End of 2013 - Coming to terms with RESTing

Well, my word for 2013 has been REST. It has certainly been an interesting year for that word. It actually feels as though my world has involved everything except resting. At the beginning of the year, I believed that I was going to learn how to rest and find something resembling relaxation and physical rest in my life. As the year progressed, however, I discovered that the word REST for me this year had little to do with relaxing. Let me explain.

Throughout the year, I became increasingly involved in the Creative Arts Ministry at my church. I was singing in the choir and was a substitute worship team member. My church reinstated the Deaf Ministry and I committed to interpreting the praise and worship portion of the services as well as interpreting a few other times as requested. Watching this ministry become active again has been an amazing joy. I spent numerous days completing my continuing education credit units to maintain my clinical social work license.  My family took a couple of day trips to the mountains. We enjoyed hiking and taking numerous photos of God’s handiwork that is like no other. I have lived near both Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier for over 20 years and had only spent limited time on Mt. Rainier and, until now, had never gone to Mt. St. Helens.

Last but not least, I felt that God was calling me to begin a private practice, providing talk therapy and mental health evaluations in a part of the area that has limited counseling services. Part of the plan has been to coordinate with local churches to offer this ministry to people who come into the churches in crisis. Another group I am focusing on is the Deaf community. I have always heard that there is an amazing need for them to have a therapist who can provide therapy in sign language. I have spent the past few months setting up this practice  with the anticipation of building it until I am able to leave my current position and turn this into my full time job. It has taken a great deal of work and I am incredibly excited about this opportunity.

As I write this blog and think about how it sounds, I realize that it sounds quite exciting, however let me explain where the word REST has come into play. As this busy year carried forth, I began to realize that a definition for rest is also leaning on someone or something, trusting that you will be held. I have learned how difficult it is for me to depend on others, including my God. Yes, I believe He is my Father and I believe I tend to do relatively well on the idea of being obedient to His call, however I realize that I tend to try to do it all on my own and lean on myself to take care of things.

As the year has moved forward, I discovered that I have been taken off of the worship team list with no warning or explanation. I can’t possibly explain how much this pained my heart and has caused me to re-consider the role music has in my life. While I think I know why it is that I began singing again, how did I allow myself to be put in the place where I can be so hurt once more? I recently resigned from choir until I figure out once and for all what the role is, if any, that music plays in my life. Maybe it was a temporary resurgence to get me from point A to point B in the recent years. I have no idea.  By the Fall of this year, I stepped out of an active role in Deaf Ministry due to such a busy schedule as I planned to move forward with my private practice. Oh, and the private practice? I signed a one year lease approximately two months ago, purchased furniture, have a website, and business cards. I have spent the past two months attempting to network, passing out letters announcing my practice and specialties, and passing out my cards. The end result? Crickets. I have had two referrals that I am aware of and neither have resulted in appointments or services for clients.

My first annual cancer check-up in April this year showed my CT scan to be “pristine.” Am I still cancer free? All I can go on is that last appointment and wait until April 2014 for my second annual appointment. I have no control if this appendix cancer shows itself again. I am heartbroken at this moment that someone I met online in my cancer journey (a 27 year old father of a 9 month old daughter and husband to a beautiful young woman), after we were both diagnosed about the same time, is currently on hospice care losing his fight with this disease.

Nothing in my private practice is in my control. I am unable to control how people hear my singing or any desire they have or don’t have in wanting me to be involved with the choir or worship teams. I have no control how my body chooses to keep a recurrence of the cancer at bay or be overcome with the mucin again. REST? Lean on others? I do trust that God has it all under control. What have I learned this year? More than anything, I believe I have learned how difficult it is for me to rest IN God and stop fighting. I need to learn how to allow God to give me that peace that passes all understanding. I need to learn how to not take everything on my own. Perhaps stop being like Peter as he looked around and realized how impossible it was that he was walking on the water.

This is my second year participating in “One Word 365,” with my first word being ACCEPT and this year being REST. This evening at church, I believe God gave me my word for next year. I am noticing a pattern, as it appears the next word is RETURN. Keep in touch for my introductory blog for 2014’s One Word 365. Accept, Rest, Return. Hmmm…..

