If you’ve read Wonderstruck or used the Wonderstruck 7-Session DVD Bible Study, you likely read about when I was running life on a smoking treadmill.
I was spent.
I woke up one morning and told my husband, Leif, “I can’t do this anymore.”
He suggested we stay in bed and watch a season of Downton Abbey—while tempting, that’s not what I meant.
“No, I really can’t do this anymore.”
Do you know the feeling?
Rather than waking up ready to conquer the world, do you feel like the world has conquered you? [Tweet this]
Do everyday challenges seem insurmountable? [Tweet this]
Is saying “No” foreign, steep, and scary to you? [Tweet this]
After a long season of reevaluating why I felt burnt out and running on fumes, I realized that I couldn’t keep running life on a smoking treadmill. Instead, I had to take hold of rest.
It turns out, you cannot fully awaken to the presence of God apart from the divine gift of rest. [Tweet this]
Lucky for us, God’s invitation to rest in him awaits. We can crawl into bed knowing the world lounges safely in His hands. [Tweet this]
As you can read in Wonderstruck, I learned (the hard way) the importance of rest and celebrating Sabbath each week.
That is why each Sunday, I post a Sunday Still—a breathtaking image paired with a quote. This is an invitation to remember to be still in God’s presence and accept His invitation into divine rest. Because when we rest, we trust that God holds everything together. [Tweet this] The Sabbath isn’t about what’s done or left undone, but about breathing in the goodness of God. [Tweet this]
Go ahead. Accept the invitation to rest today and seize the life God has for you.
What’s holding you back?
Thank you for this great reminder Margaret.
With surmounting responsibilities (some lending to procrastination) I came to the realization on yesterday that I’m really running on empty!
I will work through these tasks, recommitting to caring for self (spiritually, mentally, physically, and relationally) in the process – which includes resting in and trusting God to do what only He can do.
Rose, praying for God’s grace, peace, and joy to cover you today!
Love the phrase “Sunday Still”. In our culture, we need to just get still before we can even start to think about rest. My church meets on Saturday night (due to spacing problems, we are encouraged to come on Saturday to free up space on Sunday morning)., Once I got over the guilt of “not being in church on Sunday”, I now have a true Sabbath Still every Sunday, I guard and value this time with a passonite jealousy!!
Amen, Gail!
Dear Margaret,
I recently attended the E-Women Conference in Pensacola and wanted to say Thank you. I thank God that I was there to hear you speak. Your closeness to God was evident throughout your entire talk. I saw His face in you. I asked Him to show me what He looked like (His heart, Spirit) that day. I’ve been persecuted a lot for walking with Him and I just needed to know that there are others who have dedicated their whole lives to Him too. Thanks for being a great example. May the Word of God continue to dwell richly in you. Thanks for being such a blessing.
Heather, so thrilled that God spoke to and worked in you at EWomen Pensacola!