Be Still and Know That I Am Your God

I’m in Ottawa this week for the biennial National Youth Ministry Conference put on by the Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network (CCYMN).  By virtue of my position as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (OYYAM) for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, I’ve been part of the CCYMN since its inception in 2005. 

Prior to the weekend conference, the Directors and Coordinators of Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry are gathering for a few days for our Annual General Meeting.  It will be a great chance to pray, to share, to network, and to discuss issues that we face on both national and local levels.

At the opening session of the AGM, we broke into small groups and talked about the conference theme of “Be Still and Know That I am God” from Psalm 46.  The responses from my group members were not surprising: we are all busy balancing family and ministry (and other things) and it’s a challenge to just “be still”.  Yet we collectively realized that it’s vital to our ministries and more importantly our health, our relationships, and our overall well-being.

I told my group that while I acknowledge the importance of being still, it actually isn’t really on my radar or a priority for me...at least currently.  I certainly wasn’t suggesting that I was busier than anyone else, but I did offer that I’m not wired to “be still”.  When at home, I do my best to make sure that I’m truly present to my wife and kids in all ways:  physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  But when they go to bed, my first thought isn’t always to join them (it doesn’t help that my wife Gail often goes to bed before sunset but that’s not the point here...haha).   I do my best work when I’m working well into the night, or more accurately, well into the next morning.  Sometimes it’s ministry work and other times it’s creating written and video blogs on the Vancouver Canucks (my other passion besides family and faith).

Granted, I’m not getting any younger so I certainly don’t have the stamina that I had 10 or even five years ago.  I know that my wife Gail would like me to get more sleep but it’s hard, especially when I’m excited about what I’m working on. And I realize it’s always the same routine in the morning: while we’re scrambling around trying to get the kids ready for school, she still takes the time to read the blog or watch the video that I had finished just a few hours prior. Even when I can tell that she doesn’t care, at least she pretends to.  :p

So I admit: this theme of being still is going to challenge me and stretch me.  Obviously, I recognize the value of slowing things down and simply resting in the Lord.  I, like many others, often catch myself being more “Martha” and less “Mary”.

But I must remember that I don’t always have to be “chasing after” God or “seeking after” Him.  There are times when I need to just get over myself, be still, and let Him find me.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

Going Slow with Dr. Low

My name is Rob Low and I'm a Spiritual Life Coach.  One of the main focuses of my ministry is helping people to slow down, stop, wait, listen, retreat and rest in God's presence.  Without this kind of reflective and prayerful practice many of us simply keep spinning our wheels at top speed and miss some of the growth and learning opportunities God brings us daily.

This is especially important for youth workers and youth themselves.  Most youth and youth workers run at a pretty fast pace.  Life is busy and full; ministry is demanding; friends, family, church, school and jobs take a lot of time and energy.  God understands this and is with us in these ventures and in the midst of it all He invites us to rest - to rest in Him.  And this is just not an invitation for those who are tired and worn out, this is an important invitation for us all because it involves our very salvation and strength:

"...In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."
 ~ Isaiah 30:15

• Do you have an over all attitude of repentance or do you just repent from specific sins from time to time?
• Do you ever spend time in rest and quietness or do you fill your time with as much noise, people and activity as possible to fill the lonely moments?
• Where does your salvation come from?  Resting in God or working harder yourself (or perhaps a bit of both)?
• Are you feeling strong these days?  What do you need to ask God for today?

Don't make the mistake many youth and youth workers make - filling their life as full as possible so not only is there no time for quiet time with God but seemingly no need because we feel full and satisfied with other things.  Stop, look, listen...slow down and join Jesus in His teaching and example of Sabbath Rest.  Jesus, of all people, was very busy, active and successful in His ministry but he regularly modeled rest and retreat as He pulled Himself aside to seek intimate, life-giving moments with His Father.  God loves spending one-on-one time with us; are you taking Him up on His invitations?

For more information on Dr. Low or his Spiritual Life Coaching Ministry click on his website or his blog.