Vacation by definition: an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling.
Imagine going on summer vacation ALL SUMMER LONG. Too many times we become so invested in planning for the place we want to go (the destination) that we miss the richness of the place where we can be (the dimension of the experience). Make your summer a vacation fit to be experienced throughout the entire season. Whether you’re finally taking that dream trip, doing a two-night nearby getaway, simply finding some downtime through your own at home staycation or making the most of a couple evening summer hours, make fitness fun all season.
TIP: The best way to make your summer vacation safe is to plan ahead. Go the distance to get outside and be active either alone, as a family or as a small group. Exercise, being out in fresh air, eating healthy and mentally/emotionally/spiritually enjoying a vacation are important to your health and the health of others.
How do you do that? Find peace and joy in the moment. Detach from the distractions and live life in the presence of God. Cease all commitments except to finding the freedom to play and be active. Seriously, your summer vacation needs to begin with these simple Bible verses:
Peace be still.
Seek first the Kingdom of God.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Love one another.
I’m sure you have a few more. All vacations need a point of origin. Make the Bible yours. Then make the venture an act of prayer. That may be quietly alone or with another or it may be loud with family or friends. Whatever shape it takes, give it to God and make it a time of communion. He knows exactly what you need in the thin places so you can say this is #myhappyplace2fit
Go to these seven places and get away from life as usual.
PLACE 1 – BLUE SPACE
Find the benefit of water. It is all around you. From bath to beaches these places soothe your spirit and stir your adventure.
Vacation destinations have learned the power of water. Some like Atlantis in the Bahamas or Great Wolf Lodges around the country not to mention every private, city and state park outdoor pool from Memorial Day to Labor Day are ready to literally immerse you in cool fitness.
Beaches, lakes and streams can naturally go deeper, faster and a whole lot more. Closer to home a garden hose can mist, sprinkle and soak. Let’s not forget that some H2O that you lightly flavor naturally equals zero calories of refreshing ahhh! For many, water is relatively abundant. However, you’ll likely not have to look to far to find somewhere where it is a scarcity. Going there to physically help can make your vacation an opportunity to meet the needs of others.
Bottom line, Christ often found refreshment in watery places. Be like Jesus, do the same and you’ll likely find yourself being less drained.
PLACE 2 – LINEAR MOTION
Walk, run, bike, boat, climb, crawl. Move from one place to another. Measure the learning experience. From start to finish create journeys that engage your body and expand who you are in God.
It’s so simple to get your fitness and summer vacation time in line. It’s truly as easy as a walk in the park, the neighborhood, along a trail (the Appalachian Trail runs through several states – find an on/off point close to you) and on and on you go.
You can do it early morning in prayer, midday with a co-worker or during the cool of night with a loved one— perhaps on a sandy moonlit beach (we like Acadia National Park or Hilton Head). Make it intergenerational by exercising accompaniment strolling with young ones and assisting older adults or those who are disabled. You’ll find surprises around every bend.
PLACE 3 – ATTUNED
Create and find places where you can be solitary, quiet, and actively listening to God. Do the intentional practice of rest as described in our article Thin Places And The REST Of Your Story. In Indiana places like La Campagne Ministries offers acres of private seclusion amidst cool ravines, natural beauty and generous quiet ‘alone space’. I recommend a two night minimum stay so that you can follow a natural three-step physical process for getting attuned: decompression – total rest (the reset) – spiritual focus.
Fitness retreats aren’t all about being super active and physically fit. They should also be about dynamic and utter rest along with a deeper practice of communion where you discover living in the companionship of God. We offer retreats like this in the Shenandoah Mountains and other destinations for men’s groups, women’s group, families and individuals.
Everyone who exercises at the gym or elsewhere is familiar with being in the zone and how a workout can help you be attuned. Having a fresh vacation place this summer to get attuned can help you to get in the zone with God in new ways. It’s as simple as creating a space in or near your home and intentionally taking time to have breathing room.
PLACE 4 – INVITATIONAL
Watch children play and you can learn a simple lesson – it’s easy to invite someone to be part of the fun. Be in the place where you can plan for others, both those familiar to you and new acquaintance you make, to join you.
For those used to doing gym workouts alone, solitary recreation, live or on-demand classes from home and even group exercise where one can get lost in the crowd an invitational mindset can be a strange place.
You have the whole summer to “be on vacation”. Start by visiting a different gym, then another and another. There are likely some group activities like a morning jog/run, a free boot camp, an afternoon group bike ride or something else. Try something that sounds fun AND — allow others to invite you to join them again. Once you get a feel for being invited THEN you can invite others to join you in the activities you regularly enjoy.
