June 2025

June is here. Finally. June means summer to me. And as much as I love summer, June also means that life gets really, really busy. June is synonymous with graduations, weddings, and vacations. We get the itch to dust off the scales of winter and go outside again. Even though the weather has been unpredictable as of late, there is hope in June.

As I was writing my newsletter articles, I was adding this event and that obligation to my calendar. And it is filling up quickly. Places to be, things to do, work to accomplish. The biggest problem that comes with summer is taking the time to actually enjoy it. Slowing down to smell the flowers, listen to the birds, look at the clouds, and feel the breeze on your face.

One of the things I do every summer is that I “bank” a perfect day for some time in the future. For instance, if I’m floating in a pool on a hot summer day, I take a mental snapshot, say a prayer to God of thanks, and place that moment in a vault in my memory bank.

Then, when January rolls around and it is cold and snowy, I go to the memory bank and withdraw that hot summer pool day, and it brings me joy. It gives me hope of warmer days to come. I feel the heat of the sun on my face in my mind, and it really does help. 

I don’t know how you manage to get the most out of the brief months of summer. But whatever comes your way, remember to enjoy it. To slow down and be present at every party, picnic, and potato salad. 

And remember what we’ve learned from King David throughout May. It is the fact that, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

Don’t miss the Shepherd leading you to rest and restoration throughout the summer.