Dear Lord, I ask that You be with me as You take me through these life journeys. I ask that You lead me as I learn how to be more like You and help me to follow Your guidance. Please give me wisdom and discernment to know what is from You and what is my own human nature. Thank You for the past two years as we have traveled this journey together.

Learning to rest in gratitude

A while back, I began hearing many reviews of and recommendations that we read the book One Thousand Gifts . It kind of stuck in my head until I bought it and recently began reading it. I haven't quite finished reading the book yet, however there are several areas that have struck a chord in me. I thought this particular topic was worthy of talking about here.

One of the ideas the author really focuses on is our inability to experience full joy if we do not show gratitude. I have been pondering that concept since I read it a few weeks ago and began observing my own attitude and mood in relationship to my feelings of gratitude or of ungratefulness. I also began considering the difference between real appreciation vs expressing gratefulness because that's what we're supposed to do. What I noticed is that when I focused on looking for things to be thankful for, I found myself seeking the good in many situations and my mood was improved. I am certain most of us have heard the phrase..."fake it til you feel it." While I believe that has its place, I wonder if it would be more helpful to focus our minds on things to be grateful for instead of attempting to force a "good mood."


Traffic is backed up or stopped, causing me to be late for my appointment, work, or wherever I am headed. 

I could become angry, frustrated, or anxious. My blood pressure could raise horribly. Road rage could be a possibility. OR could I find something to be grateful for while I am sitting there waiting to move the next 2 feet? Maybe I could actually listen to the words to the song on the radio. I may find myself drawn into worship. I could "car watch," checking out the different makes and colors of cars surrounding me. What about the color of the sky, the colors of the leaves, the mountains in the horizon? I could be grateful that I have a car with gas to get me where I need to go. If I am on a bus, I could people watch. I could be grateful that I am not the one driving in this traffic mess. There are so many things I could notice if I just shifted my attitude and looked.


The only phone calls I get from my children are when they need something.

That could certainly frustrate the strongest of parents. I could become bitter that I gave so much of my life raising these people and I find I have to keep giving and keep giving. Are they ever grateful? OR I could be grateful that my children know where they can turn when they need help. I could be touched that they see me as someone who they can depend on. That I have the children in the first place. That I have children who actually want to talk to me. (For the record, my children are amazing and I absolutely adore whatever time I get to have with them. I miss having them both together in my home. There is nothing better than snuggling with my kiddos, hearing the sibling banter, cooking for my family. sigh...)


Today has been incredibly stressful at work.


When we spend most of our awake time at work, hard days can definitely make keeping a positive attitude a challenge. Why does my boss just pick on me? Why are the clients so ungrateful? Why does this day seem to drag on? The computer system just crashed again. Now I can't get my work done. OR I can be grateful that I have a job. I can be grateful that I have a computer that usually works. I have a desk and a comfy chair. Since the computer is down, I have a chance to eat lunch away from my desk. I get to work with clients who are having a tough day and maybe help their day improve. I can maybe share my positive attitude with the others.




I discovered when I stay in the negative and hold onto the stressful feelings, I feel icky. I begin to feel down or grumpy. When I search for things to be grateful for, my insides feel lighter. I would even say that, by making gratitude a goal, I begin to feel joyful. 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kids, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

Is this maybe part of what James is talking about? If I keep the negative, grumpy attitude then it makes it difficult to persevere. When I show gratitude, my heart feels joyful and often peaceful. That sure helps the perseverance. Maybe I should try to be more grateful for the little things as well as the big things. Do you notice a difference when you focus on even the little things? For someone who has been called this year to learn how to rest, maybe this is one of the ways I can learn that. If being grateful produces joy and peace, the feeling of unrest dissipates, leaving a calm rest and a closeness to my Father. Wow. Such a big deal. Why have I not discovered this until now?

Thank you Lord for teaching me this lesson. Please help me focus more on how to seek gratitude. Please use that gratefulness to remove the negative and judgmental nature from my spirit. Please use this lesson to draw me closer to you. Amen.

Just over halfway through a year of REST?

