A Week Without Wifi and iPhone…bane or blessing?

My wife and I were away recently for a week off and had no connection to wifi or the internet. We traveled with a group of 10 others and enjoyed meals, walks, sunshine, games, recreation, sharing and laughter, all without any of us tied to our phones or laptops. It was pure joy.

Now we’re “back to reality” and frankly “back to bondage” once again. I’m realizing afresh how liberating it was to not be tied to email, social media, or any form of internet-based work or personal connection. The moment we were within reach of our networks or wifi, our eyes were drawn away from being fully present with one another and focused once again toward the screens before us on our cell phones and/or laptops. It was incredible how fast it happened.

And, it’s really an unfortunate reality today. We’ve become so addicted to staying connected, even when that contact is minimal or filled more with curiosity and comparison than with love and concern. When I got back on Facebook, I realized once again how much I didn’t miss it. As the emails poured into my inbox I recognized my sadness at just how many there were and the life-draining task of clearing the backlog.

If my reality includes ongoing and repetitive response to email, texts, social media, and internet, I’m now convinced more than ever that I will need more frequent breaks. How? I so enjoyed a week without all of it, I’m considering how best to be removed from it more often in the days to come. It’s probably not feasible to give it up completely, so I must decide for myself much more disciplined limits to acquire. I already take a similar break each Sabbath day (from sun down on Saturday to sun down on Sunday), but that’s simply not enough. I need additional “electronics-free” zones that regularly set me free from the constant barrage of email and social media. I need to be released from within myself of manic busyness, popularity contests, and comparisons…and stay focused instead on pursuing a vibrant life with God that’s filled with freedom, joy, peace, and Jesus! How about you?

Do you enjoy the constant state of connectedness that’s available to you each and every moment of the day? Are you more and more engaged in social media in order to stay up or ahead of the game of life? Or are you too tiring of the 24/7 nature of life that the internet, social media, texts, and email lead you to occupy and preoccupy every waking moment of the day? Imagine a life that keeps all of this in better balance and held in proper prospective…you might even notice more, engage more, appreciate more, and ultimately live more abundantly.

Try it and see for yourself! And, whatever you decide, make sure it’s written into your personal rule of life!

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.