A Word From David

For the past 20 years I have spent a couple of weeks each summer as pastor-in-residence at Camp Hanover, outside of Richmond in the Presbytery of the James. (Since the demise of National Capital’s camp, Camp Hanover serves the kids of NCP churches, too!)

Two weeks in the rolling wooded hillsides of Hanover County always does my soul good. As the psalmist put it, “I lift my eyes to the hills.”

Going into the woods is not escape. It is renewal. It is definitely tempting to practice some good old-fashioned escapism these days. The heat is dreadful and the news is worse so hanging out in a swimming pool or a lake or any other body of water sounds pretty good.

The heat won’t last, but the news will. That’s why renewal matters. We cannot resist evil without rest and restoration.

So whatever that looks like for you, I hope that you find a bit of time away this summer. Sabbath is not just a good idea, it’s a commandment!

- David