I recently realized how long it has been since I have written on here, so I thought it was time to pop in and update on my goal of learning to acquaint myself with the word "Rest." It has been so long that I had to revisit recent posts to see where I last left you. 

Well, as for my health, my annual CT scan and appointment with my surgical oncologist went quite well. The word he used to describe the scan results was "pristine." A word that I never thought I would appreciate quite so much. Praise God!! So my focus has been less on cancer and more on other health issues, though God and I are working together to fight through these as well. I continue to pray that the physicians figure out a treatment that will help arthritis that has become quite painful. There is not much I can do with that one, so I reckon I will continue plugging through and see what happens.

As far as my career goes, God has begun to clarify His mission for this, resulting in a mix of anxiety and excitement. I am currently in the process of doing some research on a few things and waiting for the input from others who could be involved. The possibilities are incredible and I can not wait to see where God takes this idea.

So, if you are keeping score, you will notice that my word for the year is "REST" and I am dealing with chronic health issues, in the process of working full time and attempting to set up a private practice doing crisis services, raising my 17yr old daughter who is learning how to drive and taking college classes, and yes, I continue to be involved with my congregation. Craziness. I love each piece, yet it is all crazy just the same. How is rest involved here? What is God teaching me?

In the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the meaning of rest includes sleep, freedom from activity or labor, a period of inactivity, peace of mind or spirit, something used for support, and free of anxieties. I guess I have always thought of resting as the definitions involving inactivity, sleep, being still. Well, that has not transpired this year so I began wondering what I was missing. Oh...peace of mind or spirit. Free of anxieties. How would I find peace of mind and spirit? How am I able to be free of anxieties? 

Recently there have been a few songs that hit me squarely in the heart and reminded me of how I may be able to rest in the craziness of my life and upcoming changes. One song, I first heard during worship in church. This one hits me so hard that I am not always able to make it through the whole thing without breaking into a puddle of tears as I beg God to help me trust without borders. 

This next one hit home when the Sidewalk Prophets came to our church for a concert, then spent the weekend leading praise and worship. A really cool thing was that I had the honor of interpreting for them as I was on the schedule that weekend. Amazing experience. If you ever have a chance to go see them, I recommend it. Great group of guys!! Anyway, the song they ended the service with was one that I believe was specifically for me. I did not interpret this one as much as prayed it in ASL in front of the congregation. I have never had that happen before. Moist eyes and nearly forgetting there were people in front of me. And guess what? This song nearly plays non-stop on the radio and on the shuffle on my iPod. Do you think God is trying to tell me something?

So to answer my question about the word "Rest"? Well, another definition in the Merriam Webster is to remain confident; to trust. Oh. Trust. So we have relief from anxiety, peace, and.... trust. So I am to confidently rest in the fact that God is in control and I am to be obedient to His call. Not an easy task, I assure you. I thought I tended to trust Him, yet I wonder if, at times,it is more of an apathetic behavior than a heartfelt release of control to the One I know has my best in mind.

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith would be made stronger in the presence of my Savior." ~ Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong

"If there's a road I should walk help me find it. If I need to be still, give me peace for the moment. Whatever your will, can you help me find it? I will trust in You. You've never failed before. I will trust in You." ~ Help Me Find It by Sidewalk Prophets

Well, it is surely a good thing that I still have most of the second half of 2013 to work more on "resting." Who knows? Maybe God will tell me that I need another few years on this one. He is certainly finally getting my attention. 

"We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice for we trust in His holy name. May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You."  ~ Psalm 33:20-22

Lots of Pondering

It has been a while since my last post and I have to say that, for someone who's word for the year is "REST," my life has been what a friend has referred to as "crazy busy." Between being a mom to my teenage daughter, building my career, and church involvement, life has moved pretty well non-stop. While life has been so "crazy busy," I have to admit that I love that. As I noted in my most recent post, I am a full blown extravert and was raised to keep myself busy. In the past few years, I found myself being surrounded by so many introverts, that life became less involved and I began struggling in many ways. While I have been happy in general, deciphering areas in which God wanted me to focus on growth gradually became apparent. During the past few weeks, I started experiencing this inner peace with myself. I guess you could say there was some feeling of acceptance brewing deep inside.

