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The University of Michigan’s spring break starts today, and since HMCC is located on UM’s campus, we have a lot of students who are leaving town for vacation.  It’s great that students get these breaks to rest, relax, hang out with friends, and visit new places, but I’ve noticed over the years that most don’t make the most of their spring break experience.  Particularly, many Christians completely neglect their relationship with God, and come back after the break in a state of spiritual decay.  Sad.

In light of this, I’m going to offer some suggestions to those of you who are on spring break to help you grow your relationship with God rather than leaving him behind for a week.  I’m not saying you can’t go to the beach or whatever else you want to do, but a few little things can make a huge difference.

1. Have a plan each day – I doubt anyone could calculate how much time has been wasted by students on spring break who have no idea what to do.  It’s easy to sit around at home or in a hotel room and keep asking, “so what should we do today?” rather than getting out there and doing something!  Just make some plans the day before: eat breakfast, visit friend A, eat lunch, go to the beach with friends B and C, etc.  It doesn’t have to be down-to-the-minute detail, and even very simple plans can make your break much more fulfilling.
2. Spend time with God – When you’re making your plans for the next day, don’t forget to set aside time to read the Bible, pray, and journal.  This is your lifeline!  It doesn’t take that long, and you’ll still have most of the day for recreation and relaxation.  Try going to some different places (book store, cafe, beach, museum, etc.) and encounter God there.
3. Build Christ-centered friendships – Many of you are probably going on vacation with some friends, and maybe some or all of them are Christians.  Question: Is your friendship only about going shopping and watching movies, or do you talk about Jesus sometimes, too?  Jesus wants to be the center of your friendships, and spring break is a great opportunity to put him there.  Share together about what God is teaching you, read the Bible together, maybe even share the gospel together with a friend who doesn’t know Jesus yet.  It’s these kinds of friendships that last the long haul, but you’ve got to be purposeful in building them.
4. Learn/do something new – If you’re traveling somewhere, chances are there are lots of amazing things you could see and do.  Take the time out from being a consumer at the mall, and go to a museum, visit national landmarks, see a play at a theater, or go on a hike through a park (now I sound like my parents).  One thing that amazes me about many Christians is a lack of exposure to and general knowledge of the world around us; use your spring break to break the mold!

Just a few tips – I hope they help.  If you’re going somewhere fun, bring me a souvenir, and pray for those of us who are staying in the Ann Arbor cold.