Tag: rest

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Hello Refresh

Rest…that has been something God has wanted me to pursue this year. That is one thing I have a hard time doing – not being in control & in the middle of everything. One thing that is not “natural” for me. I know some of you can relate.

Busyness is a common place for me. It is my comfort zone and it helps me define my worth. Yes, that is right…without something to do, I have a hard time seeing myself as important in this world. Without doing something – will people love me as I am? Will God accept me?

Am I good enough to just be me without offering anything to the world? Is it enough for me to not have 5 things happen all at the same time? If I’m not drowning in stuff to do, am I doing it right?

Oh, but when God says to do something, you should do it. I’ve learned this the hard way this year. God is a good Father and will step in if His children are stubborn. That stubborn child is me. Lord, help me.

God had to shift things up so that I would pay attention. Let me just tell you this – it is much easier if you just listen to God. Remember this next time you – yourself- want to be stubborn.

Don’t get me wrong, the fact that God stepped in is a place of celebration for me. This is because I know He cares and that I am His. Hebrews 12:6 says: ““For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”” It is a blessing to be disciplined because it means He calls us His.

One thing God has helped me understand in this season is that He is in control. That He can be trusted. One of the reasons I was so busy was because I wanted to be in the middle of everything because I couldn’t trust that I would be cared for. I know, silly to think about how God won’t take care of me when He is so good however, that trust is not too easy to walk out.

Faith is a strange thing. When you don’t trust God with everything, you cannot have faith in Him with your whole heart. This is a problem for someone who lives for God – because your life contradicts itself. That was me. I was not allowing God to move in me like He wanted to.

So – now, after God got me alone, I had two choices. I could learn to lean into Him or walk away from Him. I chose to lean in. I wish I could say that it was easy, but it wasn’t. I could never imagine myself walking away from God, but it was still so hard to lean in and trust.

Let me tell you this – as I lean in closer, the more and more I see that He knows best. That His healing is not here today and gone tomorrow – it lasts. That whatever I face, He wants to fight for me (Exodus 14:14). And He can be trusted with everything – whatever it may be!

So if what I just described is something you have faced lately…know this – you can lean in and you can trust God. He will not leave you or abandon you!! Reach out to God, repent for not trusting Him and start following His lead.

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”

Psalms 91:1-4 NLT

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Finding Rest

The more I have to do, the more I realize that I need to find time to rest.  As I get older – especially as I get farther away from my 20’s, I realize that resting should be a priority.  If you are like me, you like to stay busy.  And if you are busy like me, taking time to rest often gets pushed off your “to-do” list most of the time.  That is not how we, as people who follow Jesus, should live.

Our bodies are finite, they will die one day, and so they need to be nurtured.  Part of that nurturing is taking time to recharge and restore.  I know the type A people like me find it hard to let go of doing and going, but in order to live a full, healthy life, we must.  Part of walking with God is taking care of your temple.

The more I spend time with God, the more I realize that we need to have that recharge daily.  No, I’m not speaking to vacations or taking a “me” day as a form of recharge – even though they hold a value in your self-care walk.  I’m speaking of spending quiet time with God…daily.  One moment with God can fulfill what a 3 week vacation can in how you are restored physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

One of the best ways to get that restoration is spending time in God’s word – which can be done as simply as listening to it on the free Bible app (this isn’t an ad, just a recommendation) or reading a devotional of your choice.  You don’t need to make it long and drawn out.  Do what you can in the time you have.  I’ve even heard some Bible-teachers speak on spending their week meditating on one verse.  The more His word gets in you, the less you allow this world to get to you.

And, of course, there is nothing like sitting in silence, talking to God.  There is a great value in this.  His touch and voice heals things in a way nothing else can.  Make sure to take time out to spend seeking Him.  And not just seeking His hand (what can He do for you), but also seeking His face (what He wants from you, your community, the world).  God is always our source and seeking something outside of His presence (seeking something to fill a void only He should fill) will cause us more anguish than help.

Make time to rest daily, y’all.  When life gets busy, money runs tight, and you don’t know when you can get away from the crazy – steal away with Him and let His perfect refreshment restore your soul.

“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10

“I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

“He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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Take A Coffee Break

It’s good to be a go-getter; a doer.  Someone who gets things done.  You are an asset to any team.  You are needed in the kingdom of God.

Always doing, going, accomplishing can be hard on the body, the mind, and the soul.  No one can go, do, be constantly.  You need rest.

Make sure you take time to rest, rejuvenate, and repair.  It isn’t healthy to keep going and going like the Energizer Bunny.  God didn’t mean for you to not get rest.  In fact, He rested:

“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:30-32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be intentional with your rest.  To rest is to get yourself back to where you are 100% you.  So you can give more of yourself to those who need you.  As a Child of God, rest should become a priority in your life.  Because God needs His warriors to be strong.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬


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Seasons

Right now, in Dallas, we are having a rainy, cold day.  It is winter and February is usually our coldest month.  It is just the way it usually goes.  During this month, our greatest time of purging occurs.  This cold weather doesn’t do well to the plants that like hot weather – which we have most of the year – so their foliage turns brown and things look dead.  When you think about it, this purging season actually acts like a pruning season, giving the land/plants time to rest before they need to bloom and pollinate again.

We all go through a purging/pruning season from time to time.  Friends leave, jobs end, and situations go sour.  We often pin this on the enemy, but in fact, it could be God closing a door so we can go through another.  It seems like, when we are sitting in that season, it is rough and it stings.  But, after you start to see the light again, you find rest.

Take this scripture from Leviticus 25:3-4:

“Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.”

It is for our health that we go through this season as it was for the good of the vineyards.  The soil would have grown too toxic and not been fertile if the Israelites did not prune.  Sometimes situations, friends, jobs become too toxic for us and could contaminate the good work God is doing in us so He needs to give us a season of pruning.

I want to encourage you and ask you to keep the faith in your journey if you are in such a season.  God is getting ready for something great.  Just hold on and cling to Jesus.  You’ll make it and thrive!

Be blessed.

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Broken

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ NLT)

As a counselor, I saw a lot of broken people. One thing I witnessed was, in the times when my clients were the most broken – God would show up in a mighty way. It was beautiful and always moved me. That is the God we serve – God is Love (1 John 4:8).

If you feel like you are broken right now – know that there is a God who loves you & is there for you. He has already carried the burdens to the Cross so He is waiting for you to hand it over to Him (1 Peter 5:7). All you need to do is fully surrender it into His Hands!

Be blessed everyone. May His peace rule your life.

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