I’m not good at resting. I didnt come to this realization until last night–while I’m at a retreat…a rest retreat. And the first night I got little to no rest….so much was running through my mind that I layed awake most of the night…

It has been like this for the past few months…rest has been nowhere in sight. Tragedies happen and without any notice, a new normal has to be established. A new normal that wasnt expected and honestly not even wanted.

And rest…well that becomes a word that was often said to me but I couldn’t personally grasp. How do you rest when life keeps moving even when you dont want too? How do you rest to care for your broken heart when those around you still need you? How do you rest when checking out, emotionally or physically, isnt an option???

I forced myself to rest….with the help of a friend. I went to Florida for the weekend and did nothing. I didnt check in too much on my family, laid in bed and looked at the ceiling, gazed at the ocean, cried, journaled, read and told God what I was feeling no matter what it was.

I left feeling lighter, like I had taken off a weighted vest for the first time in months. I pictured God taking the pieces of my heart and putting them back together again. I realized that rest, getting away from the norm, is essential for me. It cant be just a want. I Have to make it a NEED. Another friend of mine told me how she had scheduled rest times for the year. She sat down with her husband at the start of 2019 and put them on their calendars. Nothing big…just specific times for her to get away and recharge.

What if we, especially as moms and dads, became our own advocates for rest?!?!? What if we made rest and recouping time a priority and not just something that we really wished we could take the time out to do??

Rest. Make it a part of your life. Recoup and get away to ensure that your family is getting the very best of you…mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually…

You are worth it…rest well friends💜