When a woman needs rest

 

Tomorrow I leave for my 5th Annual Creative Retreat. Each year has been a little different, though the quorum of woman have remained the same.  We've retreated to a lake-house in Northern California, a poolside oasis in Southern California, and this year we are gathering sea-side in Clearwater, Florida. But more than a change of locations, each year has held different, transcendent themes.  There was the year when we laughed the most, and the one where we cried, another when we created the most, and that one spectacular year when we ate our way through... This year I believe we will find rest.

Rest.

Oh, I am hopeful that I will have a productive five days at the keyboard, because I'm writing a book and the manuscript is due in September, but even as my fingers fly I hope to know deeply healing heart-rest. Stepping away from the blessed grind of daily life allows my personal rhythm to return to it's resting tempo once again. Though I love my three boys and the man I share them with, there is so much going and serving and running and pouring out and bending over to pick another wet towel off the floor, that sometimes I get tired.

[Tweet "Even the most grateful woman can get tired. But rest promises to build her back up again."]

Photos courtesy Tammy Labuda Photography

Oh my, looking back I see that food has truly been the over-arching theme every year, let's not fool ourselves. But this year I hope to ingest great gobs of healing rest as well.

Here are three types of REST that women need to learn to lean into:

Resting in the loving hands of Christ - When life goes hard and we question if we're doing it all right or failing miserably, women can rest in the assurance that God is sovereign over our days, and the family members who depend upon us. Though I'm not perfect, I am perfectly flawed... My flaws are a gift. They allow me to find eternal rest in His Saving Perfection.  Salvation is always a bed of grace designed for rest, both now and forever more.

I am bringing my Bible with me this week, eager to find my rest in the book of Exodus - The picture of God leading His people out of bondage, in order to bring us all into the rest of His Promise Land.  He offers that to me.  He offers it to you.

[Tweet "I find my soul's true rest in the Bible. It's the original King-sized bed! "]

Literal rest - I am eager to sleep well - long and hard. Without middle of the night growing pains to rub away, or early morning hungry bellies to feed, I will stretch, roll over, and fall asleep again.  Rest is healing for the body, and the spirit.  "Be still and know that I am God..." It's a command that is hard to cultivate in these years with little people and their constant needs.  Retreating allows me the literal rest I need to restore, so that I might return home again eager and able to love fresh.

The rest found in safe friendships - It is safe to be with these women.  They are my tribe, my people, my cheering squad and prayer warriors.  They celebrate my joys and weep with me in my sorrows, and their nearness offers me rest. We laugh over bacon and gorgonzola pancakes, and pray around the fire pit, and walk together in silence, each stopping every few steps for more pictures.  We share what we've written, the pictures we've captured, the dreams we each have, and the hard knocks we've taken since our last time together. The safety net of friendship is a glorious hammock for rest.

[Tweet "The safety net of friendship is a glorious hammock for rest."]

Tonight I am packing up all my pretty vacation clothes, my orange sandals, notecards, and that Bible of mine. As I do I am taking moments here and there to lift up my friends who are joining me, and those of you who are stopping by to read this post - asking the Lord to guide you all with His Spirit, into His refreshing rest today - even if you can't getaway.

In His Word, in your bed, in your dear friendships... seek rest.

Question: What else offers you deep soul-rest?