Full Quiver Ministries

By Annie Tynan

It was the fall of 2020 – the year of Covid. I was in ministry school in California and there were so many rules and regulations. Honestly, I am an introvert, so being quarantined at home wasn’t horrible for me. I can’t even begin to understand how extroverts felt during that season. I will admit though, I learned that there’s a big difference between being alone because you want to, and being alone because you are told you have to. When you’re isolated because you don’t have a choice, per se, it messes with you! 

During this time, I actually learned something that is great information to help balance you during any season of your life. We were only able to meet in groups of up to six, and that was if we were outdoors. So, my pastor at the time, set up meetings for small groups to meet at a park. He wanted to check on us and see how we were doing. But the way that he asked us, was the unusual part – or at least I thought it was. 

I wasn’t used to having people check on me to see how I was doing. But when he began to ask specific questions, I quickly learned that he was asking if we had balance in our lives. Balance that is truly important. Not just then, but all of the time. There are six questions that he asked. And it really took being honest before answering, because our answers were a true indicator of how we were handling life in that moment.

First of all, he asked if we were eating well. Not just eating, but eating well. Were we just stuffing our faces with junk food, or were we treating our bodies the way that we should. Were we getting well rounded meals with healthy food? 

Next, he asked if we were getting enough sleep. You’d think that with being tied to a house all day, with not much else to do, people would be sleeping all the time, but that wasn’t the case. Our bodies need a good amount of sleep, on a regular basis, in order to function properly. 

The third question was asking if we were getting exercise. He wanted to make sure that we were getting some activity and not just sitting around watching tv all day long. I lived right by a walking trail and it wasn’t “against the rules”, so me and my roommate would go for a walk everyday. Trust me, I wasn’t a gym person, so a walk was the best that was going to happen, but it was good and it got me out of four walls.

Fourth, was the spiritual aspect. For us, he wanted to know if we were spending time with The Lord. I’ll tell you, that there are so many emotions that were running amuck, that sometimes just spending time with Him, even in ministry school, was the last thing on our minds. It’s something that he wanted to make sure that we were aware of. If I were to put these six questions in order of importance, this should be number one. Everything else rests on this question.

Next, were we spending time with healthy community? Now, again, this was Covid, where quarantining was the number one priority of the day. However, there were the people that we lived with. If that was the only community that I was spending time with, that would do. If you’re in a house full of people, but you close yourself off in the bedroom, that’s not a good sign. You always need to have people in your life, or you’ll flat out go stir crazy!

The last question was actually the hardest one for me. This is where guilt crept up for me, and I was actually surprised. He asked if we were having fun. When I was a kid, play was always the last priority. Work came first and IF you had time for fun, you could enjoy something. It was shoved so far down the list, that it never even crossed my mind, that it was something good, let alone important. But I’ve learned in recent years – having fun is just as important as all of the other focuses that I’ve listed. Our bodies and minds need to have fun. We need to enjoy life. If we can’t have fun, then what’s the point? I often get to the point where I just need a good belly laugh. And when I get it, everything feels better.

It doesn’t matter what season of life you’re in, or what you may be dealing with. If you can start out with these six things, and do what you can to keep them in balance with one another, you’re making great headway in getting to whatever is next. You are important. Your body, heart and mind are important. Take care of them. Start with these six questions and do all that you can, to bring them into your balance. You’ll be glad you did!