It’s September, a month which signals change and new beginnings for many of us. While the new year is often considered the line in the sand for the old and the promise of a fresh start, I have always found the cusp of autumn – with summer holidays a distant memory – to be more of a watershed. In our house, September signals back to school; new shoes are purchased, pristine uniforms are laid out in preparation for that first day, and we begin the challenge of trying to reinstate our familiar routines.
As parents we breathe a heady sigh of relief as the weight of trying to balance work with childcare over the seemingly never-ending summer break is lifted. Yet this promise of greater peace and simplicity is often tinged with sadness. It’s the end of our time together. Summer is over and the season of slow mornings and long lazy evenings, holidays and relaxation disappears for another year as life quickly shifts gears. We fool ourselves into thinking we will have more time and space, but the summer struggle morphs into the everyday juggle as the hamster wheel cranks up its intensity.
I’m a working mum of five, I find the summer holiday period a challenge. Yet amid the ‘can I have another snack please’ cries, I have also found more opportunities to pray and connect with God, the slower pace of life lending itself to leading a more Christ-centred existence, with Jesus at the top of my list of priorities rather than hovering near the bottom wedged between club runs and dinner money.
For me, it represents a more reflective time, with the space to reassess priorities, focus on relationships and do things I enjoy with those I love most. Spending time outdoors and having the chance to stop and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation around me deepens and enriches my relationship with Jesus, and I mourn the change in our connection as autumn approaches and threatens to dilute it with the routine of the day-to-day. Competing priorities, deadlines, the pressure to be all things to all people, how can you be a disciple of Jesus when you feel you can do nothing for Him?
"how can you be a disciple of Jesus when you feel you can do nothing for Him? ""
As September catapults us back into reality, I find it easy to get caught up in the gloom. Yet in collecting my thoughts, I’ve realised that there is a narrative of opportunity to be found in the busyness of the everyday. We may not have the same scope to spend dedicated ‘alone time’ with God, but we can honour Him and grow in our faith in other ways. We may have less frequent conversations with God, but there are multiple opportunities in our lives to have conversations about God – at the school gates, the side of the football pitch, the PTA, the workplace canteen, the gym – these are just some examples of the myriads of opportunities which exist for us to interact and chat with others and over time form relationships. What if, in these conversations we could take the chance to talk about our journey with Jesus?
The 2022 Talking Jesus research suggests that one in three non-Christians, after a conversation about faith, want to know more about Jesus. The findings also tell us that when asked to describe Christians they know, 62% of non-Christians gave the answer ‘friendly’. The openness to the message of Jesus is clear and the positive image of us as His followers gives us a unique chance to share the good news of the gospel. Yet the research also shows that although 75% of Christians agree that it is our responsibility to share Jesus only 40% agree that they would do so. While the return to normal routines may give us the chance to share, the confidence to do so may be trickier.
I confess that there have been many times when I have found talking about my faith to be a challenge. Embarrassment, misplaced assumptions and being worried about what others think have held me back. I have questioned myself and wondered how to be a light for Jesus when the words just won’t form. Matthew 5:16 can help by telling us to “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.” In other words, we can bring light and hope to others by the example we set. If we truly live out our faith our words, deeds, attitudes and behaviours let others know that the path that we follow is both different and transformative. What if the best thing we can do for God is just be ourselves?
Time spent alone with God is incredible and sharing faith is powerful, but all is not lost if in the busyness of this new season we can’t carve out as much time as we would like to spend with Him or fail to be bold enough to share Him even when opportunity presents. We can allow Christ to shine through our lives in the biggest and smallest of ways just by being part of the lives of those around us. You never know who we might touch just by allowing our lives to be a reflection. In this season of fresh starts, let’s make time to polish the window through which others see us.
"If we truly live out our faith our words, deeds, attitudes and behaviours let others know that the path that we follow is both different and transformative.""