For those of you who have read even a few of my blog posts, it likely did not take long to realize that this woman has some fairly deep seated struggles with self-acceptance. Between spending most of my life feeling that I was not good enough, being involved in numerous unhealthy relationships, and being a "divorcee," I have wondered how in the world God could not be disappointed with His creation. No wonder God has taken so long to gently take me by my heart and spend some serious time challenging these thoughts.

I have heard through the years that I have such a bright smile, a "healing smile" a dear friend recently informed me. I heard from others that it's a big smile, that I have big gums. For my high school senior photo, the photographer told me not to smile so big, then my dad expressed dislike for the picture because it didn't look like me. For someone who has a love language of words, these varying descriptions were quite confusing. Then there are people who feel the need to judge a person by their weight, the obsession our society has with the scale and our body mass index. I have a genetic predisposition to being overweight. I have a solid body structure, making me weigh more than I look, I am told. Fat people are not attractive. Doctors label us obese. One could go on and on. I am an extrovert, which makes me a blabber mouth. A person who talks all the time, right? I have psoriatic arthritis that makes itself known all over my body by disfiguring my swollen, painful joints and causing ugly, red patches on my skin. Appearance is everything, right? 

For many years, these are some of the words I have been holding onto. I have found it amazing ever since my family began attending our church nearly ten years ago that our pastor and I are regularly on the same path, only for varying reasons. Last weekend, he spoke about Paul's writing to the church in Philippi. How is it possible that Paul is able to speak so much about having joy in all things while he is chained to a guard 24/7? 

"The results of Paul's chains are that people are coming to know Christ and people are being encouraged....Paul's chains are evident. You can see the chains......We need to look beyond the circumstances to see what God wants to do through you and I. We need to look beyond personalities and see priorities. " ~ Pastor Ray Armstrong

My best friend used to always ask me why I place so much value on the negative words and so little value on the affirmations. I could never answer her question, yet I continued to sit with the negative self thoughts, being afraid of holding the positive words. Last year, my word of the year was accept. God spent the year teaching me to accept so many things about my life and my circumstances. This year, my word is rest, yet I have been busier than I have in a long time. I wondered how these lessons would show themselves to be related and I believe I am beginning to understand. The craziness that my life has become is actually providing some fairly significant sanity, more acceptance, and energizing restfulness.

God has returned music into my life in the form of the choir, the worship team, and interpreting for our Deaf ministry. My career is making some intensive changes, moving forward in ways that I would have never foreseen a year ago. As I sat in church last weekend, a wave of peace and acceptance came over me, nearly drawing me to tears. I am learning to realize that, though I am overweight, have dysfunctional joints and skin, have significant scars from various surgeries, and am not talented enough to be a professional performer, God can and does use me to achieve His purposes for my life. Family members or friends may not feel time with me is worthwhile. They may not see the need for positive affirmations, spewing apathy or negative words instead. That is okay. These people did not create me and should not take up space in my head, though they are deep in my heart.

"Keep the important thing, the important thing. When people want to come in and tear down what you are doing, think on the important stuff. Think on the things that matter." ~ Pastor Ray Armstrong

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ......I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you." Philippians 1:27-28

As I said, the past few months have been busy, yet energizing in a way I have not experienced in such a long time. I am grateful that our Lord directed me to learn acceptance last year so this year I am able to rest in the knowledge that He does indeed have a plan and I am exactly where He wants me to be to accomplish His purpose. I don't want to spend my life carrying the anxiety and icky words. I would much prefer to touch the hearts and lives of those God places in front of me, resting in His plan and being obedient to His will without resistance. 

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." ~ Philippians 1:9-11 

 

Introverts vs. Extroverts

I'm an extrovert who lives in a world of introverts. I suppose one could also say that I've been surrounded by introverts during much of my life. Both of my children are quite strong introverts; my best friend is an introvert; the majority of my friends are introverts. In my family of origin, my mom and two of my three brothers are introverts, while my dad and other brother tend to fluctuate between the two. I believe that's called being an "Ambivert." In all honesty, I think that's possibly the safest place to live as it seems they can adapt to either environment. Of course I've never spoken to either of them about it, so I may be completely off base. In this particular post, what I am more concerned with addressing is the perceived competition between introverts and extroverts. 

