Does anyone else feel like everything takes at least three additional steps when living overseas?

You don’t just fill your cup from the tap, silly. You cart in water (because the water supply behaves like a cranky toddler). You scour the suspiciously disgusting filter candle. You pour the water into the filter.

You don’t pull into Wal-Mart grocery pickup for your produce. You lock the gate behind you and trudge to the market through mud, often a social event as you stop to chat. You haggle and ask about your friends. You walk home and wash your feet, then soak the vegetables in whatever you’ve decided is most likely to kill the bad stuff. 

Want enchiladas? You’ll whip up the tortillas and sauce from scratch. And only get the good cheese and the meat from the more sanitary store across town. Don’t get me started on refried beans…

A director with AIM says, “Life on the field is made up of 10% ministry and 90% surviving.” 

We know well the expectations of ministry coupled with the many monkey wrenches tossed in. 

So, it doesn’t always make sense, necessarily, to carve out time for not-doing. 

But, for example, here’s what I’ve noticed while on date nights with my husband. (Work with me, here.) If we only discuss plans for the kids’ discipline, his travel schedule, and financial adjustments? I don’t come away feeling connected. 

What we need most is to just enjoy each other. To revel in being “us.” Somehow, this little luxury keeps me alive. 

It’s the same in our relationship with God. Remember the whole chief-end-of-man, this-is-the-main-thing-thing? To “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” The “enjoy” part requires intentionality amidst a scroll-length to-do list.

It’s our first command, right? To love Him with everything we are.

Not unlike the burst of closeness from a date night you’ve set aside, there’s something to be said for undivided, undistracted presence with the Lord. For shutting the door on effort and productivity to give God what he deserves: the worship worthy of uprooting our lives to spread among the nations.