rest

Rest…

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Today I am tired. I had a terrible time getting to sleep last night. My brain just wouldn’t shut off and allow me the rest I needed. It was after just 3.5hrs of sleep that I got up to face the new day.

As a result, all day I have been moving a little slower and looking forward to bed a little more than normal. So this will not be a long blog entry, as I don’t want to delay my rest any longer.

Jesus said this about rest:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,   for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11: 28, 29 NIV

Today I feel physically tired, but Jesus was talking about being spiritually tired: sad or worried or stressed to the point where you just don’t feel like you can keep going. I find it so reassuring that Jesus addresses this. That he says that his way of living is the treatment for that kind of soul-weary-ness.

My physical tiredness will be easily solved by a good night’s sleep, but the bigger problem of spiritual weariness is in the hands of my maker. And He knows just what to do with it.

If you are soul-weary, I hope you will find yourself turning to Jesus, learning from him and trusting Him to give you the rest you need.

PS – The picture at the top is my girl, Koski. And like all dogs she knows how to rest better than any human being!

Recovered…ish.

A little over a week ago I was in Atlanta for Catalyst. It was an amazing time, and God had so much to say to me during the conference. But the reality is that for an introvert and a process-thinker like me, it takes a while to recover from an event like that. Not only was there a 16hr drive each way (I know, you think we’re crazy for driving, but man I love a good road trip!), there were also two intense days of leadership teaching from high energy speakers in the midst of a crowd of 13,000 people.

On the one hand, I love Catalyst and all it has brought into my life in the past two years. On the other hand, once it’s over I just need TIME to recover. That’s how God made me. And I am learning not to fight it, but to embrace it.

I still think the greatest thing Craig Groeschel has ever taught me is that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is rest. So I have been allowing my brain and my body some rest in the past week. Of course, the world keeps turning, and I cannot hit a pause button on the the things happening in my life and the community of faith where I serve. Even still, I would say I am recovered from Catalyst and ready to begin writing about it.

As I sat in the last session of the conference, I made a list on my iPhone notes about blog ideas that came from all I experienced during the conference. So this is my way of telling all of you who take the time to read my blog (what a blessing you are to me!) to get ready to hear a whole lot about Catalyst and the great things I learned there. My hope is that God will use these lessons to touch your heart in beautiful ways.

And now, as I close the book on a long but wonderful day, my prayer is that you may find rest when you need it. That you may be released from the heavy burdens you carry and may truly believe what is said in the Psalms:

It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Palm 127:2 NLT

Rest…

Tonight is one of those nights where I feel like I can HEAR my bed calling my name. It hasn’t been a particularly stressful day, I am just weary. It happens sometimes.

Didn’t Jesus say something about this? Oh yes, it had to do with yokes and rest and weariness. Personally, I like how Eugene Peterson re-framed those famous words of Jesus:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
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.”
Matthew 11:28-30

I especially like that line in the middle that I highlighted. These are good thoughts, and with them echoing in my ears, I will answer the call of my bed.

Moment of peace

Right now I am curled up in bed without any blankets on because it is so warm and Springish out. I am about to read a bit and then go to sleep. I almost didn’t blog tonite because I was tired and just not feeling up to it. But as I lay here, it kind of hit me that I had something I wanted to write. Something I wanted to remember.

And that is this feeling of peace that I have right now.

Koski is back in her crate for the first night in a week (Seriously, as much as I love my puppy, I don’t get how people let their animals sleep in bed with them. Koski got to sleep in my bed for about a week because it was less disturbance to my sleep than having her tremble and pant in her crate all night while wearing the cone of shame. We are SO done with that now. No more paws digging into my back in the middle of the night, or waking up because she’s having some wicked dream that causes her to twitch and growl or waking up drenched in sweat because she’s a freakin’ blast furnace of a dog! Ok. Enough of that rant.)

Today is finished and tomorrow is on the horizon. But between the two is this time for rest. I don’t always feel at peace when I lie down to sleep, and I guess that is why I want to remember this.

Sometimes the day has been filled with too many cares which I find hard to let go of. Sometimes tomorrow’s problems loom larger than its promise. Sometimes I just worry bout too many things. But not tonite. Tonite my heart is quiet and I am thankful for it.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philipi, he wished them the peace of God which transcends all understanding. I wish the same to you, and to myself.