Do you have that place that symbolizes "getting away?" That one place you really feel like you are free from the phone, email, blogs?

Mine is North Myrtle Beach. Been going there since high school. No matter how long the 15 hour trip feels, entering NMB city limits changes me. As if a drain opens and all the pressure of pastoring runs away. If I can get even one good day of sand, waves, and sun, it takes me to a new level of relaxation. So different from Indiana.

Prayer with God during my getaway time is different, more freeflow, less routine. Books read on a reclining chair while hearing crashing waves are just better. Even when the sand gets between the pages.

Vacation. Needful. Restful. Helpful. I heard a funny one about a kid asking why pastors take off some Sundays for vacation. His mother said if he is a good preacher, he deserves time off, and if he isn't, the church does...

Please take time off. Spend it with family. Really get away. Try to do it at least annually. Maybe the same place or in the same way, to get that same mental release. Stay away long enough to really be away.

Throw in a last minute sightseeing trip like we did. Visit friends who live near your vacation spot (We did that! Thanks Drew and Rebekah for such a great time!).

Time to fire up the engines now. On with pressing matters. But I'm ready. Been "away."

Great moments require great prayer
We have noticed that every great moment in our history has been met with at least one spiritual major struggle in our church family. As if the great spiritual breakthru exposes a fault line in someone's faith foundation. Often, it is revealed in the life of someone who is least involved, although by outward appearance, may seem right with us. I am heartbroken about this.. And shaken to consider that I am made of the same material, and heaven is still far away. As Heartcry's recent article stated, I'm living in the middle of "already...not yet" (http://www.lifeaction.org/ publishes this journal, article I'm referring to is not posted). I'm not safe from spiritual defeat until heaven. None of us are.

If moving forward to the next level as a church means spiritual warfare, then, my human side says never mind. Yet, when we do experience resistance, I'm grateful we must be headed in the right direction. Why would the enemy pick on a church who isn't making an impact for Christ? And, what else is worth living for? If I'm not in the war for souls, then what for eternity am I doing? I know no other life, I don't even want to try it. Not that I'm perfected at it. Someone recently said to me that staying home from Sunday worship seemed too easy. Oh God, may I never find sin "so easy" or palatable!

Dr. Davis (http://www.scbi.org/ exec. direct.) once said "If you wake up in the morning and meet the devil on your way to work, you must be going in the right direction" (Hope I quoted him right.)

This post is meant to simply and unashamedly ask readers to stop and pray for our church, my ministry and family integrity, and to warn Christ followers to "take heed, lest you too fall into temptation"