Tag: gift from God

31 Days: Practising the Rhythm of Rest

  

As we come to the end of this series on the Rhythm of Rest, I hope that you’ve enjoyed it and have found something helpful for your own situation. It’s been a pleasure and privilege to explore this theme with you, and wonderful to hear from some of you about how it has blessed you. I would also like to point you towards some other resources that you may find helpful as you continue to explore and establish the rhythm of rest.

This is a list of books I have either read or plan to read, that explore rest in some way:

If you know of any other books worth reading please let me know in the Comments.

  

The following music has been meaningful to me and I share this list in the hope that you may also find it helpful:

  • “Come to me” by Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson (on the album The Loft Sessions)
  • “Dwell” by Aaron Keyes (on the album Dwell)
  • “Receive” by Brian Morykon (on the album The Smallest Seed)
  • “Rest in me” by Ann-Maree Keefe (on the album Cryptology)
  • “Restless” by Audrey Assad (on the album The House You’re Building)
  • “You speak” by Audrey Assad (on the album Fortunate Fall)
  • “Worn” by Tenth Avenue North (on the album The Struggle)

(These songs are also available individually on iTunes.)

I’m also appreciating the music of Alberto & Kimberly Rivera (I’ve been listening to their albums Yearnings and Live Soaking Sessions, Vol 1 but there are plenty of others to explore).

Finally, let me bless you in the name of Jesus, to experience glorious refreshing rest and joy in his presence. May you learn the life-sustaining rhythms of work and rest as you walk with the Lord. And may you flourish in the fullness of his love for you.

The Rhythm of Rest
This is Day 31 of The Rhythm of Rest series (Write 31 Days challenge).

Image credits: morguefile.com

31 Days: The gift of sleep

The Rhythm of Rest

I’ve been wondering what to write about today, but what I really need is sleep.

Psalm 127:1-2

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.

So sleep it is. May you also be blessed with deep refreshing sleep. And may you greet tomorrow feeling rested.

IMG_0467

IMG_0466

Image credits: morguefile.com

This is Day 12 of The Rhythm of Rest (write 31 Days challenge).

The rainbow invitation to rest

It wasn’t news I wanted to hear. But there wasn’t anything I could do to change it.

I walked back to my desk. Overwhelmed. The waters rising, threatening to close in over my head. Sinking.

Too much. Too much.

Struggling, trying to float instead of sink. Except that struggling usually sends you downward. Floating requires trust that the water will hold you up.

I didn’t see it at first. Someone else drew it to my attention.

A rainbow – bright and glorious against a charcoal sky. It hung in the air outside my window.

Light in the darkness

Suddenly the waters receded, the darkness lifted and hope took its rightful place.

I love rainbows.

I love the colours; love their glorious beauty; love their elusiveness and the unexpected joy they bring.

I love that they remind me of God’s presence.

They speak to me of his faithfulness. They remind me that God is someone I can trust. Even in the storms of life.

Especially in the storms.

I’ve seen several rainbows in the last few days. A profusion of rainbow gifts, reminding me again of the Lord’s faithfulness as I choose to trust him and rest.

Rainbow at rest

Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. ~ Psalm 116:7

How to find rest in an unlikely place

Breathe Beauty - Spiritual Whitespace - Bonnie Gray

Over the weekend I sat in my favourite bakery, with a hot chocolate, a warm cherry danish and my journal. I breathed, I wrote and I listened. I took a scenic drive through hills, my soul taking a fresh breath as I took in the green folds, the rocky outcrops, gum trees, cattle and sheep, all bathed in the gentle winter sunshine.

It felt good, refreshing.

But now it’s another working week and the cares of daily life, the routines and commitments, are all crowding in, clamouring for attention.

How do I find spiritual whitespace now?

Another day, another wait at the bus stop. It’s cold, and everyone is standing silently, some tapping away on their smart phones, others with wired up and listening to their favourite music.

Across the road I see a tall tree, almost bare, lit by early sunlight. The last red leaves of autumn cling stubbornly to its naked branches.

There’s movement, and soon I spot one, then two or three more birds, their chests a pinky red.

They bob and flit around the tree, before disappearing in a flurry of wings and chirping. They remind me of children just let out of school.

And just as I think there’s nothing else to see, I notice more birds hopping around on the ground below. And sparrows skim the air low and then rise above the rooflines. I wonder how I thought it was silent as I begin to hear all the different birdsongs. In the distance, a rooster crows Good Morning.

And suddenly it seems almost magestic, this moment for my soul to breathe.

This gift of spiritual whitespace.

This gift of rest.

21 Days of Rest: Finding Spiritual Whitespace

Too busy for the real gift?

Christmas Presents

It’s only two weeks until Christmas. If that thought makes you feel panicky inside chances are that the end-of-year busyness and all the preparations needed to make Christmas ‘perfect’ (or at least meet the family expectations) are taking their toll.

All the end-of-year events, the planning, the shopping, the decorations, the gift wrapping, and the cooking. In conversations about plans for Christmas I’ve been surprised by some of the responses. There’s so much to do, even thinking about it is exhausting, and they can hardly wait for Christmas to be over. Then there’ll be time for rest.

In the busy onslaught of Christmas preparations, do we miss the real significance? To celebrate the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace. Ann-Maree Keefe has an insightful song called Busy. While it’s not specific to Christmas, I think it’s a timely message. In it she sings:

and the peace that was promised
held out as a gift
we run straight past it
for the door of a lift
and my heart is heavy
when I hear you say
you’re just too busy

What will you do with God’s gift of peace and grace as you come into this Christmas season?

Image sourced here.