Researchers define burnout as: "A state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations."

Would you define ministry as an "emotionally demanding situation?!"

If you have been in ministry longer than ten minutes, and have a pulse, most likely you would! In my years of ministry, that has seemed to be a consistent feature of being involved in ministry - it's emotionally demanding. And it should be.

Our hearts should be involved completely in what God has called us to do. Our feelings get torn and pulled by the needs we encounter and the sheer sorrow people deal with. We should be emotionally involved and yet, can we protect ourselves from burning out? Is burn out inevitable?

In Mark 6, Jesus gives us two distinct ways to stay involved in ministry yet be protected from burning out. The disciples had just gathered back together with Jesus after ministering in His Name. They had received His power and authority to heal and preach and they were probably buzzing with excitement about what God had done through them. After reporting to Jesus all the good news, Jesus said; "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31) Jesus gives the first instruction to preventing burnout... take rest.

Jesus told His followers to leave their crowds, seclude themselves and rest.

How often do you truly rest?

Are you aware of the importance of taking a break, getting alone and simply resting? You must be conscious you have limits physically, mentally and emotionally and resting will allow you to work amazingly within those limits. Jesus thought it was important for His first century followers to rest and it is no less important today.

Mark tells us His disciples did as Jesus said," They went away in the boat to a secluded place."(v. 32) But, the crowds saw them and recognized them. The Bible says the people "ran there together on foot from all the cities and got there ahead of them."(v. 34) In so many words, their rest was interrupted.

I bet you know how they must have felt. We may try to take rest but life happens! Ministry demands don't cease just because you're tired. So, do we just say "yes" to rest and "no" to all the rest?!

Jesus shows us what to do, and it's the second way to prevent burn out - observe your own emptiness.

In verse 34, Jesus went ashore and saw the crowd. "He felt compassion for them." We don't know the details, all we know is the disciples , who had little if any rest, got out of the boat and were with Jesus in ministry. As the day grew late, the disciples asked Jesus to send the crowd away to eat. But Jesus said something radical. "You give them something to eat." (v. 37) When The disciples react with confusion, Jesus asks them; "How many loaves do you have, go look." (v. 38)

At this point in the story, Jesus gives the disciples a chance to observe their own lack, their own inability to truly meet needs. And, that's a merciful way He protects us from burning out in ministry. Taking rest protects us physically and emotionally from burn out, but honestly embracing our own poverty protects us from mental and spiritual burn out.

We each must make an honest assessment of what we have to give.

Is it really enough to feed 5000? Of course not.

No matter how talented, how resourceful, how industrious you are; no matter how much energy or time you have, you don't have enough. Compared to Jesus, your bounty is lack. If you, and I, attempt giving in ministry without acknowledging our deep need, we will come up empty. We will be so burned out that we will be operating on fumes or the dying embers of past ministry.

When the disciples did inventory and found they only had five loaves and two fish, they gave it to Jesus. He blessed it, and it was sufficient. (v. 41, 42)

The same is true for you and me. We give to God what we have and He gives through us what the world needs.

My friend, if you need rest, ask God to provide you the wisdom and time to take it. If you are assuming your ability is enough, ask God to show you your own emptiness so you can give to Him what little you really have and watch Him provide.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness. II Peter 1:3

Blessings and Joy,
Jennifer Rothschild
Author of Fresh Grounded Faith: Devotions to Awaken Your Spirit, and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET

The God of the Bible is the God of FRESH things.
When you are GROUNDED, you are rooted. Stable. Secure.
And...your FAITH will become richer and more satisfying.

If you've enjoyed Jennifer's columns over the years, you can now read them again, and share them with friends, with this beautiful devotional.

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Never Have I Ever is an icebreaker that helps people get to know each other better.

This game can be played indoors or outdoors and no special materials are required.

Directions: Instruct everyone to sit in a circle. If you have an extremely large group, tell people to form smaller circles of about ten to fifteen people.

To start each round, each player holds out all ten fingers and places them on the floor. Go around the circle and one at a time, each person announces something that they have never done, beginning the sentence with the phrase "Never have I ever..."

For example, a person could say, "Never have I ever been to Europe." For each statement that is said, all the other players drop a finger if they have done that statement. So, if three other people have been to Europe before, those three people must put down a finger, leaving them with nine fingers.

The goal is to stay in the game the longest (to be the last person with fingers remaining). To win, it's a good strategy to say statements that most people have done, but you haven't.

This icebreaker provided by www.icebreakers.ws.

Are you looking for a way to have a "latte" fun with your women? Fresh Grounded Faith Conferences are an amazing opportunity to knit hearts together and draw closer to the Lord. Find our more about Fresh Grounded Faith.

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Ephesians is a great little book tucked in the middle of, as Kay Arthur says, the General Electric Power Company... you know... Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians! Four powerful books that encourage to walk worthy of our high calling in Christ Jesus. We hope you enjoy this quick look at Ephesians.

The Basics:
Author: Paul, probably during his imprisonment in Rome around 62 AD.
Purpose: To encourage Jewish and Gentile believers in the faith.
Theme: Unity in the Body of Christ
Key Verse: (I am split on this one) Eph 1:3 "...blessed with every spiritual blessing..." or Eph 2:10 "we are His workmanship..."

Quick Look at the Book:
1:1-2 - Greeting
1:3-14 - Spiritual blessings
1:15-2:10 - Paul's thanksgiving and prayer
2:11-3:13 - How Christ works in the lives of Gentiles, and a personal testimony from Paul.
3:14-21 - Prayer for the Ephesians.
4:1-16 - The need for unity in the midst of diverse gifts of the Body.
4:17-6:10 - Instructions on Christian living.
6:11-20 - Armour of God
6:21-22 - Mission of Tychicus
6:23-24 - Closing

Things to look for:
What is the believer's position in Christ?
How believers minister together in the Body.
The role of men and women in marriage.
Discipline in the family.
Also, Redemption is a key word in this book and a great candidate for a word study!

Tough questions that could come up:
What is "election" or "predestination" and what does it mean to a believer?
The author talks about slavery in chapter 6, does this mean that God condones slavery?
 

Something you may find interesting: Ephesians 1:3-14 is one, very long sentence in the original Greek.

Online Resources for Ephesians:
Thomas Constable Expository Notes on Ephesians
Desiring God Ministry with John Piper - Sermons based on Ephesians
Devotional Commentary on the Book of Ephesians

Websites for General Study:
Precept Austin
Blue Letter Bible
Bible.org
Bible Study Tools

Book Recommendations for General Study/Study Methods: How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur
Rick Warren's Bible Study Method

Java with Jennifer is an informal monthly ministry update specifically for friends who want to keep up-to-date on what is happening with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry of writing, speaking, and singing.

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From one tool to another, I thank you from the very depths of my heart for your wonderful article, "Tool Talk." It was amazing timing on God's part as I am sitting in a hotel room right this very minute. This weekend, I am one of two speakers at a conference in North Carolina. By the way, they found me through womensministry.net and flew me in from California. May God continue to use and bless your fabulous ministry! ~ Dori Drabek

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