March Madness is before us. Much of the madness in our lives is of our own making. It comes from the insidious pull of opportunity. Opportunity knocks and we open the door a few too many times. Stretched thin, our lives unravel and our deepest priorities drown in the onslaught of overload.
Bottom line – how do we make rest our own? How do we make restorative rhythms a way of life? What questions press upon us as the rubber hits the road? Here’s the outstanding line-up of questions you sent my way through the blog, email and eyeball-to-eyeball.
- How do I change the direction of this ship? I hate that my life feels like a shipwreck. It probably looks like one, too.
- My mind never stops. It’s so hard to be still. How do I stop my racing thoughts?
- How do I feed the Word to my loved ones who have lost faith and don’t want to talk about God?
- How can I fit everything into my life and do it well? I always feel like I’m failing.
- When does rest become irresponsible? What’s the difference between resting well and being lazy?
- How do I keep the Sabbath Holy?
- Is it possible to rest on the run? (a matter of focus and not bodily stillness)
- Do men and women rest differently?
- Is Solitude (personal retreat) important for all personality types? I’m an extrovert and get my energy from being with people. -and- I’m mad at God. It’s hard to rest with someone you’re mad at. Any ideas?
- How do I loosen the grip of technology and TV?
- What can I teach my young children about rest? Isn’t a child’s life ALL rest? -and- I can’t rest because my kids are so busy. How in the world do I learn to say no?
First time here? Welcome! We’re a group who gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We’re finding it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”
- It’s a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
- It’s an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in tender places. It alters the our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
- It is adventure with God at its best – learning to run the race in a power not our own.
Hope you can join us. We’re out to change the world—beginning with ourselves.
To see your post today gave me a much needed smile. It’s been hard. Had to get off a med for my asthma. I couldn’t afford it with Medicare. There has been fighting with that. I passed out at a friends’s house on Wednesday. Thursday I spend 4 hours in theological debate with a friends husband. Sunday the pain was debilitating and I had to be manhandled to be able to get me out of church….walking wasn’t working well for me. Most of the time as people ministered to me is a blur. I love God. He is my heart. Still, in the middle of the pain and frustration, I hear the enemy saying “if He loves you so much, why doesn’t He heal you.” I’m sure you’ve heard much the same. Pain is hard to think through or past. It’s hard to hold onto God when He has no “skin on” and the screams inside get louder and louder. It’s hard to look out and really appreciate the love so many showed me when I was doing so badly. I hate being a spectacle, crying out, upsetting others, needing help and knowing there is none available. The enemy whispers “God is so big He could make it better! What is wrong with you? There must be sin. Maybe you’re not good enough. He doesn’t love you.” Oh, by the way, the devil is a LIAR! My God loves me and He knows what is best. My suffering doesn’t compare to the struggles He faced on this earth. I am not alone. It feels like it and I could use some flesh on Jesus, but rest comes as I remember way back on the day He chose me….He wanted ME! The pain will pass in this life or the next. The disappointments will seem so small when I compare them to the glory of my Heavenly home. I will keep walking. God has a plan and it’s perfect.
Betty you are so strong. I don’t have as many physical pains as you, but I do have some here and there. I imagine when I am weak and hurting God the Father tucking me into to a warm cozy bed, Jesus my savior gives me the medicine I need, while the Holy Spirit gently tells me to hang in there “You are loved, You are being healed”. It is when we are most vulnerable here on earth that God is most tentative to us, we need only to embrace it and rejoice in Him! You have wisdom; knowing the devil is taunting you, trying to move you away from God. But I believe God has arms tightly wrapped around you at this very moment now and always.
You’re right, of course. After the dentist and shots and a filling, I came home and curled into a ball. I was hurt and scared, but not alone. Thanks for the reminder.
Thank you, Brenda. 🙂
Brenda, wow so many questions.
I think the fact that we have so many questions, proves we are God’s little children.
“Me Dad?”
“Yes, you”
“When?”
“Soon”
“Why, Father?”
“Because I love you”
“Now and Forever?”
“Yes, Always”
“How Dad”
“By the Way I showed you, will show you”
“Where Father?”
“Everywhere”
“Oh, Why?”
“Because I am your Father and I said so”
“Dad”
“What is it now child?”
“I love you!”
“I love you more!”
Amen.
Amen!