Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35

Blue Zone is the category of Full Spectrum Ministry that brings life to all the rest. Sadly, Blue Zone (rest and retreat) is the type of ministry that leaders neglect the most. 

The consequence of neglecting our need to retreat from the busyness of life is painful. Leaders who don’t develop a regular rhythm of rest and retreat suffer from emotional, spiritual, and physical burnout. They lose their ability to share grace and truth with the people around them. 

But this isn’t the way it has to be! If we look to Jesus, we can follow his example of resting from work. Scripture frequently references Jesus withdrawing to a solitary place to pray (Luke 4:42, Matt 14:13, Mark 6:32, Matt 12:15…). As his disciples, certainly we should do this too!

DEVELOP A REGULAR RHYTHM OF REST AND RETREAT 

What does it mean to develop a regular schedule of resting and retreating? For many of us, taking a small retreat from the demands of daily life sounds like a luxury we can’t afford. In fact, it sounds irresponsible. There’s always something more to do— someone else to spend time with. But the reality is this:  The less time you think you have for rest, the more you need it. 

 

Somewhere deep in our souls, we crave rest. 

 

“And I say, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness;” Psalm 55:6-7

 

Rest is a universal human longing. God gave us the need for rest because he intends to meet that need. When God created the earth, he took a day of rest for himself and called it “sabbath.” Weekly rest is something God expects all of his children to enjoy too, in both busy and calm seasons (Hebrews 4:9-11). 

 

Jesus modeled “Blue Zone” rest for us through his rhythm of retreating to solitary places. He withdrew to mountains, gardens, boats, etc. Each of these places gave Jesus the chance to pray and receive the blessing of the Father. 

TYPES OF BLUE ZONE

There are several kinds of Blue Zone rest you can enjoy as a disciple of Jesus. Around outdoorleaders.com, we usually connect the Blue Zone with outdoor adventure. Resting up in the Blue Zone means spending intentional time out in nature, somewhere you can’t hear the noise of city life. 

 

Time outside

• Day trips (hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, paddle boarding…)
• Long trips (backpacking, trekking, camping…)

 

Other great ways to get in the Blue Zone:

Sabbath

• Take a full day off of work every week to rest, worship, reflect, and celebrate with other believers

Daily quiet time

• Spend time alone with Jesus every day (scripture, prayer, worship, journaling…)

First steps

“Regular rest sounds great… but where do I start?” If you see the need to incorporate the Blue Zone into your life, here are some first steps:

1. Schedule some regular retreat weekly, monthly and annual and don’t let anything get in the way of you keeping those “meetings” with Lord.
2. Make a list of things that refresh you or make you feel a sense of “reset”.
3. .Find a friend or two with who you can recreate with regularly so they can spontaneously interrupt your routine with fun, restorative recreation. Ana you can bless them by doing the same for them!

Inviting others into the Blue Zone

One of the best parts about learning to keep a rhythm of Blue Zone rest in your life as a leader is that you can encourage others around you to do it too! It’s important to share God’s design for rest with others, so they can experience the blessing of time away with Jesus . 

 

Jesus often drew his disciples away from the crowds so they could be refreshed and encouraged (Mark 6:30-31). As a leader, you can practice drawing people out of the craziness of life too. Consider inviting a group of students to join you and another leader for a hike, a day at the lake, or a bonfire. If you have the time, look for a weeklong camping/backpacking excursion to invite kids to. 

 

The fruit of experiencing real Blue Zone rest is always worth the sacrifice!