The eleventh day of Lent: Quiet

There are times we just need to stop. 

I’ve been coming to Holy Island since 2009 when I discovered this place as part of my first sabbatical. I met Lis here on my second sabbatical in April 2016, I proposed to her on the beach here six months later and in March 2017 the day after our wedding we had a blessing in the church. We come back here at least three times a year. We’ve been stranded here in the beast from the east and battered here in storm Arwen. It is our thin place. When the tide goes out and this tidal island becomes a proper island there is an indescribable peace. 

Since I came back to work in November from sick leave, it’s been mad as I’ve built myself up again, have had a heavy pastoral load, difficult meetings, and I have spent time preparing for a change in oversight in our Circuit which means I hand over two churches in a fortnight to a new lovely colleague who I will work well with. 

There’s been so much going on I need this time to think about my ministry, my plans, where God is and spend time with Lis. We find this place renewing and calming and both of us need its peace at this time. 

Jesus says “Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” It’s an amazing offer to us to sort our head out! But we have to make the journey to come to him. Coming here takes effort, getting cats in the cattery, making final phone calls, packing the car, negotiating the road, paying the Tyne Tunnel toll, checking the tide times…. but getting here all that is worth the journey. Already I feel better. Especially as we’ve found how to turn the heating up in the cottage! 

Stopping can let God in. If we are too busy being church we can’t let God direct us and so we struggle because we don’t allow us to receive. Can we learn to rest well this Lent? Can we let God love us again? And can we take time to chill and not feel guilty about it? Like me sitting here… cheers!