Awaken this August

Dr. Kevin Shelby
Aug 2
6 min read

Updated: Aug 3

One of the greatest challenges I see in our world today is the pace at which we live our lives. Busyness surrounds us, and we wear it like a badge of honor. We’re encouraged to be known for how much we can get done and how much we can produce. We hear warnings about this constantly, but it doesn’t seem to sink in. As a society, we’re leaning even further into the narrative that our value comes from what we do.

I often use the metaphor that many of us live like we’re in a speedboat, racing full throttle across the surface of the water. We might catch glimpses of the shoreline or a dolphin jumping in our wake, maybe even pass by another boat for a moment, but we just keep pressing the throttle, determined to get to an unknown destination. Maybe we’re rushing to the next ball game, the next dance rehearsal, or even the next stage of life. Most of the time we aren’t aware of it, but we’re skimming across the surface, moving faster and faster, without ever knowing where we’re truly headed.

Here’s the tragedy: we weren’t created to live like that. We were designed to slow down, to take in the beauty around us, to enjoy the people God has placed in our lives. Sometimes we’re meant to stop the boat altogether, get out, and swim—to explore what lies beneath the surface. But that’s impossible to do at 100 mph.

It’s almost as if we’ve fallen asleep to what’s real, to what our hearts actually long for. We don’t ignore this because we don’t care; we ignore it because we don’t know how to break free. We’re caught in the current of our culture, one that feels impossible to swim against because it moves too quickly, too forcefully. Deep down, we know something’s off. We sense there’s more, even if we can’t quite name it.

A few weeks ago, I went on a retreat with a college friend who’d been inviting me for months. He kept saying how special the place was and how much it had impacted him. “All you need to do is get there,” he told me, “and you’ll want to go back every year.” Then, a week before we left, he casually added, “One of the best parts is that you’ll be totally unplugged. No cell service or Wi-Fi!”

Until that moment, I had no idea we’d be completely disconnected. And, honestly? I wasn’t excited about it. I preach self-care and the importance of slowing down all the time—to my counseling students, to retreat guests at The Retreat House, to anyone who will listen. I help run a retreat center, for crying out loud! But with the responsibilities I juggle—teaching classes, managing staff, helping run operations, seeing clients, being a husband and a dad—the idea of leaving for five days without any connection to the outside world terrified me. It felt like too many people depended on me and too many things could fall apart if I stepped away.

Before I left, I realized it had been over three years since I’d been completely unplugged for even 24 hours. The last time I had, I came back to a flood of work that felt overwhelming. The enemy whispered, Remember how bad it was last time? It’ll be worse now—you’ve got more on your plate than ever. I was flooded with anxiety. I even told my wife, Melissa, the night before the trip that I was thinking about canceling. She looked at me like I’d lost my mind and said, “You’re going. You need this. You are NOT canceling.”

Needless to say, I got on the plane the next morning.

My friend was right, it was one of the most transformative experiences I’ve had in a long time. You know which part of the trip impacted me the most? It wasn't fly fishing (though I did snag the largest rainbow trout I’ve ever caught). It wasn’t the breathtaking mountain views, the food, the comfortable beds, or the perfect weather. All of those were amazing, but the true gift was being disconnected from my busy life and being connected to men who also needed space to slow down from their busy lives and be present.

We fished, laughed, ate, cried, hiked, rode horses, talked about the Lord, talked to the Lord, and shared our lives with one another, removed from all the distractions. The most important part of my experience was that no one needed anything from me! I didn’t have to be “on” or have the answers, I got to just be. No one was asking for feedback, there were no deadlines to meet, I didn’t have to make 1,000 decisions before noon, and I wasn’t bombarded with the pressure to perform. I was finally able to stop the boat, get in the water, and look below the surface. I had time to listen to the Lord. I had time to listen to myself. I had time to take a look at the hard things I’d experienced this past year, and I had time to celebrate the victories.

Separation from my life gave me perspective and room to breathe. It was as if my eyes were slowly opening after a heavy slumber, like a part of my soul was awakened. What shook me most was that it awakened a part of me I didn’t realize was asleep. I needed to be brought back to myself, to hear the Lord speak to me, to call me by name, to speak to me through the words of others, and mend broken places in my heart I’d been carrying for a long time. I needed to be separated from my responsibilities because they had begun to define me, leaving me trying to pour from an empty cup. But I couldn’t see it until I stepped away from the routines that kept me there. It wasn’t until I intentionally created space that I began to truly awaken.

The word we’ve chosen for this month at The Retreat House is awaken- to rouse or wake from sleep. I love this word because it’s filled with imagery and power. Scripture uses the word “awaken” in several places, but one of the most well-known is in the story of Jesus raising Lazarus.

In John 11:11, Jesus says, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” Jesus went to the tomb that Lazarus had been buried in. Four days after his body was laid to rest, Jesus instructed them to move the stone that barred the entrance of the tomb. Then, in one of the most miraculous moments in history, Jesus called the dead man, Lazarus, to awaken. This awakening wasn’t simply from sleep, it was from death. He called a man that was dead back to life- that’s what awakening means to Jesus.

And that’s what He wants to do in us. He wants to awaken the parts of our hearts we’ve buried, the parts we’ve decided are dead or beyond repair. He wants to shine light into the dark places. He wants us to walk out of the grave and live again. He wants us to stop numbing, hiding, and forgetting who we are.

If you already know what needs awakening, don’t wait—start the journey. If you’re not sure, there are opportunities all around you. Talk to a trusted friend. Reach out to a pastor. Visit us at The Retreat House. Schedule an appointment with a counselor. Sit with a spiritual director. Sign up for a retreat. Spend time with the Lord and ask Him to guide your heart.

And if you don’t know where to start, we’d love to walk with you. At The Retreat House, our mission is to offer a different flow of life—one that opens the heart to awakening. Connect with us, attend one of our offerings, or sign up for a silent retreat. Below is the calendar for August and we are also happy to curate a private retreat for you or your group, just shoot us an email at hello@theretreathousememphis.com . We’re here to help you step into God’s flow for your life.