I have had to engage in a substantial amount of research to find valid, unbiased definitions about both personality types. In Psychology Today, I found an article by Dan Buettner that described both pretty well. 

"Two major personality types are extroverts and introverts. These types are known to have unique ways of feeling re-energized and motivated. They each have characteristic ways of interacting with the world and processing information."

In this article, Mr. Buettner describes extroverts as people who "learn by doing and enjoy talking through ideas and problems." "These 'social butterflies' thrive under social stimulation." He describes introverts as people who "get their energy from having alone time or in small groups of people, but may get overwhelmed in new situations or in large groups of people. They prefer to focus on one task at a time and observe a situation before jumping in." In another Psychology Today article, Irene S. Levine simplifies this a bit more, saying that "the bottom-line difference between introverts and extroverts is that social interactions are energizing to extroverts, but draining for introverts."

In the past couple of years, I have heard quite a lot about the differences between introverts and extroverts. Much of what I have heard has been complaints about extroverts being outspoken, pushy, overly talkative, and opinionated. Videos have been sent around that have accused extroverts of not being observant, jumping in without thinking of the consequences, shallow minded, etc. These same sources insist that introverts are more empathic, sensitive, more observant, and better listeners than extroverts. A video I watched recently was a TED talk on this very subject, in which Susan Cain stated:

"The vast majority of teachers reports believing that the ideal student is an extrovert as opposed to an introvert, even though introverts actually get better grades and are more knowledgeable, according to research."

She went on to say that introverts are better leaders because extroverts interfere with the creative process. She also said that when psychologists look at the lives of many creative people, they find that the most creative people are introverts because they create in solitude. 

SO, with all of that said, I have to admit that these cause me to feel pretty defensive. Why is it that, because I am energized by being around other people and my mood sinks when I am alone too long, I am a person who is "less-than"? Why do we feel the need to put people down who are different than us in order to lift ourselves up? Why does it have to be better to be one way or the other? I have a Master's degree and am a mental health professional, a therapist and crisis specialist. My hobbies include reading and I earned a 3.97 GPA in graduate school. I am frequently told that I score quite highly in the areas of empathy and ability to listen to others. I enjoy people watching. I am quite observant, often the first one to notice if someone is feeling troubled or is struggling. I will grant you the lack of creativity part, however I am unable to speak for the numerous other extroverts in the world. What I do know is that God created each of us, introverts and extroverts alike, in His image. 

"So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them." ~ Genesis 1:27

 "He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them 'Mankind' when they were created." ~ Genesis 5:2

"For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb." ~ Psalm 139:13 

As we each seek explanations for how and why we behave, for why our personalities are formed the way they are, I caution that we should not use the personalities and characters of others as stepping stones. Owning our behaviors, our personalities, our character is admirable. Putting another person down for behaving differently and having alternate skills, talents, gifts only succeeds in creating a win/lose scenario.

Learning to Rest

I have been spending a great deal of time recently considering what it is like to rest. When God gave me that word for this year, what is it that He wants me to learn? In pondering this, there are several areas in my life that come to mind. Often, when I have an inner struggle, God allows me to go to the ocean or a lake to find peace and re-center my heart. That hasn't been the case recently as there hasn't been an opportunity to head towards water, however He has been using other means to give me direction.

One of the areas that I mentioned where I am trying to learn to rest is my career. I felt God release me from my current job a few months ago and I have been seeking new employment, even interviewing for a couple of jobs. The problem is that I have not been hired, at this point, for either of them. I continue to wait for either another interview or some other evidence indicating that I am heading in the wrong direction, agency-wise. I have also begun the process of planning for a private practice that I hope to start sometime later this year. Both of these adventures bring frustration and excitement. I love the work that I do right now and completely enjoy the daily camaraderie with my colleagues, however at the same time, I feel separated, as though I'm heading a different direction from them.  

