Have you ever noticed that summer promises rest… yet you still feel worn out? The days are longer, and the pace is slower. But somehow, your soul feels just as busy.

I’ve been there. I once took a summer trip hoping to feel restored. Instead, I filled every moment with activity. I didn’t slow down—I just changed scenery. That’s when I realized: being still isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. And it’s in the pause, not the productivity, that memories are stirred, ones you thought you’d already moved past.

Amid packing for vacations, juggling summer camp drop-offs, navigating long road trips, and soaking in those extra daylight hours, something happens. The usual noise quiets just enough for old stories to emerge. I’ve found that summer becomes one of life’s intersections—a sacred pause where the past and future seem to meet me right in the middle of the present. It’s in those moments that I ponder: What story am I living?

Isaiah 43:18–19 speaks into that very intersection: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

God isn’t bound by our old stories. While we may carry regrets or wounds from the past, God invites us to take a new turn—to let Him rewrite our story with grace, healing, and direction. 

This summer, as you load the car for a family trip, wait in airport lines, or catch your breath after a week of VBS or camp chaos, ask yourself: What story am I living? Is it one defined by past mistakes, missed opportunities, or closed chapters? Or is it a story shaped by redemption, hope, and new beginnings? Take a moment to identify one part of your story that needs a new narrative. Then invite God into that space.

Here are three simple ways to pause with purpose during the summer months: 

• Remember: Think of a memory that keeps resurfacing this summer. What is God showing you through it? 
• Breathe: In a quiet moment, say: “God, what new thing are You doing in me?” 
• Share: Tell someone you trust how God is helping you rewrite your story. 

This summer may not promise perfect peace, but it can bring clarity if we let God be a part of it.

At the Intersection,
Dr. Quincy D. Brown
Senior Pastor