Rest

If you know me personally, you know I am a very on the go type of person. I am a multi-tasker, who doesn't take a break often. I am always doing something and my schedule is always booked. I tend to take on too many things at once until I get to the point I feel like I'm drowning. I also recently finished up nursing school. I work at the hospital. There was a time where I was working at the hospital, working at the pharmacy, and babysitting all at the same time while enrolled full time in nursing school. I took care of my grandmother on top of working part-time and being in college full time while she was here in Columbus sick for the last 6 months of her life. I take on too many projects sometimes without thinking about how much work it'll be. Don't get me wrong, I like to stay busy sometimes. I don't regret working three jobs while in school full time, or taking care of my Grandmother every single day when she was sick one bit. I wouldn't trade those memories for the world. But I had someone very close to my heart say to me this past weekend and it stuck with me. Busyness is not always a good thing. It got me thinking and there is so much truth to that. Sometimes we fill our schedules up so much and we are so busy, we don't take time to care for ourselves. Sometimes we become so busy with life that we place God on the backburner. As most of you know, I usually post my blogs on Monday and Wednesday at 10 am. Well, my blog today did not post today at 10 am. It's 5:56 pm while I am typing this, and I will be posting it when I'm finished. You see sometimes we need to take a step back from our busyness and take a breath. Take a step back and relax. Spend less time filling our schedules with things of this world, and fill it more with God. That is something I struggle with sometimes. Sometimes I get so busy with life, I don't open my Bible up as often as I should. Sometimes I get so busy with life, I can't remember when the last real conversation I had with God. You see, I'm not perfect and I will never claim to be. I allow the busyness of this world to take control over me more often than I'd like to admit. But I want to tell you that there is something beautiful that I can't even explain about stopping and taking a break. Taking a breath. When God created the universe on the seventh day he rested. He had worked so hard creating everything and speaking it into existence, he needed a break and he took one. I know I personally am guilty about doing so. I rarely take breaks and then I finally hit a point where I am drained and so emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted, I crash. You see, busyness isn't always a good thing and we need breaks. We need to set limitations. God told me I needed to take a break this past week. That it was okay if my blog didn't post right exactly at 10 am today. God told me I needed rest. My body needed rest. My mind needed rest. So I listened. I will be honest with you before God spoke to me and told me to rest, I didn't have any idea at all what I was even going to write about for this blog. I had no idea at all. I haven't been in my Bible this week as much as I should be. I didn't know what I was going to do, but then I rested. I rested and realized I cannot be the only person who needs to hear this. Hear that it is okay to step back and take a breath and rest. I encourage you to stop trying to take on the whole world at once and rest. Rest and spend time with God. Spend time alone talking with God. Put down your phone and social media and rest from it. Rest from posting. Rest from reading the latest gossip. Rest from the politics. Rest from covid-19. Rest and find comfort and peace in God. God is the author of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Allow Him to bring you peace. Peace mentally. Peace emotionally. Peace physically. Peace beyond all understanding. Take a break from the busyness of life and spend a day taking care of yourself. Come to Jesus and find rest (Matthew 11: 28-30). The craziness of life can wait for another hour or another day. Even the one who created the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the stars in the sky, the land creatures and the sea creatures, you and me, needed rest. Stop where you are right now. Take a deep breath. Take a rest. I promise afterward you will see things clearer, hear things more clearly, and God will speak to you in that time of rest and will tell you exactly it is he wants you to know if you allow Him. I pray whoever needs rest today, takes a break. I pray that they allow God to bring them peace during their time or rest. I pray God speaks to them and tells them what it is they need to hear. I pray they spend more time in the Word and less time in the world. I pray the same for myself. I pray from now on, I provide my mind and body with rest when God tells me I need to. I pray I don't allow busyness to take over my life. I pray I stop and take a breath. I love you guys. I'll see you next week :)