Another area where I have been conflicted has been music and how God is calling for me use it in ministry. I continue to sing in the choir and have discussed the possibility of joining the worship teams to lead weekend worship. In addition, the leadership at my church recently agreed to re-start the Deaf Ministry that has been dormant for a few years. I have agreed to serve in this ministry as a music interpreter. It's likely that my career as a clinical social worker will also enable me to provide another service to this ministry at some point. 

These are just a couple of the areas that are occupying a great deal of time and energy in my heart and my mind. I have no real idea where either of these will lead me and waiting has never been a strength of mine. Once I'm told what to do, I primarily move forward pretty quickly. I guess you can say that immediate obedience was pretty well drilled into me from birth.

Something else that has been weighing on my heart has been the fact that I am approaching the one year anniversary of my experimental cancer surgery. I have my one year check up in a few short weeks, including a CT scan to assess for any return of the mucinous appendix cancer. I have a peace that all will go according to God's plan and if the cancer has returned, I will do whatever necessary to continue fighting this disease. I also have to admit that the unknown can bring some anxiety.

Now that I have explained a few recent ponderings, I will share some of what God has been sharing with me. As I mentioned in my recent post, it's pretty amazing how many ways I am being reminded to rest. Our pastors have been teaching on the book of Nehemiah during the past month. In this Old Testament book, we read how Nehemiah was so grieved at how the Jews had been exiled and the news that the walls of Jerusalem had been torn apart. We learn that his reaction was to mourn, fast, and pray....then plan how to rebuild what had been destroyed. Many people may have immediately jumped in to try to fix everything, though Nehemiah showed wisdom. He took the necessary time to humble himself, seek for God's will, and then plan accordingly. 

I also "happened" upon a video that spoke to me. It was a great reminder to focus on what God wants for my life and to rest in Him as He leads. 

"Rest in me today because it's not about what you have to do. It's about what I will do."

There is nothing I can do to hasten the next phase of my career. I am unable to predict God's plan on the whole music front, though accepting music as a part of my life again continues to be a struggle for me. As much as I would like to hear that my CT scan is clear of cancer, I am unable to predict what it will show or have any control over what my body is doing in that front. Of course, God being who He is has already addressed that in His Word. Christ says:

"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 11:28-29

2013 Word of the Year

I know that February is about halfway over and I haven't written about my word for this year but I finally have the opportunity and the brain power to sit down and focus on it. The  word this year appears to be "REST." Life is so busy and my brain is one of those that never seems to shut down. As a single mom who is attempting to figure out my future career goals and am still in the process of working with last year's word, resting is not always high on my priority list. When I began to ask God what He wanted my word to be this year, the word "REST" began popping up all over the place and then I noticed how difficult that is for me to do.

When I researched "rest" in Scripture, I found numerous references. The first one is found in Genesis 2:2, in which God rested on the seventh day, after creating the universe. In Exodus 20, we find what is known as the 10 Commandments. We are told to follow God's example by resting on the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 33:12 says, "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders." Matthew 11:28-29 instructs us to "come to me all you who are weary and heavy 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 in your souls."

According to Merriam-Webster, the word "rest" is defined as "to cease from action or motion; refrain from motion or exertion; to be free from anxiety or disturbance; to sit or lie fixed or supported; to remain confident; to be based or founded." 

In further pondering the word, "rest," I though of the phrase "be still." Here are a few Scripture passages in which we are encouraged to rest or be still. In Exodus 12:12, Moses tells the Israelites that "the Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still." Psalm 37:7 instructs us to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." Psalm 46:10 says to "be still and know that I am God."

So it sounds like, in given the word "rest," I am being instructed to not push my way through life. I am not a person who enjoys waiting for things to happen. I tend to plug through, make myself heard, and attempt to open doors that I feel I am supposed to go through. I don't tend to wait patiently. Hold on a minute. The word was rest, not wait. Rest. Be still. Let God do the work that needs to be done and allow Him to lead the way.

There are a few places in my life where learning to be still and rest will be beneficial. What all does it entail? What is God trying to teach me? I really don't know at this point. I do know that, if I learn as much from resting as I have from accepting, 2013 may be a challenging year. Would you be willing to rest with me?