Having been a pastor now for 28 years, I clearly see the vital importance of staying refreshed. One of the main ways to do this is to prioritize what the Lord sets as a priority. Acts 6:4 delineates top priorities for a pastor, saying, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” My planner has four to five times per week blocked out just to pray, some by myself and some with brothers in Christ. The more I am pulled in multiple directions and realize that I am not up for the task, the more these times of reading my Bible (listening to God) and praying (talking to God) renew me in steady streams of grace. It is like water falling over the cliffs at Middle Falls (pictured here) in Burgess Falls State Park in Tennessee. How spiritually refreshing it is to listen to God and talk to God!