as a gift from God it becomes more than just a necessity. Also, when we sleep we have the opportunity to acknowledge that the world will continue to turn without us! Sleep is an act of trusting that God is in control.
4. Take a long walk . Whether at the beach or through the woods, take a walk and spend time enjoying God’s creation. Try to notice the small things that you might normally walk right past. Learn to thank God for the small things.
5. Sunrises and sunsets . I know for me, vacation days often mean sleeping in late, but it is also a great time to rise early and spend time with God as the day begins and He paints the sky. Also take time out to join God as the sun goes down. Reflect with the Psalmist at the handiwork of God. Psalm 19:1-2
6. Disconnect. Consider leaving the laptop, dvd player, and any other gadget behind and fast from multimedia. It can be very tempting to spend all of your free time surfing the net or sitting in front of the TV, but try (even if not for the whole time) spending some time disconnected from media and connected to the people right in front of you. Also, leave all work related stuff at home! Vacations are a form of Sabbath, and sabbath is given to us to rest from work.
7. Pray. OK this one might seem simplistic, but perhaps try some new forms of prayer. Pray outside, write your prayer in a journal, draw or sing your prayer. Get creative. Also, use this prayer time to talk to God about things such as rest, where your life is headed, balance and priority, and new things that God may want you to embark upon.

This year, whether you travel far or stay home, don’t vacation from God, vacation with God.

What are some of the ways you connect with God while on vacation?

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