March Madness

The coming of the month of March promises one thing: March madness. March is the month when basketball rules the land — from basketball predictions to basketball games to basketball highlights to... you get the picture. Even if one doesn't know much about layups and rebounds, the basketball "madness" is still felt and experienced through all of the media coverage and everyday conversation that goes on about basketball during the month.

Lately I've been really feeling the March madness. The madness I've been feeling, however, isn't so much about basketball, but just about life. It's not that things are crazy and out of control (which seems to be the aura of December), but I just seem to be in a state of madness. It's March, and I'm tired of winter, bored out of my mind, and in need of something to look forward to.

I'm pretty sure that everyone feels this type of March madness sometime during the year. Maybe it's not always in March, but lots of people experience times of lull and unexcitement in their lives. It seems like things aren't exciting, aren't going anywhere, and just aren't meaningful... kind of like my get-up-and-go has just got-up-and-left.

How do I — and the many others — combat this life lull? Well, I tried going out with my friends more often. That was fun, but conflicting schedules and a lack of money made it hard. I decided earning more money might help that situation out, so I tried working more hours at the local grocery store. That just made me more stressed out and tired. Finally I got smart and turned to God.

Turning to God meant that I stopped talking to myself and started talking to God. Instead of thinking of new and creative ways to fill up my time and make myself happy, I turned to God and asked HIM what I needed. I stopped living in Jessica-world and started living in the real world, a world that centered around God rather than around myself. Psalm 55:22 says tells us to "pile all your troubles on God's shoulders - He'll carry your load, He'll help you out." I did just that: I gave Him my worries, my stresses, my needs, my wants, and my everything.

Releasing all of that extra baggage didn't feel good; it felt awesome. I realized that every time I'm down in the dumps, it's probably because I'm dragging myself down with lots of extraneous "stuff" that I don't need. Matthew 11:28-30 reinforced this idea with Jesus' advice. He tells us to "come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

I know that the things are simple, that they're common sense. Most everyone who has been in Sunday school or stayed awake during church knows these simple steps to making one's life a little easier and more meaningful. During times of stress or lull, however, we all need a little reminding of what to do, what really matters, and who really cares. I thank God for teaching me this lesson and feel confident that the next time my March madness (or June jitters, September slums, or December downs) comes around, I'll be ready.

Jessica Sandwell is in her second year as a HELM Leadership Fellow and is a member of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lebanon, Missouri.