Summer is a time of relaxation, fun, and adventure. Many people look forward to taking a break from their busy schedules and enjoying quality time with their friends and family. However, summer can also be a challenging time for those who want to maintain their spiritual growth and commitment to God. With so many distractions and temptations, it can be easy to lose sight of what matters most and drift away from God. Your faith is not something you should put on hold or take a vacation from. It is a vital part of your identity and your relationship with God. Keeping your faith in the summer will help you to experience God's presence, peace, and joy in every situation. There are so many ways that you can invite God into your summer and vacations, and here are a few ways that have worked for me. I hope you can take a few of these and implement them into your plans. 

Prayer:
• Set a regular time and place for prayer and stick to it. The alarm clock or reminders on your phone work perfectly for this.
• Use a prayer journal to write down your prayers as you drink your morning coffee.
• Join a Life Group or partner with a friend who can pray with you and for you. Check in with each other consistently.
• Use prayer apps, podcasts, and even social media to enrich your prayer experience.
• Going to the beach? Take a book with you. I’ve read a few great ones lately:
   • The Mystical City of God by Venerable Mary of Agreda
   • He Leadeth Me by Walter Ciszek
   • If you like faith-based fiction, try Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman

Bible Reading:
• Choose a Bible reading plan that suits your goals and interests. I love using the YouVersion Bible app for this.
• Memorize and meditate on key verses that inspire and challenge you. I also like writing these down in my morning journal.

Worship:
• Have a dance party: listen to worship music that uplifts and dance it out with your family.
• Create your own worship playlist or mixtape. Here are a few of my favourites:
• 'Yes I Will' by Vertical Worship
• 'The Way' by Pat Barrett
• 'In The Room' by Maverick City Music

Mass:
• Before vacation, look up local churches and Mass times that might work best for your vacation schedule.
• Attend Sunday Mass at another parish and introduce yourself to someone new.

Keeping your faith during the summer months is not only possible but beneficial and rewarding. Stay close to God, enrich your faith, and affect others for His glory. You will also be able to enjoy your summer and make it a memorable and meaningful season. So don't let the summer heat or the summer fun distract you. Instead, use the summer as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with God and to share his love with others.