Pressing Pause and Hitting Reset

In the midst of constant busyness, how can we find rest?

The timeline of this story goes back to the summer, when deadlines were flexible and sleep was never cut short. I first heard about this event called “Reset” from Proverbs 31 Ministries and thought to myself “it sounds great, but I could never go.” It made no sense to travel to Charlotte for a one-day trip during the school year.

But God convicted me to buy the ticket. 

Even still, for me, it was a huge “If I go…”

But God provided in more ways than I could imagine.

My travel cost was miraculously minimal.

One of my good friends decided to go too, so I had someone to enjoy the event with. She, being from the area, would drive. There was no cost for ground transportation.

I got the day approved off of work.

It all worked out better than I could have ever orchestrated.

The weeks leading up to this event became more and more hectic. Work kept piling up as new opportunities sprung up. I could barely manage my usual schedule and personal needs, let alone tend to my soul. I had no choice but to pause my pressed flower gift shop orders and writing until the work was done. I almost forgot I published a book in the midst of everything else I was doing. Night after night, I’d be depleted but unable to sleep. Physically I was exhausted. Mentally I couldn’t wind down.

And then…reset.

The day before was my travel and rest day. As much as I planned on it, by the time the day came, I needed it more than anything. I left my laptop at home to avoid getting caught in familiar mindsets to check my emails and get work done. I met up with my friend Regina and we had a nice and relaxing day to catch up and rest.

The next day was restful, exciting, and comforting. While I was unfamiliar with the church we were at, it had a home-like feel to it. It was also refreshing to see so many Proverbs 31 friends again. Each of the sessions had something special in it. Unlike some things I’ve gone to where I think “this isn’t a message for me,” I had direct take-aways from every part of this day.

And while I’d like to dissect every detail, it’d be more meaningful to share two common themes:

1. God honors our willingness to obey Him, even when it doesn’t make sense at first.
2. We can – and should – enjoy the answered prayers we’re living in, while simultaneously holding onto hope for the next ones.

It’s been a busy month, but I continue to look for times to reset and rest in the presence of the Lord. If you’re struggling to find time to rest and seek the Lord, here are some things that are working for me in this season:

• Schedule rest – whether you do this into each day and/or a full Sabbath day
• Time your prayer time – you’ll be surprised at how fast it goes by!
• Plan for technology detoxes when possible
• Get into nature
• Get creative
• Set boundaries – with work, social time, commitments, anything you feel necessary.

Even though I’ve felt overwhelmed with all the things, I’ve found that the more I give my time to God, the more He does the work for me. The more He blesses the time I have. I haven’t been able to market my book as well as I’ve wanted, but God has been providing the sales. He’s been getting the message to those who need it.

As I close out this message, I think of the girl who sat next to me at the conference. We bonded over the pretty event flowers and desire to be in the front row. When the Lord prompted me to give her a copy of “Steadfast,” she was in tears and was so grateful. This was the message she needed. I never would have known.

When we rest and prioritize our time with God, He helps us to get the work done. And He will always make a way when something is a part of His will. We can trust Him…He’s always that good.