An Invitation to Rest ~ Titus 2 Tips {on Thursdays} A Guest Post

Are you weary, exhausted, stressed, fried, bombarded, and hanging on by a thread?

I saw this quote via (in)courage the other day, “God is not asking me to number my days to increase my pace but rather to examine my route” (taken from Pursue the Intentional Life by Jean Fleming).

What does your pace look like? If you are like me, it is pretty frantic. Even if there are not a lot of things on the calendar, I often feel frantic on the inside. Can you relate?

Last year our family theme was “Be Still.” A friend told me that being still has more to do with our state of mind and heart than it does with abstaining from activity. I liked that. Our souls can be at rest, and correctly postured, through trusting God and believing that “He's got this.” He’s got the whole words in His hands, remember? That means you too.

As women we often find ourselves too busy and often depleted by all the bustle and hustle of everyday life. Some of the scurry is our own doing, and it might be time to examine our pace and our route. But, some of the busyness may be unavoidable too.

Today, I want to give you an invitation to rest . . . permission to slow down. Release your grasp and choose to really live. In case you forgot, you are human. It is okay not to be superwoman—let that unrealistic expectation go! Jesus has you covered. If you are His, then you can rest under His wings and operate with the strength and grace that He provides.

Are you eating regularly or rushing through your day?

Are you taking a 20 minute power nap or falling into bed exhausted from getting just one more thing done?

Are you taking a few extra minutes in the shower to breathe deep and prepare your mind for action or are you skipping the essentials in the name of service to others?

Preaching to myself here, and maybe to you too?

What does your route look like? Who sets the agenda for your day? Is it you or your Loving Heavenly Father? Are you trying to keep up with the woman who has 20,000 followers and somehow manages to make flawless Pinterest dishes while her man brings her flowers and her children sing her praises? Or are you following the lead of Love? Are you letting Jesus guide you down the unique course that He has set before you?

Dear woman, I want you to know there is freedom to slow down. Unless you are lazy, which I am guessing you are not, take a deep cleansing breath and be mindful of your pace. Allow the Lord to show you how much He loves you and longs to walk with you as you serve and bless those around you.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 

Resting in His Promises,

Katie

Katie Reid is a recovering perfectionist, who is learning to slow down and breathe deeply, as she fumbles to receive and extend grace in everyday moments. She delights in her hubby and four children and their life in ministry. Studying God's Word, singing/songwriting, blogging, photography, and heartfelt conversations are a few of her favourite things.  Katie would love to connect with you on her website www.echoesofmyheart.com and on facebook and twitter @ImprintsKatie.

Titus 2 Tips I am honoured to host these guest posts in this series on women mentoring women.   Some weeks you may find tips from the kitchen or healthy recipes, tools other women have used to grow spiritually, hints to help us build up and love our husbands, and lessons they have learned as they have walked along with their children to teach them to love God wholeheartedly, habits they have developed in keeping their home, ways they have worked on to keep their behaviour respectful, or rhythms that allow peace and rest in the home and hearts that dwell there within. You will find all the posts in the series here. "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." {Titus 2:3-5}