What was the fastest thing in the world when Jesus walked the earth? It couldn’t have been a jet or car because they weren’t invented yet. So it was probably an animal or a ship. Of all the things life would surely have been, it would definitely have been… slower. Difficult? Yes. Meaningful? Yes. But … Continue reading The cost of rushing
sabbath
Something we GET to do (because we’re not slaves)
Hi everyone! After a month of vacation, the “Up!” devotional is back! One of the good things about getting away is regaining some perspective. One of the things I regained some perspective about was REST. We all need it. We all want it. But not all of us get it as much as we should. … Continue reading Something we GET to do (because we’re not slaves)
Physical rest without mental rest? (1 1-day invitation)
[Note: After today, the Up! devotional is going on pause for August while I’m on vacation. Full announcement below.] Many people are experiencing what I call “soul fatigue.” An article from the University of California describes the situation well: “We’re tired of being cooped up, tired of being careful, tired of being scared… ‘This is … Continue reading Physical rest without mental rest? (1 1-day invitation)
Wasting time well spent
Maybe we should all get a bit better at wasting time sometimes. Now hear me out. I’m not saying we should be lazy. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t work hard. We should. Just not every second of every day of every year. We generally look down our noses at wasting time. After all, we’ve … Continue reading Wasting time well spent
The modern fountain of youth?
Many books and movies have explored the idea of a fountain of youth—a magical flow of water that stops the aging process, and which makes you younger and feeling great. As far as we know, it doesn’t exist. But one of the things I’ve come to discover is that a well-rested soul may be the … Continue reading The modern fountain of youth?
The benefit of quality down time
In Matthew 8:23-25 we read: “Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Yup. A storm threatened … Continue reading The benefit of quality down time
Nomophobia and a technosabbath
According to Psychology Today there’s something called “nomophobia.” It’s “the fear of being without a mobile device, or beyond mobile phone contact.” I read about one study that said more people are even taking their smart phones with them into the shower. Maybe that’s you. Maybe it’s not. Either way, more and more of us are … Continue reading Nomophobia and a technosabbath
A rest… from screens
Writer Lettie Cowman tells about a traveler who visited Africa and used a group of guides and carriers to carry their supplies as they hiked and explored. On the first day she was impressed because they went a huge distance. But the next day the carriers refused to move. The leader said that on the … Continue reading A rest… from screens
Things that renew you (not drain you)
Learning how to rest. That’s something I’ve been teaching and talking about lately. Why? Because of what it says in Exodus 20:8: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” But this can be hard. Many of us know rest is important, but we don’t do it as much as we should. Life gets busy, … Continue reading Things that renew you (not drain you)
Why doing nothing is doing something
Rest. It’s something many of us think is a good thing… but don’t do as much as we should. Even though it’s a command. Yup, God commands rest. In Exodus 20: 8-9 God says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day … Continue reading Why doing nothing is doing something
