Back Together Again and the Powerful Gift of Rest
Back Together Again and the Powerful Gift of Rest
Hi Friends,
Welcome to August, I’ve missed you! I hope you had a sweet July. Ours was delightful. I feel like a kid coming back to school after summer vacation. There’s nothing like returning suntanned and rested after some time off.
It’s easy to forget that God intends for the productivity of our lives to ebb and flow. You may hear alarm bells going off when I say this, but he doesn’t want us always to be pushing hard. From the beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden, he gave them work to tend to during the day and visited with them as they ceased their work in the cool of the evening. He created humans to need sleep when he could have designed them to produce around the clock. And he gave us his example, as the all-powerful, tireless God, when he created for 6 days and then “rested” on the 7th, to not work for too many days straight.
A few years ago, on a Mediterranean cruise with my husband, I noticed the European’s incomprehensible custom of taking a whole month off in the summer. Taking a “Holiday” they called it as they headed off with their families for a month along the coast or in the country.
I remember thinking, “How in the world do they do that? How can they afford it? How can they be away that long from their jobs?” The answer. They plan for it. It’s not unusual but normal and expected. I think they’re onto something. In June when I heard a few other Christians I respect were taking a month off in July, it inspired me to do the same. Even though I wasn’t headed away to the countryside or seashore, I could start with this.
It's wonderful when we rest, how many things come back into alignment. The clarity that we’ve been longing for comes. The relationships that needed tending are strengthened. And the tasks and commitments that don’t belong in our lives anymore, suddenly become obvious.
Rest gives us a crystal-clear perspective and a fresh start.
During our month off, all six of our kids were home. Right now, three are living on the west coast. So, it’s a celebration anytime we can all be together.
It was fantastic to savor being Mom again and Nana to my two favorite grands, 2-year-old Atlas and 1 ½-year-old Charlotte. We enjoyed beach days, picking blueberries, family dinners, spending time with our new in-laws, and a big party bringing the Michigan family and friends together to celebrate our son Jonathan’s October wedding in Oregon.
And we have exciting news - We’re launching the Sanctuary Stirrings podcast today! We look forward to connecting with others with a heart longing for intimacy with God. I love the flexibility and warmth of podcasts, being able to listen to episodes as I go about life, driving down the road, or making dinner. Podcasts meet people where they are.
But not to worry, you’ll still receive the weekly email article with a link to the conversation in audio form on the podcast.
We’d love for you to be our first subscribers. It’s called Sanctuary Stirrings and you can find it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Click here to listen to the first episode, Alive!
May your August be filled with connections with the Lord, roasting your last marshmallows, visiting with loved ones, and watching a few more fleeting summer sunsets.
In His love,
Bryan and Lori
--------
What blessings you have experienced during this summer month of rest?