Long gone are the April showers, and May’s flowers have already bloomed. Summer creeps in quietly—warm and fleeting and a little too fast. The haze of activity fills our calendars, and somewhere in the middle of it all, we look up and realize the season meant for rest has passed us by.
We’ve been there too. To-do lists don’t pause for summer. Neither does ministry. Neither does life.
But one thing we’re learning: real rest isn’t found in grand getaways or perfectly cleared schedules. It’s found in small, intentional moments—a slower walk, a quiet cup of coffee, lingering just a little longer. Moments that, one by one, quietly point our hearts back to Jesus.
In a world that rewards speed, choosing slow is a countercultural act of grace. It’s where our souls find the depths we didn’t know we were hungry for.
So this summer, we want to invite you into that unhurried space. Take a walk. Listen to creation. Linger.
And when you’re ready, we’d love to share some books that our own Serge missionaries have hand-picked just for you—reads that have drawn them down the unhurried and sacred paths toward rest, renewal, and the Savior who meets us in the quiet.
What our missionaries are reading:
Art+Faith: A Theology of Making
By Makoto Fujimura
Conceived over thirty years of painting and creating in his studio, this book is Makoto Fujimura’s broad and deep exploration of creativity and the spiritual aspects of “making.” What he does in the studio is theological work as much as it is aesthetic work. In between pouring precious, pulverized minerals onto handmade paper to create the prismatic, refractive surfaces of his art, he comes into the quiet space in the studio in a discipline of awareness, waiting, prayer, and praise.
From Fear to Freedom: Living as Sons and Daughters of God
By Rose Marie Miller
For all those who live in fear of never quite “measuring up,” this honest account of one woman’s spiritual crisis provides a new look at the transforming power of God’s grace in the midst of weakness. Readers will be encouraged to relinquish the role of spiritual “orphan” and embrace a forgiving heavenly Father.
The Peace of Wild Things
By Wendell Berry
The poems of Wendell Berry invite us to stop, to think, to see the world around us, and to savour what is good. Here are consoling verses of hope and of healing; short, simple meditations on love, death, friendship, memory and belonging; luminous hymns to the land, the cycles of nature and the seasons as they ebb and flow. Here is the peace of wild things.
Why Should I Pray? How God Shares His Heart with Us
By Scotty Smith
When prayer feels difficult or discouraging, Smith gently points readers back to the heart of the gospel. Through Scripture and personal stories, he shows how prayer can become a place of deeper trust, intimacy, and delight.
When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy
By John Piper
We all want to experience liberating, love-producing, risk-taking satisfaction in God. But the reality is that we often struggle to find, and hold onto, true and lasting joy―even when we have embraced the good news of God’s grace. So we face a crucial question: What should I do when I don’t desire God?
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Explore all of our books and studies.