Start with a friend or family member then progress to a co-worker, fellow church member a neighbor and eventually others. Most everyone is looking for a break from the routine, time to de-stress and the chance to just enjoy some pleasant conversation.
Once you get familiar with being invitational you’ll find it easy to do often and everywhere. That’s a great place to be.
PLACE 5 – ADVENTUROUS
This is the year to go for it. Do that daring activity or that challenge you keep saying you’ll do. It’s the one thing your children or friends keep asking you to try just once. It’s that place you keep promising yourself to visit but keep finding excuses to delay. God wants you to experience the unusual and exciting this season. The time is now to do something hazardous to your status quo.
Do some exploratory activities and experiences that are different and challenging. Visit a city and do a walking tour of historical, architectural, spiritual or other significance. You’ll be amazed at the distance you cover as you go from one engaging point of interest to another.
#destinationohyeah
Celebrate your adventures with others. When you post your summer vacation pics to your social media be sure to include the hashtage #destinationohyeah
Then make you and your pics part of our Faith & Fitness Magazine community by submitting your pic and perspective to our Destination Oh Yeah page.
If your adventure includes nature you want to plan ahead as best you can. Have plenty of water, know your route, identify what equipment you need, create a realistic schedule, and be mindful of risks. That being said, part of an adventure is the potential for the unexpected. Remember a certain amount of adversity adds character to the adventure.
Whatever adventure you do, be sure to pursue a God context to it. That means exercising some trust and faith, giving God your fears, allowing yourself to learn and learning life lessons from the difficulties and thrills. Adventures are a great way to put yourself in a place of greater dependence on God.
PLACE 6 – SAVORY
Make your summer vacation extend into an entire summer of leisure living by giving your at-home menu an update. Take some time now to find a few new ways to experience breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Introduce some different ingredients, explore some alternative ways of preparing meals, learning from others and experiencing the full flavor that life this summer can offer.
When your vacation meals are at restaurants, research and visit the businesses that specialize in healthy, locally sourced, organic or hand crafted. If they identify having a chef your headed in the right direction. Is it going to be more expensive? Sure, factor that as part of the cost of your summer vacation. These places are in the city, on the beach, at farms, deep in ethnic rich communities and in the most surprising of places. So explore and be adventurous. Wherever you find your savory meal it is always good advice to eat a portion size that is right for you and take the rest with you.
Summer season meals at home, around the campsite, on the go or wherever you’re not being served means that you are prepping the meal. Plan ahead, make it interesting and tasty, keep it simple and go heavy on the fellowship. Food is a great way to make fitness fun all season. Raw veggies are easy. Grilling lean meats is something the whole family will enjoy. Whatever table you gather around make it a wholesome time for family and friends.
PLACE 7 – PRODUCTIVE
Finally, this summer don’t miss opportunities to actively serve in places where you can tangibly help others and engage in Christian compassion. This produces so much more than a good time. It produces results that can draw on your physical fitness, transform your outlook in life and make a lasting impact in the lives of others that extends way beyond the typical vacation activity.
Voluntourism has become increasingly popular as a way for people to “do good” AND vacation. From a faith and fitness mindset you can be much more than a do-gooder. You can be the really active muscle who isn’t afraid to sweat, push hard and get the job done. Then you can take off the ‘Martha’ hat and put on the ‘Mary’ mentality. Take some time not just to converse with those you serve. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Don’t miss the opportunity to pray together and even worship together. These can be the golden moments where no distance or time separates. There is no need for a digital ‘social’ connection — This is the real thing IN THE FLESH. Look into their eyes, give them a hug, listen to them breath the same air you are breathing.
When you vacation this way you’ll most certainly find that being productive is so much about doing good it is about doing God. THAT is life fitness on a transformative level, where stewardship of your time, interests, assets and will shifts from you being intentional to God’s Spirit moving in ways that you could never craft alone.
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THE PLACE FOR SUMMER VACATION
Get to these seven places as often as you can this summer and you’ll find new ways to define fitness and fun. Fitness means being actively faithful. It is the process of physically engaging your spirit. Fun is embedded in each moment where your spiritual senses are attentive to God.
Active or quiet, joyful or wanting, refreshed or tired, energized or exhausted — in everything let God alone suffice. More than recreation – re-create your mindset. Leisure happens when you adjust your expectations to a singular focus – being fully in the center of God’s will. At home or while traveling, that is the place to be. Put fitness in that place.
