Summer is a time for many things: vacations, barbecues, and spending time with family and friends. However, Summer is also a time to reflect on their faith and their relationship with God. The warm, bright, and shiny days during the Summer are a good reminder of God’s own warmth and love for us. While we should connect with God at all times during the year, Summer gives us one of the sides of God’s wonderful creation that we don’t get to see all year long.

There are many ways to connect with God during the Summer. One way is to spend time outdoors. Whether you’re going for a hike in the mountains, swimming in the ocean, or simply sitting in your backyard, being in nature can help you feel closer to God. He created this world and everything in it. Enjoy it! That’s what God wants. Enjoying his creation the way he intended is worship. In song, we sing of his greatness. In nature, we admire his greatness with our eyes.

Another way to connect with God during the Summer is to volunteer your time. There are many organizations that need help during the Summer months, such as food banks, homeless shelters, and animal shelters. Some non-profit organizations tend to need more help in the Summer months, yet lose volunteers to vacations and decreased awareness. Volunteering your time is a great way to give back to your community and to feel God’s love in action. He created us to do good works that he prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Finally, you can connect with God during the Summer by simply spending time in prayer and meditation. Whether you’re sitting in silence or reading scripture, taking time to connect with God on a personal level can help you feel His presence in your life. Many of us find the warm sunshine and chirping birds to be relaxing. Use that. Read outside. Enjoy God’s presence through many of your senses.

No matter how you choose to connect with God during the Summer, remember that He is always with you. He loves you unconditionally and He wants to have a relationship with you. So take some time this Summer to reflect on your faith and to grow closer to God.