Experiencing Rest in a Time of Busyness

"When we are crazy busy, we put our souls at risk. The challenge is not merely to make a few bad habits go away. The challenge is to not let our spiritual lives slip away." -Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About a (Really) Big Problem

My life is crazy busy. 

I wake up at 5:00am every morning and work 8-10 hours a day.  

When I'm not sleeping or working, I'm squeezing time in my day for my family, talk to my boyfriend at night, and meeting up with friends for early morning coffee chats. 

When I Refuse to Give the Lord Control Over My Time and Priorities

"We don’t expect to be able to buy anything we want, because we know there is a limit to our money. But somehow we live as if time knew no bounds, when in fact time is much more limited than money. Wealth can be created, but no one has the ability to grow more time." (Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy)

I waste time. Do you? This post is a glance into my own heart and the realization that I don't "Redeem the time" in a way that glorifies God. Like most Millennials, I've bought into the lie that I can manage the high demand of social media, enjoy an active social life with my friends, keep up a busy schedule and devote time to ministry projects. Deceptively, I believed I could manage my life in this fashion but recently God revealed the blunt truth:

"It's time to grow up" 

When the Impossible Becomes Possible

Before Jesus died He gathered His disciples together for one last talk. (you can read about it in John 13-16) The disciples were greatly troubled as Jesus soberly explained why He must go away and leave them.  I cannot imagine what it would've been like to have been one of the disciples that night; the foot washing, the sobering meal, and the troubling news of betrayal and death. That night the Lord gave them an impossible mission...

"So I give you a new commandment; Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other...If you love me, obey my commandments. Abide in me and I in you...I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love." (commands from John 13-16)

A "Green Chair Chat" with God

In my little blue room I have this ugly green chair. Although it has seen better days I'm quite fond of the little chair. It has witness many counseling sessions and has been a welcoming spot for all my friends who come to visit. But when I'm alone, the little green chair is my place of prayer. This chair has been wet with tears time and time again as I've visited the throne room of Heaven.

As I knelt by my green chair one morning my mind drifted from prayer onto the cares of the day. Finally I snapped back to earth with the realization that I was suppose to be talking with God. I bowed my head once more, letting my mouth lead the way while my heart trailed way behind. But as I prayed, the nagging thoughts echoed words of condemnation...

The Secret Place

"And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6, NLT) 

Imagine receiving an invitation to spend the day with someone you greatly admire and love. What would be going through your mind? Obviously you would probably be wondering, "What do I wear?!" A millisecond later you'd be pondering, "What are we going to do together? Where will we go? What will we talk about?" You and I have a need to be loved and cherished which is why I want to deliver a special invitation to you...the One who loves you wants to spent time with you today!