Last weekend, Tiffany and I were asked to lead a Student Ministry Team Training event in Virginia Beach at Kempsville Baptist Church. The Student Pastor and wife are Tim (pictured with me below) and Jen Zittle. We first became friends while attending Southwestern Seminary, and have continued in that relationship together over the past 9 years. While I served at Foothllis Baptist in Phoenix and at Westside Church in Omaha, they traveled on many occasions to serve as Disciple Now leaders with our students, and we were able to coordinate our dates for church camp with our student ministries twice. They are great friends, and it was a joy to see all that God has done in their lives, and in the lives of their leadership team over the past year and one-half.

On Saturday, the leadership team discussed the following quote from Doug Fields (from his book What Matters Most): "In the end, busyness makes us look important but cripples our relationships. Busyness feeds our egos but ultimately starves our souls. Busyness fills our calendars but fractures our families. And busyness props up our image but shrinks our hearts."

All in the room expressed the busyness of our driven culture. One couple shared of the importance their family places on spending time together, and how more often than not they prioritize eating dinner together at home. In addition to dinner, each member of the family has to talk about one good and one bad that takes place in their day at the table. They even went to the extent of saying that all guests during dinner are asked to share as well. WOW! That is impressive, especially in the midst of our "busyness". In our moments together on Saturday in particular, we were able to verbally lift each other up and challenge each other to love God and people more. Here is the encouragement for the week: Don't allow your "busyness" to eliminate relationship over the next seven days. Carve out moments with those closest to you to ask how they are doing (really) and to share some encouragement. In so doing, you will be a blessing beyond measure.