Spiritual Restoration/Renewal

Church family, as I return from this sabbatical season, my heart is anchored in one truth: God restores His people through His Word and His presence. This is true for any follower of Christ. I’m not sure about your need for noise and productivity, but these factors have challenged my view of Sabbath and True Rest. At the beginning of sabbatical, I wanted to check e-mail and text messages. I wanted to “move” for Jesus. I may have been “still” on the outside but on the inside, I was still amped up. Over the past month I’ve realized that an extended season of Sabbath has taught me that my significance is not wrapped up in productivity, but in my relationship with Christ. I’m reminded that spending time with Christ is not a “have to” but a “get to” proposition. There is a balance between “being” and “doing.” I’m naturally bent on “doing” for God, so this has helped me focus on the “being” still in His presence. Sitting in His presence and contemplating the AWE factor of God, humbled me and reminded me of my place in God’s Kingdom work. Because we are made in the image of God, we have this longing for His Awe in our lives. Many of us try to replace it with other things or people, but ONLY GOD can fill this longing with the satisfaction we so desire. I have been impacted by this season. I am grateful to God and to my church family for this time of Spiritual restoration and renewal.  It has been good to worship and fellowship with other churches, but it has made us long for our church family at FBC Ruidoso. Here is some scripture that I chewed on for spiritual renewal:

Psalm 23:3 — “He restores my soul.”

This verse became a steady companion. Restoration is not self‑achieved; it is God’s work. Sabbatical allowed me to slow down long enough for the Shepherd to do what only He can do—restore, renew, and realign my soul. Again, I realized the fine balance between being and doing. Spending time with family and with Jesus, reminded me of my primary identity as a child of God.

Isaiah 40:31 — “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.”

Waiting is not passive. It is an act of trust. During this sabbatical, God reminded me that strength is not found in constant motion but in waiting on Him. Renewal comes when we stop long enough to let God be the One who strengthens us. Sabbatical/Waiting on the Lord, reconnects us to God not as workers in His field, but as children in His presence.

Mark 6:31 — “Come away… and rest a while.”

Jesus Himself invited His disciples to step away from the demands of ministry. Sabbatical has been my obedience to that same invitation. Rest is not a retreat from calling; it is preparation for deeper faithfulness to it.

Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Stillness is a spiritual discipline. In the quiet, God reminded me that He is God, over the church, over my life, and over every season. Sabbatical taught me again that ministry flows best from stillness, not striving.

Thank you for granting me this sacred time. Your support reflects the balance of work and rest, pouring out and being filled. My prayer is that the same God who continues to restore and strengthen me, will do the same for our church family.

I’m looking forward to Equip and Encourage you with the Word on Sunday as we worship our heavenly Father on Father’s Day! And as we prepare for VBS, we will have a commissioning time for the God-sized week ahead.

Co-laborers in Christ,

Pastor Todd