Take time to de-stress

Pastor, if the stresses of pastoring are getting to you and you need to get away, please read on. My wife and I got away to a location in the mountains of eastern Tennessee for the past few days. As a result, we feel spiritually and emotionally recharged. And I want to share this information with you just in case you need to get away and get refreshed.

But, first, let me remind you of a couple of joys of pastoring, some of the stresses (why you need to get away), and then share some pictures and reflections about a place you will want to check out. 

Some of the joys of pastoring

Pastoring has its own set of joys. Most of those joys are tied into the fact that the people you pastor are inviting you into their stories. After awhile, you are able to privately celebrate the victories of many in your congregation knowing that you had at least a small hand in the work God has done and is doing in their lives. You can also exert great influence over the direction and atmosphere of the church you lead which can create a safe haven and a culture of spiritual growth that people can enjoy for years to come. And you will then offer up prayers of gratitude to God for allowing you to play a part in such a worthy, worthwhile endeavor.

Some of the stresses of pastoring

Stress: feeling stretched like a rubber band!

But, pastoring also has it's own set of stresses. After at least a year or so in ministry, you will realize that the busyness of pastoring isn't nearly as taxing as the "elephant on your back." When people in your congregation hurt, you will hurt, too. The larger your congregation and the greater the burden they are carrying, the more you will hurt - on top of whatever problems your own family is experiencing. There will also be plenty of times when you are misunderstood or did not meet the need of a member who quickly grew upset at you - and they cannot find it within themselves to forgive - they may even find a desire to share their grievances with others to get validation. You will have decisions to make, many that must be made very quickly, that can wear you out - especially if you are still licking your wounds from a bad decision you made (no one is perfect, after all). Regardless of how many meetings, counseling sessions, hospital and home visits, phone calls and other things you have done in a given week, you will have 1-3 sermons to prepare and deliver. Your congregation will probably never forgive you if you approach the pulpit on Sunday morning and say you just didn't have time to study. Plus, you will find that you can never, ever fully turn off the "ministry" switch in your head - you will talk, breathe and eat ministry every day of the week whether you are home or at church. Your phone will also be a constant reminder that you are never, ever off the clock. It could ring at any moment (or you could get a text, a Tweet, a FB message, etc.) regardless of what time of day or what family plans you have made and you will have to get right back to work. And there are many, many more aspects of pastoring that will wear you down if you don't learn how to deal with them ... but let's get to the positive!

But, one final point before we do: If you desire to last a long time in ministry, you'd better follow Jesus' example and have times to get away. Do your church and your loved ones a favor by getting away to get refreshed. Otherwise, you might start behaving very badly.

Mark 6:31
"And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat."

So, let me tell you of a place that Kim and I really enjoyed. You may want to check it out as a spiritual retreat.

Ministry Information

Fairhaven Ministries is a Christian ministry with 15 individual cottages. It is in a heavily wooded area on 100 acres nestled in the mountains of eastern Tennessee.

It is a perfect place to get away from the stresses of ministry for a season. An added bonus to the experience is that there is absolutely no cell phone service. There are also no televisions or phones in the individual cottages.

A map of the Fairhaven Ministries property

Time to read and rest

When Kim and I arrived on Monday evening, we realized that it would take us a whole day just to unwind. Our minds were still in "ministry mode" and we just couldn't grasp the fact that we were essentially, temporarily cut off from the outside world with no phone, radio, television, internet or anything else. While we would go insane if we had to stay more than a week or so in such an environment, it was a welcome guest for a few days.

We soon made use of our time doing what we both enjoy doing - reading! I conquered Elizabeth Elliot's book, "Through Gates of Splendor" in two days. Kim pulled a book off of the cottage's bookshelf and devoured it. Each cottage has a bookshelf with about 100 books that are relevant to those in ministry who are needing to get recharged. There is also a small library in the Welcome Center that is available to guests.

We also enjoyed much time in God's Word. Each day began (as we try to begin every day back home) with time in God's Word and prayer. But, we were able to really connect with the Lord in this environment. Why? Because there were absolutely no distractions and no threat of distractions. (Remember, no phone, internet or television.) Plus, we were in the middle of God's beautiful creation. It was neat to read from His Word and then look out the window at the mountains that He had created.

Time to explore God's creation

There are beautiful sites on the Fairhaven Ministries property. Among them are over 2 miles of trails. Kim and I spent quite a few hours on the trails and were able to get some exercise while enjoying some great conversation. Benches are strategically placed along the trails for those who need some rest or simply want to sit and relax.

Another enjoyable aspect of the property is that Roaring Creek flows through much of it. It is a beautiful mountain stream. As it travels over rocks and other obstructions in the creek bed, it provides a beautiful, melodic sound. Wherever we were on the property, the sound was in the background. (I will provide a video at the end of this post.)

One of the places we discovered on our first hike was the waterfall between the 4th and 5th trail bridges. Every hike we began after that had to include the falls as a destination. It is just so therapeutic to watch the water cascade over the falls as the sound lulls you into calm. (I will provide a video at the end of this post.)

Time to worship

Near the Main Lodge, there is a small chapel. (The picture to the right is taken from the Main Lodge. You can see the very small chapel on the left and a gazebo at the bottom of the hill.) Kim and I stepped inside of the chapel on our first hike. We made it a point on each consecutive hike to stop by.

While we certainly didn't need a chapel to worship, because we were worshipping our great God while we read Scripture and prayed at our cottage and on our hikes, it just felt special to be inside of the chapel. While inside, we sang praise songs together, we talked of how wonderful our God is and we spent time in prayer.

Conclusion

So, if you are a pastor and feel like you need to get away to get emotionally and spiritually renewed, Fairhaven Ministries may be for you. (They even have pastoral discounts!) But, there are plenty of other places available to those in ministry. This is just one. Go ahead and explore the options and make plans to get away and get recharged.

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